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Background: Students are sometimes subjected to difficult circumstances to achieve success. Studying under these circumstances could cultivate aggression towards self and others, and the environment. Little, if any, published research is available dealing with students being orientated autonomous versus being submissive and perceptions of aggression., Objectives: To explore and describe the perceptions of groups of students being orientated autonomous versus students being submissive and perceptions of aggression. Recommendations concerning these two groups of students are made., Method: An exploratory quantitative research design that is descriptive and inferential in nature was applied. A questionnaire was electronically distributed to students in a faculty. The questionnaire consisted of items on biographic, personality and aggression. In the statistical analysis Cronbach's alphas, principal component analysis were done and hypotheses were tested on differences between students orientated autonomous and those being submissive., Results: Of the 266 completed questionnaires used, 177 were received from females and 89 from males. Eighty-two (82) of these were honours, masters or doctoral students. Findings reflected graded differences between students being autonomous and students being submissive orientated concerning Overt verbal aggression (means below 1.82), Overt physical aggression (means below 2.53) and aggressive inclination towards others (means below 3.01). The implications are that students are to be sensitised to be reflective of their levels of aggression. University management should help students to be reflective concerning their aggression, and to establish congruency between self-perception and reality., Conclusion: Students should be helped to understand and manage their aggressive inclination.

Background: 'The time I was hit nobody helped me. They (psychiatric nurses) just said: "you do not have to worry, you are not bleeding … in time you will see more"'. The core of the nursing profession is caring for those in need. However, when the psychiatric nurse (PN) is overwhelmed by aggression from the person cared for, the ideal of rendering quality patient care is compromised. There has to be a way to assist the PNs to manage aggression effectively in order to render quality patient care and improve PNs mental health., Objectives: The purpose of this article is to describe the process that was followed in developing, describing and evaluating a model that could be used as a framework of reference to facilitate the effective management of aggression as an integral part of the mental health of PNs., Methods: A theory-generative, qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study design was used to develop the model. The central concept was derived from the Masters' research 'The lived experience of aggression and violence by PNs in a Gauteng psychiatric institution'. The process entailed the identification of the central concept, the definition of the central concept and other essential criteria and the classification of the central and related concepts. The conceptual framework was then described and evaluated., Results: The central concept was identified and the 'facilitation of effective self-management of aggression' was described and evaluated., Conclusion: The conceptual framework may be able to assist PNs in managing aggression effectively, taking control of workplace environment.

Background: A number of reports to the Department of Education indicated high levels of aggression in a Grade 10 A class in a secondary school in Sedibeng District, Gauteng. Teachers, the school management team, school governing body, school-based support team, parents, community leaders and learners seemed unable to manage this constructively. Neither the culture of aggression nor the influence of this phenomenon on those entrapped in it were understood. No published research reports could be found on cultures of aggression in South African secondary schools. There was therefore a dire need to explore and describe the culture of aggression in this specific Grade 10 A class., Objectives: This article reports on patterns of a culture of aggression observed amongst learners in a Grade 10 class in a secondary school in the Sedibeng District of the Gauteng Department of Education., Method: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was followed with an ethnographic approach. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Data consisted of observations of 'rich points', interviews and field notes, and thematic data analysis and an independent coder were used., Results: Findings reflected four patterns of a culture of aggression amongst learners, namely patterns of anger, bullying, fighting, and challenges to moral values. At the root of these were neglect of and non-adherence to human rights and a sound base of morals., Conclusion: The challenge is to assist the involved learners to respect each other's human dignity, so that relationships can be developed in which those involved act with sensitivity towards each other's needs. Such relationships often also result in the development of self-respect and a nuanced future orientation as part and parcel of mental health.

We describe an exploratory, descriptive, and contextual study on the lived experiences of 17 male teachers' own aggression in the Gert Sibande district in Mpumalanga province. Individual phenomenological interviews were used to collect data from these volunteers for this qualitative research. The data were analysed by means of an open coding systematic process in order to establish the themes and categories that describe male teachers' experiences of own aggression. Results show that the participants in this sample experience their own aggression in a variety of ways. It appears they primarily experience a loss of power and control that gives rise to aggression. Significantly, participants are aware that they need guidelines to enable them to cope with their aggression. Although there are aggression theories that support and provide an understanding of aggressive behaviour, Transformative Learning Theory seems to offer the best way of bringing about transformative change in individual behaviour, as it raises consciousness and an understanding of the self through self-reflection.

