The Relationship Between Social Problem-Solving and Passive-Aggressive Behavior Among Adolescents
The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between passive-aggressive behavior and social problem-solving among Hungarian adolescents (16- and 18-year-olds, N = 496). The Passive Aggression Scale (PAS) was used to explore the characteristics of criticism, ignoring, and sabotage, and th...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
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| author | Zita Gál Márió Tibor Nagy István Károly Takács László Kasik |
| author_facet | Zita Gál Márió Tibor Nagy István Károly Takács László Kasik |
| author_sort | Zita Gál |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between passive-aggressive behavior and social problem-solving among Hungarian adolescents (16- and 18-year-olds, N = 496). The Passive Aggression Scale (PAS) was used to explore the characteristics of criticism, ignoring, and sabotage, and the Social Problem-Solving Inventory–Revised (SPSI–R) was employed to measure negative and positive problem orientations and rational, impulsive, and avoidant problem-solving styles. Both questionnaires performed reliably for both ages. The results show that 18-year-olds are more likely to have a negative problem orientation. Both age groups show a similarly strong positive relationship between criticism–impulsivity and ignoring–rationality. Based on a latent profile analysis, two problem-solving profiles (mixed and positive rational) were distinguished for 16-year-olds and three (mixed, positive rational, and negative avoidant) for 18-year-olds. Only the profiles obtained for the older age groups differ in passive-aggressive characteristics: criticism is most common for impulsive avoiders, ignoring is least typical of positive rationalists, and sabotage is most characteristic of mixed profiles. Developmental and socio-psychological features are usually well understood in these patterns, but a measure of various passive-aggressive behaviors is needed that is specific to adolescents. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-36fc248e442f4614a9c624e459ecb297 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2174-8144 2254-9625 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-36fc248e442f4614a9c624e459ecb2972025-08-20T03:32:12ZengMDPI AGEuropean Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education2174-81442254-96252025-07-0115714010.3390/ejihpe15070140The Relationship Between Social Problem-Solving and Passive-Aggressive Behavior Among AdolescentsZita Gál0Márió Tibor Nagy1István Károly Takács2László Kasik3Institute of Psychology, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, HungaryInstitute of Education, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, HungaryDoctoral School of Education, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, HungaryInstitute of Psychology, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, HungaryThe aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between passive-aggressive behavior and social problem-solving among Hungarian adolescents (16- and 18-year-olds, N = 496). The Passive Aggression Scale (PAS) was used to explore the characteristics of criticism, ignoring, and sabotage, and the Social Problem-Solving Inventory–Revised (SPSI–R) was employed to measure negative and positive problem orientations and rational, impulsive, and avoidant problem-solving styles. Both questionnaires performed reliably for both ages. The results show that 18-year-olds are more likely to have a negative problem orientation. Both age groups show a similarly strong positive relationship between criticism–impulsivity and ignoring–rationality. Based on a latent profile analysis, two problem-solving profiles (mixed and positive rational) were distinguished for 16-year-olds and three (mixed, positive rational, and negative avoidant) for 18-year-olds. Only the profiles obtained for the older age groups differ in passive-aggressive characteristics: criticism is most common for impulsive avoiders, ignoring is least typical of positive rationalists, and sabotage is most characteristic of mixed profiles. Developmental and socio-psychological features are usually well understood in these patterns, but a measure of various passive-aggressive behaviors is needed that is specific to adolescents.https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/7/140passive-aggressive behaviorsocial problem-solvingHungarian adolescentslatent profile analysis |
| spellingShingle | Zita Gál Márió Tibor Nagy István Károly Takács László Kasik The Relationship Between Social Problem-Solving and Passive-Aggressive Behavior Among Adolescents European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education passive-aggressive behavior social problem-solving Hungarian adolescents latent profile analysis |
| title | The Relationship Between Social Problem-Solving and Passive-Aggressive Behavior Among Adolescents |
| title_full | The Relationship Between Social Problem-Solving and Passive-Aggressive Behavior Among Adolescents |
| title_fullStr | The Relationship Between Social Problem-Solving and Passive-Aggressive Behavior Among Adolescents |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Relationship Between Social Problem-Solving and Passive-Aggressive Behavior Among Adolescents |
| title_short | The Relationship Between Social Problem-Solving and Passive-Aggressive Behavior Among Adolescents |
| title_sort | relationship between social problem solving and passive aggressive behavior among adolescents |
| topic | passive-aggressive behavior social problem-solving Hungarian adolescents latent profile analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/7/140 |
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