The relationship between depressive affect, impulsivity and aggression in 8th grade students

The aim of this study was to compare the relationship between depressive affect, impulsivity and aggression in class students. The sample of the study consisted of n=64 female and n=78 male participants living in Istanbul. In the research, Barratt Impulsivity Scale, Buss Perry Aggression Scale, Depression Scale for Children were applied. According to the results of the applied statistical analysis, while the depression levels of the students increased, the levels of impulsivity and the levels of attention deficit impulsivity, motor impulsivity and inability to plan, which are the sub-dimensions of impulsivity, increased as well. As students' depression levels increased, their levels of aggression and the levels of physical aggression, anger, and hostility, which are the sub-dimensions of aggression, increased. As the impulsivity levels of the students increased, the levels of aggression and its sub-dimensions of physical aggression, anger, hostility and verbal aggression increased. As the attention deficit impulsivity levels of the students increased, the levels of aggression and its sub-dimensions of physical aggression, anger, hostility and verbal aggression increased. As the motor impulsivity levels of the students increased, the levels of aggression and its sub-dimensions of physical aggression, anger, hostility and verbal aggression increased. As the students' inability to plan increased, the levels of aggression and its sub-dimensions of physical aggression, anger, hostility and verbal aggression increased. The difference between the depression averages according to the gender of the students was found to be significant. The depression averages of the female students were significantly higher than the averages of the male students. The difference between the average scores of impulsivity according to the gender of the students was found to be significant. The total score averages of the female students were significantly higher than the average of the male students. According to the gender of the students, the difference between the impulsivity sub-dimension of the inability to plan was found to be significant. The average of female students who were not able to plan was significantly higher than the average of male students. The difference between the average scores of aggression total scores according to the gender of the students was found to be significant. The mean of aggression total scores of female students was significantly higher than the average of male students. The difference between the anger averages of the aggression sub-dimension according to the gender of the students was found to be significant. The anger averages of the female students were significantly higher than the averages of the male students. According to the gender of the students, the difference between the hostility averages of female students were significantly higher than the averages of male students. There was no significant difference between the other averages according to the gender of the students. Keywords: Aggression, Depressive Affect, Impulsivity.