Predictors of Aggression Among Adolescents from Refugee, Migrant, and Native Backgrounds: A Study in Switzerland

• In Event: Criminology of Mobility. Panel 4. Ethnicity, youth and crime.

Abstract

This study explores predictors of aggression among adolescents from refugee, migrant, and native backgrounds in Switzerland, focusing on gender, peer influences, corporal punishment, and conflict coping strategies. Using data from the Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood, we find that male gender and delinquent peers are significant predictors of aggression among native Swiss adolescents, while corporal punishment is linked to aggression only in refugee and migrant youths. Competent conflict coping strategies were associated with reduced aggression in refugee adolescents. Despite refugee adolescents reporting higher aggression levels, the effect size was small, with low aggression levels across all groups. Common drivers of aggression, such as aggressive conflict-coping strategies and attitudes supporting violence against women, were identified in all groups. The study suggests that while group differences exist, the impact of aggression is shaped by cultural and social factors, highlighting the need for tailored interventions, particularly for refugee adolescents.

Authors

• Lana Ghuneim, University of Sheffield

• Manuel Eisner, University of Cambridge

• Denis Ribeaud, University of Zurich