Aggressive Behaviors in Classrooms

Aggressive behaviors in the classroom present a problem for both teaching and learning in the school context. Although less studied in comparison to issues of school-level violence, research about aggressive behaviors in the classroom describes types and patterns of aggression, characteristics of students involved in such behaviors and teacher responses, as well as long-term effects of exposure to aggression in the classroom. Scholars also note the importance of the classroom environment on aggressive behaviors and suggest ways to manage and improve such behaviors. Although aggression is defined and measured in various ways according to (multi)disciplinary perspectives, aggressive behavior in the classroom is most often grouped into two broad categories: physical and relational. Physical aggression primarily involves an assault against another student or teacher. Relational aggression ...