The distinction between reactive and proactive aggression in adolescent based on perceived parenting style

Aggression is one of the most common mental health problems among children and adolescents, entailing significant interventions. Among various categorisation of this concept, some studies differentiated reactive from proactive aggression based on different functions it has and identified distinctive antecedents and outcomes for them. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a specific perceived parenting style could differently predict reactive and proactive aggression. In this regard, 138 girl and boy adolescents were chosen by convenience sampling method. Regression results showed authoritative parenting style significantly predict the lower incidence of reactive aggression in boys, while the authoritarian parenting style displayed a predictive role for reactive aggression in girls. However, neglectful parenting style significantly explained the variance of proactive aggression only among high aggressive participants. The conclusion can be drawn for confirmation of the dichotomy mentioned above, considering the differential family context. It is suggested to do further study to identify particular causes and bases of reactive and proactive aggression beside the interaction of individual and environmental factors in line with investigating more precise aetiology and designing essential interventions for prevention as well as treatment.