Aggression is part of South African society and has implications for the mental health of persons living in South Africa. If parents are aggressive adolescents are also likely to be aggressive and that will impact negatively on their mental health. In this article the nature and extent of adolescents' experiences of aggression and aggressive behaviour in the family are investigated. A deductive explorative quantitative approach was followed. Aggression is reasoned to be dependent on aspects such as self-concept, moral reasoning, communication, frustration tolerance and family relationships. To analyse the data from questionnaires of 101 families (95 adolescents, 95 mothers and 91 fathers) Cronbach Alpha, various consecutive first and second order factor analyses, correlations, multiple regression, MANOVA, ANOVA and Scheffè/Dunnett tests were used. It was found that aggression correlated negatively with the independent variables; and the correlations between adolescents and their parents were significant. Regression analyses indicated that different predictors predicted aggression. Furthermore, differences between adolescents and their parents indicated that the experienced levels of aggression between adolescents and their parents were small. Implications for education are given.

Aggression is increasingly seen in most parts of South African society. Aggressive behaviour of boys in secondary school often results from frustrations caused by perceived high expectations of others regarding the role, locus of control, and personality of boys. Locus of control plays an important role in a person's perception concerning a situation and possible reactions to what is happening, or should be happening. A 56-item questionnaire, based on Rotter's "Locus of control" questionnaire, and the DIAS Scale were used. The questionnaire was completed by 440 boys in Grades 9, 10, and 11. Various factor, item and differential statistical analyses were conducted. Three constructs were identified, i.e. physical, verbal, and indirect aggression. Results indicated that locus of control has a significant influence on verbal and indirect aggression. The differential analysis indicated that contextual variables (language of tuition, age, and grade) play a significant, but not substantial, role in aggression. Furthermore, boys with an internal locus of control are significantly and substantially less aggressive than boys with an external locus of control, with respect to physical, verbal and indirect aggression.

This meta-synthesis is on research conducted by different researchers in a team research project on learners' experience of aggression in secondary schools in South Africa. The objective was to obtain a broader understanding of their experience of aggression in different contexts in South Africa, as well as possible ways to assist learners to address the experienced aggression. Eleven completed research projects were purposively sampled. Data were collected utilising the following headings: objectives, sampling, research design, research method, and research results, and guidelines. At the end of the meta-synthesis process the results are described, with supporting direct quotations from participants and a literature control. Guidelines for learners to cope with aggression are described.

