Presenting a Model of Aggression Based on Family Functioning and Academic Stress with the Mediating Role of Sleep Quality in Female Adolescents in Khorramshahr City

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Aggression during adolescence is considered one of the most important behavioral and psychological problems influenced by familial, academic, and emotional factors. The present study aimed to develop a model of aggression based on family functioning and academic stress with the mediating role of sleep quality among female adolescents in Khorramshahr city.

Methodology: The present study employed a correlational design using path analysis. The statistical population consisted of all female high school students in the second secondary level in Khorramshahr during the 2025–2026 academic year, from whom 253 participants were selected using multistage cluster sampling. The research instruments included the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire, the McMaster Family Assessment Device, the Academic Stress Questionnaire, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Data were analyzed using SPSS-27 and AMOS software through Pearson correlation coefficients and path analysis.

Findings: The results indicated that family functioning had a significant direct effect on aggression (β = -0.167, p < 0.01) and sleep quality (β = 0.327, p < 0.01). Academic stress also had a significant direct effect on sleep quality (β = -0.446, p < 0.01), whereas its direct effect on aggression was not significant and was removed from the model. Sleep quality had a significant direct effect on aggression (β = -0.356, p < 0.01). Bootstrap analyses demonstrated that sleep quality significantly mediated the relationship between family functioning and aggression (β = -0.117, p < 0.01) as well as the relationship between academic stress and aggression (β = 0.159, p < 0.01). The final model demonstrated excellent fit indices (RMSEA = 0.001, CFI = 1.00).

Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that family functioning and academic stress influence adolescent aggression through sleep quality, and sleep quality plays a significant role in explaining these relationships. Therefore, improving family functioning, reducing academic stress, and promoting sleep quality may contribute to decreasing aggressive behaviors among adolescents.