Relationship of Relational Aggression with Attachment Styles among Adolescents

Abstract

The role played by attachment of child to parent towards enhancing positive relations among children cannot be over-looked since children who display aggressive behaviors often experience a disruption with their primary caregivers. The objective of the study was to access the relationship between relational aggression and attachment styles among adolescents. The study was based on Attachment theory by Bowlby (1973). For the purpose of data collection, the 210 students from class 8th-12th were selected through Quota sampling method and the sample was distributed between both the gender (105 male students & 105 female students). The Pearson correlation and t -test used for the statistical analysis. It was found that r value of the relationship between relational aggression and attachment style came out to be 0.605 which is highly significant at p < 0.01. There were higher chances for adolescents having anxious-insecure attachment are more likely to engage in relational aggression. The significant score for relational aggression for female students came out to be (M=57.00, SD= 16.87) whereas for male students the mean score was (M=51.15, SD= 13.78) and the t value came out to be 2. 75 which is significant at both the levels (p < 0.05 and p< 0.01). Thus, it could be concluded that attachment type and gender are two factors that can have a strong impact on the child’s relational aggression behavior. The study recommends that the County Government should consider organizing programs aimed at sensitizing parents and care-givers on the importance of parent roles and attachment. It also recommends that Institutes for Curriculum Development to include best attachment type in the curriculum content.