Overview
Aggression is behavior intended to harm, threaten, or dominate another individual, expressed in physical, verbal, or relational forms and studied across psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral health. It is commonly distinguished by function, separating reactive or impulsive aggression that follows provocation from proactive or instrumental aggression directed toward a goal, and it is further differentiated from related states such as agitation, which has distinct neurobiological underpinnings. Aggression arises from the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors: neural circuits and neurotransmitter systems shape impulse control and threat response, while temperament, mental-health conditions, and adverse experiences modify expression. In developmental contexts, aggression in children and youth is linked to behavioral difficulties and can be examined through brain imaging and psychological assessment, and it is a target of structured intervention programs designed to reduce harmful behavior. In clinical populations, including persons with dementia, aggression presents distinct management challenges, while in social settings it manifests as bullying and interpersonal conflict, and exposure to stress, displacement, and isolation can heighten it. Assessment combines behavioral observation, standardized scales, and contextual history, and intervention spans behavioral therapy, environmental modification, and treatment of underlying conditions. Studying aggression integrates developmental, clinical, and neurobiological perspectives to understand its causes, trajectories, and the strategies that effectively reduce it across the lifespan.
Research published in this journal
7 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
Neurobiological Differences Between Aggression and Agitation in Persons with Dementia
MRI Study and Psychological Assessment in Children and Youth with Deviation Behaviour
Depression and Dementia
Position Paper: Overview of Workplace Bullying in Higher Educational Organizations
Unsettled; Mental Stress in Community-Living Adolescents Who are Seeking Asylum in Australia
Increased Reaction Vessel Surface Area Decreases the Overall Mortality Rate of Rana catesbeiana Larvae during Chemically Induced Metamorphosis
How this research is being cited
The 7 articles above have been cited 14 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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2026 · Participatory Educational Research
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2026 · Nordic Journal of Music Therapy
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2025 ·
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2024 · Elsevier eBooks
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2024 · Springer eBooks
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M. Sedighi et al. · 2020 · Journal of Research & Health
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2019 · OBM Geriatrics
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E. Wolverson et al. · 2019 · OBM Geriatrics
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Aggression, linking to each citing work.