Gender-Role Identity as Moderators Between Class Environment and Aggressive Behaviors Among Chinese Children

School violence is a major global public health issue that has received increased scrutiny in recent times. Prior studies have indicated that variations in aggressive behaviors among students are associated with factors such as gender-role identity and class atmosphere. However, there remains a gap in knowledge regarding the role of gender-role identity in moderating the association between class atmosphere and aggressive behaviors. A total of 2,788 primary and middle school students (1,454 boys and 1,334 girls; aged 9–15 years) participated in the study by completing the Brief Aggression Questionnaire(BAQ), My Class Inventory (MCI), and Bem Sex-ole Inventory (BSRI). The results indicated that both gender-role identity and class atmosphere had significant direct effects on aggressive behaviors. Gender-role identity significantly moderated the associations between class atmosphere and aggression. Specifically, masculinity moderated the inverse association between discipline and aggression in the total sample (β = −.07) and in girls (β = −.12). Androgyny significantly moderated the association between learning burden and verbal aggression in the total sample (β = −.05) and in boys (β = −.07). These findings may inform the development of future educational practices aimed at fostering a supportive class atmosphere through reducing learning burden, enhancing class management, and addressing individual needs based on gender-role identity, particularly masculinity, to help mitigate aggressive behaviors and promote positive mental health among Chinese children.