Background: Post-secondary education forms the backbone of delivering high-powered persons in a country. Students are subjected to high levels of pressure to achieve success. This often promotes aggression towards self, others and even the environment. Predicting aggression is important as this can assist in managing aggression and the facilitation of the mental health of students. Little research has been published on the prediction of aggression in a university. Aim: To describe the prediction of aggression of students in one faculty in a university. Setting: Students in one faculty in a university. Methods: A deductive quantitative methodology was applied. Multivariate statistical techniques were used to answer the research questions. An online survey was conducted by using a questionnaire that comprised items related to biographic, personality and aggression aspects. Data were analysed by calculating Cronbach's alpha values, various factor analyses (principal component analysis) and several multiple regression analyses to identify and describe the predictors of aggression. Results: Findings reflect that aggression can be predicted by intra- and interpersonal variables, such as 'positive inclination towards others', 'positive inclination towards self' and 'acting responsibly towards self.' Aggression is lower when a student's positive inclination towards others is higher and towards self is lower and when a student acts with greater responsibility towards self. Conclusion: Students should understand and manage their own aggression. Overall, the findings showed that students are seemingly 'adjusted' conformists using an external locus of control. The facilitation of an internal locus of control and autonomous behaviour is imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the structure of social climate among university students to characterise the relative importance of personal and interpersonal factors. Participants were 266 students from a school of education of a large South African university (females = 66.5%; black = 53.0%, white = 25.9%; coloured = 7.5%, Asian/Indian = 6.0%; mean age = 28.71 years, SD = 10.51 years). The students completed the Experience of Social Climate Questionnaire (ESCQ). Exploratory principal component factor analysis of the data yielded a three component structure of social climate comprising of (i) Constructive interpersonal relationships, (ii) Unloving towards self, and (iii) Aggression perceptions of self. Relationships and aggression appear to define social climate in a higher education student population. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study explored and described the lived experiences of adolescent boys who are obese. Participants were a purposive sample of nine boys between the ages of 13 and 18, six of them currently with obesity and with BMI levels at or above the 95th percentile for weight for height, and three with a history of obesity. Data were collected using in-depth phenomenological interviews, direct observations and field notes. Thematic coding was applied during the analysis process. Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis to characterise the adolescent boys’ experiences of being obese: living an empty life in a full body; vulnerable self-concept and low self-esteem; and being teased and humoured. They reported to cope with lived obesity by actively using motivation such as fear of death to lose weight and passively coping by wearing a mask. Obesity carries significant physical and psychological health risk to children in adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explored and described the lived experiences of single mothers and described guidelines for psychiatric nurses to facilitate the mental health of single mothers subjected to aggression by their adolescent sons. Participants were a purposive sample of 8 (single mothers, aged between 40 and 50 years, 7 mothers were employed and 3 were professionally trained, 4 mothers were domestic workers and 1 earned living by selling vegetables). The mothers attended the outpatient department at the National Psychiatric Hospital in Swaziland because of being exposed to aggression by their adolescent sons and had adolescent sons living with them 6 months prior to as well as during the study. Data were collected using individual in-depth phenomenological interviews, direct observation and field notes. Analyses used thematic coding. Results reflected that single mothers experienced their adolescent sons as disrespectful and violent, they had negative experiences about their adolescent sons which resulted in anxiety related symptoms, they had negative experiences of self and experienced poor relationships with their neighbours. Guidelines concerning intra- and interpersonal challenges were formulated for the psychiatric nurse to facilitate the mental health of these mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe an exploratory, descriptive, and contextual study on the lived experiences of 17 male teachers' own aggression in the Gert Sibande district in Mpumalanga province. Individual phenomenological interviews were used to collect data from these volunteers for this qualitative research. The data were analysed by means of an open coding systematic process in order to establish the themes and categories that describe male teachers' experiences of own aggression. Results show that the participants in this sample experience their own aggression in a variety of ways. It appears they primarily experience a loss of power and control that gives rise to aggression. Significantly, participants are aware that they need guidelines to enable them to cope with their aggression. Although there are aggression theories that support and provide an understanding of aggressive behaviour, Transformative Learning Theory seems to offer the best way of bringing about transformative change in individual behaviour, as it raises consciousness and an understanding of the self through self-reflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the experience of aggression by secondary school learners attending a South African school. There were 14 participants ranging in age from 16 to 19 years (Gender: 6 young women and 8 young men; Ethnicity: 7 Black; 3 Coloured; 2 Indian and 2 White). Data were collected using open ended interviews and analysed using Tesch's (1990) thematic panning method. The findings suggest these learners have little understanding or appreciation of diversity in their multicultural schools. Consequently, they experience negative interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers. The accompanying aggression they experience and display has racial and gender overtones that are shaped by the violence in their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explored and described the experience of aggression on teachers by students in a secondary school. Participants were a purposive sample of 8 (males = 3, females = 5, language group= Afrikaans and English, range in years of experience = 4-29 years). We used qualitative exploratory research design for the study. Data were collected using individual phenomenological interviews augmented by detailed field notes. Analyses used mostly thematic coding. Results reflected that teachers experienced behavioural and attitudinal aggression from students. They perceived the aggression to be cyclical and self-perpetuating once initiated. They believed that a systemic barrier to constructive relationships exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggression is increasingly seen in most parts of South African society. Aggressive behaviour of boys in secondary school often results from frustrations caused by perceived high expectations of others regarding the role, locus of control, and personality of boys. Locus of control plays an important role in a person's perception concerning a situation and possible reactions to what is happening, or should be happening. A 56-item questionnaire, based on Rotter's "Locus of control" questionnaire, and the DIAS Scale were used. The questionnaire was completed by 440 boys in Grades 9, 10, and 11. Various factor, item and differential statistical analyses were conducted. Three constructs were identified, i.e. physical, verbal, and indirect aggression. Results indicated that locus of control has a significant influence on verbal and indirect aggression. The differential analysis indicated that contextual variables (language of tuition, age, and grade) play a significant, but not substantial, role in aggression. Furthermore, boys with an internal locus of control are significantly and substantially less aggressive than boys with an external locus of control, with respect to physical, verbal and indirect aggression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This meta-synthesis is on research conducted by different researchers in a team research project on learners' experience of aggression in secondary schools in South Africa. The objective was to obtain a broader understanding of their experience of aggression in different contexts in South Africa, as well as possible ways to assist learners to address the experienced aggression. Eleven completed research projects were purposively sampled. Data were collected utilising the following headings: objectives, sampling, research design, research method, and research results, and guidelines. At the end of the meta- synthesis process the results are described, with supporting direct quotations from participants and a literature control. Guidelines for learners to cope with aggression are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research investigated street children's experiences of aggression during interaction with police. The participants were 16 black male street children (aged =13 to 18 years) residing in a temporary shelter in Hillbrow of Johannesburg. Data were collected through phenomenological individual interviews, drawings and group interviews. Street children experienced aggression during interaction with police in a variety of ways which included physical abuse, verbal abuse accompanied by threats, and sexual abuse. Street children associated these experiences of police aggression with negative feelings such as fear, a sense of hopelessness and uncertainty, abandonment/rejection, sadness, loss of trust, disillusionment and intense resentment/vengeance. Life skills facilitation and peer support program could assist these children to interact with the police in healthier ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]