Aggressive behaviors and supportive interactions in the school environment

Laura  Hânză; Lenuța  Burlacu

doi:10.56663/rop.v14i1.91

Authors

Laura Hânză Andrei Șaguna University of Constanța, Faculty of Psychology
Lenuța Burlacu Ovidius University of Constanța, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56663/rop.v14i1.91

Keywords:

bullying, aggressive behaviors, social support, student self-evaluation, school climate

Abstract

The present study, a descriptive cross-sectional study, investigates students' perceptions of aggressive behaviors, bullying and supportive relationships in the school environment. The sample consisted of 124 middle school students, who completed a self-assessment questionnaire with 22 Likert-scaled items (1 = "never", 5 = "very often"). The descriptive analysis focused on item frequencies and means (M) and standard deviations (SD). The results show that 73% of students reported the absence or rarity of experiences of verbal, physical or relational aggression (M = 1.87, SD = 0.76). Only 15% admitted to frequent involvement in their own aggressive behaviors (M = 1.61, SD = 0.68). In contrast, 63% of students reported frequent experiences of peer support and friendship (M = 3.82, SD = 0.94). Also, 80% of participants did not face negative social pressures (M = 1.45, SD = 0.59). The study's conclusions emphasize the importance of developing educational programs to prevent bullying and strengthen peer relationships. The recommendations aim at implementing socio-emotional activities, awareness campaigns and the active involvement of teachers and parents, in order to maintain a safe, supportive and inclusive school environment.

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