The Association Between the Contraction of Infectious Diseases and Aggressive Behavior at School: A Study Among Adolescents in Ejigbo, Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated whether there is an association between the contraction of infectious diseases and peer aggression in a school context. The study was carried out among 284 adolescents (152 girls, 132 boys; M age = 14.2 years, SD = 1.7) in Ejigbo, Lagos, Nigeria. It was measured how frequently the adolescents had contracted malaria, yellow fever, typhoid fever, and cough & flu. Both the perpetration of and victimization from peer aggression at school was measured with an adapted version of the Direct & Indirect Aggression Scales. The results showed a clear association between the contraction of all measured infectious diseases and peer aggression. It is suggested that it is not a question of cause and effect, but that a third factor, possible overcrowding, is a risk factor for both outcomes.