Changes in aggression among mainland Chinese elementary, junior high, and senior high school students across years: A cross-temporal meta-analysis Publication date: Available online 6 September 2019 Source: Aggression and Violent Behavior Author(s): Hao Lei, Ming Ming Chiu, Yunhuo Cui, Shunyu Li, Minghui Lu Abstract This study examined whether aggression among students in China rose or fell during 2003–2016. We applied a cross-temporal meta-analysis of 90 studies using Aggression Questionnaire (Buss & Perry, 1992) responses by 87,319 students (primary school students through senior high students). The results showed less aggression in later years. The decline in aggression was greater among junior high school students than among other students. Otherwise, the decline in aggression did not differ across gender or across regions (Eastern China, Central China, Western China).

The grooming of children for sexual abuse in religious settings: Unique characteristics and select case studies Publication date: Available online 6 September 2019 Source: Aggression and Violent Behavior Author(s): Susan Raine, Stephen A. Kent Abstract This article examines the sexual grooming of children and their caregivers in a wide variety of religious settings. We argue that unique aspects of religion facilitate institutional and interpersonal grooming in ways that often differ from forms of manipulation in secular settings. Drawing from Christianity (Catholicism, Protestantism, and Seventh-day Adventism) and various sects (the Children of God, the Branch Davidians, the Fundamentalist Latter-day Saints, a Hindu ashram, and the Devadasis), we show how some religious institutions and leadership figures in them can slowly cultivate children and their caregivers into harmful and illegal sexual activity. A number of uniquely religious characteristics facilitate this cultivation, which includes: theodicies of legitimation; power, patriarchy, obedience, protection, and reverence towards authority figures; victims' fears about spiritual punishments; and scriptural uses to justify adult-child sex.

Correlates of youth violence in low- and middle-income countries: A meta-analysis Publication date: Available online 2 September 2019 Source: Aggression and Violent Behavior Author(s): Olga Sánchez de Ribera, Nicolás Trajtenberg, Yulia Shenderovich, Joseph Murray Abstract The highest rates of serious interpersonal violence occur in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs) especially in Latin America, the Caribbean, and sub–Saharan Africa. However, previous reviews of risk factors for youth violence focused almost entirely on studies from high-income countries (HICs). Rigorous synthesis of evidence is needed for LMICs. We conducted a meta-analysis of studies of youth violence in LMICs, identified by extensive searches in seven languages. Studies reporting correlates of violence perpetration in samples of 100 or more 10–29 year-olds from the general population in LMICs were included in the review. Eighty-six studies including 480,898 individuals from 60 countries were eligible for meta-analysis. Violent outcomes included fighting, carrying a weapon and other interpersonal violent behaviors (e.g. assault). The strongest correlates of youth violence (OR ≥ 2.5) were: male sex, impulsivity, conduct problems, sexual intercourse at an early age, smoking, alcohol use, using illicit drugs, being bullied, suffering criminal victimization, having deviant/delinquent peers, and watching violent television. We conclude that many correlates of youth violence in LMICs are similar to those that have been identified in HICs, but other biological, psychological, and cultural predictors remain to be tested in LMICs. Implications for research and policy are discussed.

The role of income inequality on factors associated with male physical Intimate Partner Violence perpetration: A meta-analysis Publication date: September–October 2019 Source: Aggression and Violent Behavior, Volume 48 Author(s): Chelsea M. Spencer, Marcos Mendez, Sandra M. Stith Abstract This study examines the influence of income inequality on risk markers for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in countries with low and high income inequality measured by the GINI index. Examining male perpetration of IPV, we used meta-analytic procedures to learn if income inequality moderated the strength of the relationship between well-established risk markers and IPV. We found that young age, relationship dissatisfaction, violence towards non-family members, and emotional abuse perpetration were significantly stronger risk markers for countries with high income inequality than for countries with low income inequality. We also found that having experienced trauma was a significantly stronger risk marker for countries with low income inequality than for countries with high income inequality. We also ran additional analyses between high and low income inequality countries excluding research conducted in the United States. Here we found that perpetrating emotional abuse, relationship dissatisfaction, and witnessing IPV in family of origin were all significantly stronger risk markers in high income inequality countries compared to low income inequality countries Our findings suggest that income inequality impacts risk markers for male IPV perpetration.

The effect of mindfulness practice on aggression and violence levels in adults: A systematic review Publication date: September–October 2019 Source: Aggression and Violent Behavior, Volume 48 Author(s): Anna Gillions, Rachael Cheang, Rui Duarte Abstract Violence and aggression represent a serious problem, with significant cost and impact at individual and societal level. There has been increasing interest in the potential of mindfulness interventions to decrease levels of violence and aggression. This paper systematically reviews the evidence to assess the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions for the reduction of violence and aggression levels. Five electronic databases were searched, and methods followed published guidance for systematic reviews. Studies that used a mindfulness intervention and measured outcomes of aggression and violence in adult populations were included. The Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies was utilised to evaluate the quality of included studies. Twenty-two studies met the eligibility criteria, including fourteen randomised studies, three non-randomised studies and five cohort studies. The interventions investigated included mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy and yoga with meditation. Overall, the results suggest that mindfulness-based interventions, with the possible exception of DBT, may be effective in reducing aggression and violence. They also suggest that mindfulness may relate to the processes of aggression through emotion regulation. However, papers were of variable quality, with weaknesses in both methodology and the reporting of data. Further good quality controlled studies with full and transparent reporting are needed to confirm these results, and to explore the elements of mindfulness which interact with mechanisms of aggression.

