"Guess what I just heard!": Indirect aggression among teenage girls in Australia

Traditionally males have been regarded as the more aggressive sex. However, recent research in several countries has challenged this notion by conside ring different forms of aggression. This paper provides an overview of a qu alitative investigation of teenage girls' indirect forms of aggression (e.g ,, exclusion from the group, spreading false stories), Focus groups and pai r and individual interviews were used to collect data from adolescent girls and their teachers in two schools. The study provides some clear insights into the nature of teenage girls' indirect aggression. The predominant indi rectly aggressive behaviors include talking about others and excluding peer s from the group. Key explanations for these behaviors concern a desire to create excitement and a range of friendship and group processes centered on girls' needs for close personal relationships and to be a part of the peer group. The girls described the devastating effects of indirect aggression, particularly on girls with certain characteristics that predispose them to victimization. The girls were pessimistic about the potential of intervent ions, although peer mediation processes may be a way forward. (C) 2000 Wile y-Liss, Inc.