Annual of social work, Vol. 15 No. 2, 2008.
Original scientific paper
AGGRESSIVE AND PRO-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR OF CHILDREN IN CHILDREN'S HOMES
Marina Ajduković
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law, Department of Social Work
Linda Rajhvajn Bulat
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law, Department of Social Work
Branka Sladović Franz
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law, Department of Social Work
Abstract
Longitudinal monitoring of the children growing up in children's homes, which is conducted within the project Possibilities of improving the child welfare in children's homes and foster families, has been expanded by the analysis of interpersonal relations of the children in homes. For that purpose, a survey that has good psychometric features has been constructed, and its factor analysis extracted three factors: aggressiveness among the children, mutual support of the children and sexual harassment among the children. The children of both genders aged from 10 to 19 took part in the survey (N=229). The children and the youth equally frequently display pro-social and supportive behaviour, as well as mutually aggressive behaviour. The children who perceive a higher level of aggression in the home receive less social support, experience more everyday stress, have a poorer image of themselves and more mental difficulties, and they behave in a less socially desirable manner themselves.
The educators and the children in focus groups participated in the interpretation of the data, in which they have shown that the supportive behaviour among the children is rare, while aggressive behaviour is frequent. In order to improve the situation, the educators suggest a family type of life and a more favourable ratio between the educators and the children, while the children suggest a better social life and sport activities.
The conclusion emphasises the necessity to ensure life without peer violence for the children in homes, and proposes additional training of the educators to efficiently face peer violence, the development of pro-social behaviour of the children and some objective organisational changes that would improve the quality of life of both the children and the educators.
Keywords
children’s homes; pro-social behaviour; aggressive behaviour
Hrčak ID:
29381
URI
Publication date:
28.11.2008.
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