Identification of Aggressive Behaviour Tendencies in Junior Age Children: first stage in a study of aggression

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Abstract
This study was intended for the identification of children aged 8‐9 years who were presenting aggressive behaviour, with the aim of facilitating intervention at an early stage. This was done through questionnaires given to the teachers, the children themselves and their peer group. A significant feature highlighted by these questionnaires was that there was little agreement between the various assessing groups as to which were the most aggressive children. It is therefore suggested that the identification of aggressive children should be based on various criteria. A questionnaire to the parents failed to identify any family factors that would correlate with any level of aggression in the children. The subject of aggression arouses strong emotional reactions in adults who tend to view it as a taboo area, consequently difficulties arose in undertaking this study and these are discussed.