Wired for Conflict: Neuroticism, Control, and Peer Violence in Indian Teens

Abstract

This study examines the interaction among neuroticism, locus of control (LOC), and attitudes towards interpersonal peer violence (IPV) in middle and high school students in India, as a critical lacuna in the knowledge of psychological predictors of adolescent aggression. A comparative cross-sectional design was used, and data were collected from 189 participants. The results showed a strong positive correlation between LOC and neuroticism, but no significant correlations between neuroticism or LOC and IPV attitudes. Additionally, the proposed mediating role of LOC was not supported. These findings reflect the complex nature of the determinants of attitudes towards IPV, suggesting that other psychosocial variables are at play. The study challenges future research to examine additional mediators and cultural variables to inform effective interventions to stop adolescent aggression, suggesting the necessity for a holistic knowledge of behavioural outcomes in various settings.