Predicting direct and indirect aggression based on gender and temperament in first-grade primary school pupils

The research explores the role of gender and temperament in explaining direct and indirect aggression in first-grade primary school pupils. It is precisely at this age that some forms of aggression - which have been tolerated previously - become unsuitable in the school context and in peer relations. Due to the complexity of the topic, direct and indirect aggression were taken as relevant forms of aggression. Research participants were 146 first-grade primary school pupils and four class teachers. In order to assess pupils’ direct and indirect aggression we constructed the Scale for assessing aggression by the class teacher, and to assess pupils’ temperament we used a modified Scale for assessing temperament by the class teacher. Research results have revealed that at this age boys exhibit a higher level of both direct and indirect aggression. In order to determine the predictive value of temperament for pupils’ aggression, in addition to gender, the predictive model also included two types of temperament obtained based on factor analysis: active-inconsistent and passive-focused temperament. Direct aggression is best predicted by gender and both types of temperament, with the following dimensions as the most prominent: low adaptability, high level of activity and high distractibility. In the case of indirect aggression, both types of temperament proved to be significant predictors, with the following dimensions as the most prominent: high intensity of reaction and high level of activity. The results of moderation analysis have suggested that only the interaction of gender and active-inconsistent temperament is significant for explaining both types of aggression. The practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed further in the text