Influences of Gender, Religion, Dietary Patterns, and Mixed-sex Education on Aggressiveness in Children: A Sociodemographic Study in Municipal Primary Schools of South Delhi

Khushbu Jain; Schweta Sharma; Samani Chaitanya Prajna; Viney Jain

doi:10.4103/ijph.IJPH_346_16

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Year : 2018 | Volume : 62 | Issue : 1 | Page : 21-26

Influences of Gender, Religion, Dietary Patterns, and Mixed-sex Education on Aggressiveness in Children: A Sociodemographic Study in Municipal Primary Schools of South Delhi

Khushbu Jain¹, Schweta Sharma², Samani Chaitanya Prajna³, Viney Jain⁴
¹ Research Associate, Bhagwan Mahavir International Research Centre, Ladnun, Rajasthan, India
² PhD Scholar, Department of Yoga and Science of Living, Jain Vishva Bharti Institute, Ladnun, Rajasthan, India
³ Executive Director, Bhagwan Mahavir International Research Centre, Ladnun, Rajasthan, India
⁴ Emeritus Professor, Department of Yoga and Science of Living, Jain Vishva Bharti Institute, Ladnun, Rajasthan, India

Correspondence Address:
Dr. Viney Jain
Department of Yoga and Science of Living, Jain Vishva Bharati Institute, Ladnun - 341 306, Rajasthan
India

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None

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DOI: 10.4103/ijph.IJPH_346_16

Background: Increasing antisocial and violent behaviors in adolescents and young adults present serious challenges for public health. Children with persistent high levels of aggressiveness are often associated with developing conduct disorders later in life. Early detection of highly aggressive children and sociodemographic risk-modifying factors are important for developing effective preventive strategies. Objectives: The present study was undertaken to assess levels of aggressiveness for detecting highly aggressive children in sample populations of primary school children in an urban setting and determine significant biosociocultural risk-modifying factors in this scenario. Methods: The study was conducted during August–September, 2015 in 5 primary schools of South Delhi Municipal Corporation. Sociodemographic data on 2080 students were collected. Overall aggressiveness scores (OA-Scores) were estimated using a self-report questionnaire in Hindi. Results: Categorizing students according to their OA-Scores, the data revealed that highly aggressive children constituted 4.3% of the study population. Analysis showed significant influence of (a) gender: boys displayed higher levels of aggressiveness compared to girls; (b) dietary pattern: omnivores showed higher aggressiveness than vegetarians; and (c) school environment: boys in mixed-sex (coeducational) schools displayed lower aggressiveness than from single-sex schools. Statistically significant influences of religion (Hindu/Muslim) and family type (joint/nuclear) on aggressiveness profiles were not noticeable. Conclusions: Vegetarian diets and mixed-sex education act as protective factors in the development of aggressiveness in children, especially among boys. Extending investigations to populations differing in geography and cultural backgrounds are warranted to verify present results.

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