The Prevalence of Aggression and Its Relationship with Exposure to Real-life Violence Among Students of Public Universities in Eastern Ethiopia

Recent studies have been increasingly directed toward understanding the impacts of violence exposure, largely due to the growing prevalence of violent incidents in daily life. It is well-documented that exposure to violence can trigger aggressive behaviors, and repeated incidents may even reshape how individuals think, feel, and act. This exposure can stir up personal emotions and behaviors—ramping up physical arousal, intensifying negative feelings, and ultimately leading to aggressiveness. While a lot of research has looked into the effects of fictional violence from sources like video games and television, there has been less emphasis on real-life violence. Aggression, which refers to the intentional effort to inflict harm on others, can negatively affect various aspects of a person's life, including personal relationships, social interactions, and academic performance. This is particularly noticeable among students, who often face aggressive behavior throughout their educational experiences. The present study aims to evaluate how widespread aggression is among students in public universities in eastern Ethiopia, examining possible gender differences and the links between real-life violence exposure and aggressive behavior. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach and a standardized questionnaire, the research surveyed 395 participants from three public universities. The results showed significant positive correlations between real-life violence exposure and different kinds of aggression: physical aggression (r=0.40**), verbal aggression (r=0.60**), anger (r=0.58**), and hostility (r=0.76**), all statistically significant at p < 0.05. Some minor discrepancies were noted in physical aggression scores between genders (Male = 3.27 and Female = 3.16), but the overall data indicated a strong link between exposure to real-life violence and increased aggression in this population. This study underlines the crucial need for educating families about effective parenting techniques that can mitigate aggressive behavior. Additionally, it highlights the importance of involving psychologists in crafting strategies aimed at fostering positive behavior changes among university students.