Abstract
THE INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN AGGRESSION AND INTERPERSONAL PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP STYLES, AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
This study aims to determine the relationships between aggression and interpersonal problem-solving skills, interpersonal relationship styles, and communication skills.The sample of the study was consisted of 403 participants (242 females and 161 males) attending various faculties of Ondokuz Mayıs University in the 2013-2014 academic year. The participants were 18 to 25 years old. The Demographic Information Form, the Interpersonal Problem-Solving Inventory, the Interpersonal Relationships Scale, the Communication Skills Assessment Scale, and the Aggression Scale were administered to the participants. In order to analyze the data, Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated, and path analysis was made. Constructive problem-solving was seen to have a significant indirect relationship with hostile aggression and assertiveness through communication skills. Insecure approach was found to have a significant indirect relationship with hostile aggression and assertiveness. Among interpersonal relationship styles, nutritive relationship style was detected to have a significant indirect relationship with assertiveness and hostile aggression through communication skills. Poisonous relationship style was determined to have a significant indirect relationship with assertiveness and hostile aggression through communication skills. When direct and indirect ways in the partially-mediated model were considered, the model was seen to explain 30% of assertiveness and 35% of hostile aggression. The correlation coefficients between assertiveness and hostile aggression and other variables indicate that the highest relationships are seen between assertiveness and nutritive relationship style and between hostile aggression and poisonous relationship style. The research findings indicate the importance of training programs and practices for improving interpersonal problem-solving skills, interpersonal relationship styles, and communication skills to prevent aggression.
Keywords
Aggression, interpersonal problem-solving skills, interpersonal relationship styles, communication s