Investigation of the Relationships Between Contingent Self-Worth and Aggression Tendencies of University Students

This study examined the relationship between self-worth contingencies and aggression among 958 university students across four faculties in a university of Turkey, using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire and Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale. Employing a Structural Equation Model and lavaan package in R, significant links were found between self-worth aspects and different forms of aggression. The results indicated that the following effects were statistically significant: The effects of virtue and physical appearance on physical aggression; competition and God’s love on verbal aggression; competition, approval from others, physical appearance, and school competence on hostility; and competition and family support on anger. It was found that the higher the physical appearance factor, the higher the level of physical aggression and hostility. As the level of virtue increases, the level of physical aggression decreases. Verbal aggression and anger levels increase as the competition factor increases; however, the level of hostility decreases. The higher God’s love, the lower the level of verbal aggression. The higher the factor of others’ approval, the higher the level of hostility. The higher the academic competence needs for self-worth, the higher the level of hostility. As the family support factor increases, the anger level decreases. Based on these results, it was concluded that contingencies of self-worth are important factors in determining aggression tendencies.