Abstract
Relational aggression concerns behaviours intended to harm someone by damaging or manipulating relationships or feelings of acceptance, friendship, or group inclusion (Crick & Grotpeter, 1995). The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions of relational aggression of Year 9 and 10 girls (N = 282) in New Zealand, compare views of teachers and adolescent girls with regard to relational aggression in the classroom, and explore strategies to effectively manage relational aggression in the classroom. To achieve this goal, The Personal Experience Questionnaire (PEQ) and Relational and Physical Aggression Scenarios, revised with permission (Basow, Cahill, Phelan, Longshore, & McGillicuddy-DeLisi, 2007), were used to determine girls’ perceptions of relational aggression. Subsequent to the surveys, semi-structured interviews were conducted with n = 15 girls and their classroom teachers (n = 15) to provide a deeper understanding of relational aggression and the strategies considered important to address it.
Findings indicated that overall, the types of relational aggression that occur among girls in Year 9 and Year 10 schools in New Zealand involved more indirect than direct behaviours. However, the most prevalent behaviour was direct verbal aggression (yelling at or calling another mean names, and direct verbal put-downs). Text bullying did not play a major role in relational aggression in class. Differences and similarities of the perceptions of teachers and girls of relational aggression in the classroom are reported. PEQ results showed that all participants were more likely to view others as engaging in non-aggressive relational aggression more than themselves. Similarly, girls were more likely during the interviews to report on other girls’ relationally aggressive behaviours rather than their own. Year 10 girls reported showing and receiving more prosocial behaviour than did the Year 9 girls; the Year 9 girls reported perpetrating more relationally aggressive behaviour. Relationally aggressive scenarios were perceived by the girls as significantly more acceptable, but more distressing, than the physically aggressive scenarios. Differences in year level were significant in that Year 9 girls reported a greater tolerance and lower level of hurt from physical aggression than Year 10 girls. Significant correlations were also found between the PEQ Self and Others scores and the scenarios, indicating differences in perception between how girls view themselves compared to others. A strong relationship between PEQ Self and Other scores for relational and physical aggression indicated that girls viewed outcomes of physical and relational aggression similarly, differing from reports with the scenarios.
Strategies described to effectively collaborate in efforts that prevent and/or manage incidences of relational aggression in the classroom indicated that talking to a supportive adult was found to be best strategy by both girls and their teachers. From the study, three types of aggressors emerged: Popular, Regular, and Tough girls. These are presented in a proposed model that describes each type. The model is then applied to examine how teachers use different behaviour management strategies depending upon the behaviour and type of student perpetrating relational aggression in their classroom. The results of this research may provide help for adolescent girls to develop ways forward for building healthy relationships.