[Association between physical abuse and aggressive behaviors of 4-6 grade students in rural primary schools].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect of childhood physical abuse on aggressive behaviors of 4-6 grade pupils in rural areas.

METHODS

A questionnaire survey was conducted on physical abuse and aggression of 8406 students in rural primary schools from five provinces( Anhui, Yunnan, Guangdong, Heilongjiang, Hubei) by stratified cluster sampling method between November 2014 and May 2015.

RESULTS

The aggression average score was( 68. 58 ± 16. 86), its level was intermediate. 4061 pupils( 48. 3%) experienced moderate or severe physical abuse, 954 of whom were severely abused. Statistical significance in different gender( t = 10. 413, P < 0. 001), different family economic level( F = 3. 868, P = 0. 021) had been found. The level of aggression onprimary school students who suffered physical abuse was higher than that of who did not, and the differences in scores of various aggressive types were statistically significant( F =285. 138, P < 0. 001). Regression analysis( F = 66. 16, P < 0. 001, R = 0. 335, R2=0. 112) showed that physical abuse had the greatest influence on children's aggressive( b' = 0. 288), followed by gender( b' =-0. 067). Family economic level can positively predict the level of child aggression, children lived in recombination family( t = 2. 823, P = 0. 005) and the grandparent family( t = 5. 004, P < 0. 001) were more aggressive than those living in the corer family. Children who lived in extended family performed well with less aggressive behaviors. Besides, children who were reared in democratic atmosphere got lower scores of the aggression than those who were educated by indulgent, laissez-faire, rough or capricious ways and the differences were statistically significant( P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSION

Children's aggression is closely related with gender, family type, family income, parenting style, physical abuse in childhood. Among them, physical abuse in childhood is the most important risk factor for aggression of 4-6 grade students in rural primary schools.