Khadheejath Arjooza Hassan, Fathimath Rasheed* and Hema Letchamanan

Abstract: Young children learn all sorts of behaviour from their environment and are likely to imitate them. As such, parents, teachers and caretakers need to keep a vigilant eye on the behaviour of these students, especially when they display aggressive behaviour. In this study, factors that shape the aggressive behaviour of students in Key Stage 1 of a Maldivian school and strategies that can be used to manage them were examined using a qualitative approach. The study identified seven factors contributing to aggressive behaviour, including exposure to media violence, past victimisation, frustration, aversive events, parent and prenatal health, and developmental disorders. Additionally, four themes emerged regarding strategies to manage aggression, such as educating parents on parenting skills, interventions with behaviour observation, implementing classroom rules, and addressing children’s needs. These findings will be beneficial for policy makers and educators in formulating strategies with regard to student behaviour.

Keywords: Social learning theory, frustration aggression hypothesis, education psychology, developmental psychology, Key Stage 1 students