Fight and flight: Examining putative links between social anxiety and youth aggression Publication date: September–October 2019 Source: Aggression and Violent Behavior, Volume 48 Author(s): Laura A. Andrews, Shannon L. Brothers, Jennifer S. Sauvé, Douglas W. Nangle, Cynthia A. Erdley, Melissa K. Hord Abstract Somewhat surprisingly, social anxiety has been linked with aggressive behavior in adults. Among youth, this connection has been demonstrated with anxiety symptoms more broadly. This review extends previous work by evaluating this association specifically with social anxiety in the child and adolescent literature. Given the complexities of aggressive behavior, the review is organized by its various forms (relational and physical) and functions (reactive and proactive). Findings from sixteen identified studies are suggestive of links between social anxiety and reactive and relational forms of aggression. Albeit more tenuous, there appear to be associations with physical aggression as well. Overall, though suggestive of connections between social anxiety and aggression, confidence in the findings is attenuated by the relatively small number of relevant studies combined with inconsistent gender findings. Before suggesting directions for further study, we propose putative dysfunctional biological, emotional, and cognitive processes as factors that may underlie associations between social anxiety and these particular forms of aggression. Future research should target differences in age, gender, relationship type, and anxiety subtype. Determining the extent to which these associations may be attributable to comorbid pathology such as depression or a broader internalizing syndrome is also important.

Childhood and adolescent animal cruelty and subsequent interpersonal violence in adulthood: A review of the literature Publication date: September–October 2019 Source: Aggression and Violent Behavior, Volume 48 Author(s): Heng Choon (Oliver) Chan, Rebecca W.Y. Wong Abstract Animal cruelty has been a growing concern worldwide, and is broadly defined as all socially unacceptable behaviors that are intentionally perpetrated to cause unnecessary pain, suffering, distress, and/or death to an animal. This review synthesizes more than 87 research studies identified through online databases and manual search of specific studies. Findings denote that beating, hitting, or kicking, shooting, strangling or smothering, stabbing, and sexual abusing are reported to be the commonly used methods in abusing animals. In addition, children and adolescents abused animals for different reasons; and those who exposed to domestic violence are likely to have higher rates of animal cruelty, which in turn increases their subsequent propensity to engage in delinquent behavior. Male children and adolescents are more likely than their female counterparts to commit acts of animal cruelty. It is noteworthy that early onset of animal cruelty acts is suggested to be predictive of subsequent violent or antisocial behavior. Arguably, bestiality is an act of animal abuse, or specifically as interspecies sexual abuse. More importantly, this review has noted a strong support for the increased risk of children and adolescents who commit animal cruelty to perpetrate interpersonal violence against human victims in later life. Five key theoretical models (i.e., social learning theory, frustration theory, deviance generalization hypothesis, graduation hypothesis, and sexual polymorphous theory) are discussed to explain the link between childhood and/or adolescent animal cruelty and subsequent violence against human victims in adulthood. Implications for research and future research are discussed.

Examining the efficacy of bystander sexual violence interventions for first- year college students: A systematic review Publication date: September–October 2019 Source: Aggression and Violent Behavior, Volume 48 Author(s): Jennifer L. Evans, Meghan E. Burroughs, Adam P. Knowlden Abstract Objective The purpose of the following systematic review was to determine the efficacy of bystander sexual violence, school-based educational interventions, aimed at first-year college students to reduce the occurrence of sexual violence on college campuses. Methods A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, CENTRAL, ERIC, and CINAHL Plus and Boolean search logic to extract articles from the databases. Only peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2010 to 2017 were considered. After applying inclusion criteria based on the study purpose, only seven articles remained in the review. Results Bystander intervention education is effective in increasing student's bystander confidence; however, these results were mixed. Studies in this review employed different educational programs and durations, and instrumentation to assess bystander behavior and confidence. Conclusion Bystander intervention education is effective in increasing bystander confidence among college students; however, confidence gained during bystander intervention education needs to be assessed.

The interface between homicide and the Internet. A classification Publication date: September–October 2019 Source: Aggression and Violent Behavior, Volume 48 Author(s): M.C.A. Liem, M.E.F. Geelen Abstract It has been argued that the Internet presents numerous new opportunities for crime, including homicide. So far, empirical scholarly research in this domain is rather limited. In order to discover how perpetrators have used the Internet in the homicides they have committed, we conducted an international newspaper search (2006–2017). Based on this analysis, we identify five distinct types of Internet use in homicides, namely Internet as an encyclopedia, Internet as a platform, Internet as a trigger, Internet as a market place, and Internet as a meeting place. Our findings indicate that these types do not significantly differ from key characteristics of homicides in general to the degree that they constitute unique forms of homicide. Rather, Internet-related homicides constitute a replication, or facilitation of already existing forms of homicide assisted through new technological means.

Approaching the study of cyberbullying towards social workers from a systems perspective Publication date: September–October 2019 Source: Aggression and Violent Behavior, Volume 48 Author(s): Ravit Alfandari Abstract To date, cyberbullying research has been conducted without coherent, shared conceptual and operational definitions and with no clear, agreed theoretical ground. Hence, there is great confusion as to how to classify, measure and analyze this phenomenon. In response, this article proposes applying the systems approach developed in safety engineering, as a possible theoretical framework for investigation into cyberbullying. Central to the systems approach is the conceptualization of the relationship between people and technology as a joint system, with the focus of exploration being on how it interacts with the wider environment. Looking at cyberbullying through the systems lens dramatically broadens the analysis of the factors that influence behavior, with greater attention paid to the social arrangements. The current article illustrates how the core systems concepts of “socio-technical systems,” “emergent,” “multiple levels of analysis,” and “local rationality” can be transferred to the context of client cyberbullying towards professionals – specifically social workers – and contribute new knowledge and understanding to what seems to be developing into a serious problem.