Relational Aggression and well-being: adolescent girls' perceptions of relational aggression and its influence on their lives

The purpose of this research study was to explore adolescent girls' perceptions of relational aggression and its influence on their well-being. The study focussed specifically on relational aggression occurring within the school context. It explored participants' perceptions of relational aggression between adolescent girls in the school context, their personal experiences of relational aggression, the influence of relational aggression on their well-being and recommendations for addressing relational aggression in the school context. Research was conducted using a qualitative research design. Purposive sampling was used to select twenty participants. Data was collected through conducting face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. Qualitative methods were used to analyse the data obtained. The findings of this study emphasised the complexity of adolescent girls' perceptions and experiences of relational aggression in their lives. The findings illustrated the existence of relational aggression within the school context and that adolescent girls were both the victims and perpetrators of relational aggression at school. The findings further highlighted the negative emotions associated with experiencing relational aggression. The seriousness of the influence that relational aggression has on the well-being of adolescent girls was also highlighted in this study. This study focussed specifically on its influence on peer relationships, academic performance and self-esteem. Participants also made recommendations for addressing relational aggression in the school context. While taking the limitations of this study into account, the findings may benefit the Western Cape Department of Education and the research site in developing intervention strategies to address relational aggression between adolescent girls within the school context