reactive aggression

Aggressive behavior is a deliberate attempt to harm others, and is further classified into active aggression, which is intentional and planned, and reactive aggression, which is done in retaliation for uncontrolled anger. Various studies have been conducted on the factors that contribute to the prevention of aggressive behavior. However, aggression is essential for the development of the self and should be viewed positively as one of the ego functions that enable human beings to survive. Since self-reflection is considered to be important in recovering from delinquency, we hypothesized that children can grow developmentally and socially through self-reflection and learning by talking about and reflecting on their past aggressive behavior with a third party. In the present study, we conducted a qualitative study to examine the learning from looking back at one’s own behavior in the later stages of aggressive behavior. Those who engaged in active aggression showed introspection, while those who engaged in reactive aggression showed reflection, indicating that they learned by reflecting on their aggression. The learnings of “self-establishment” and “acceptance of others” obtained by active aggressors lead to a more adaptive and mature state of individual and social orientation, and therefore, depending on the type of aggressive behavior, looking back can influence the development of the self.