The Effect of Choice Theory Training to Parents on the Aggression of Their Children in Elementary School

Background and Purpose: One of the most common problems of elementary school children is aggression which has a direct relationship with parental attitudes and parenting styles. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of choice theory training to mothers on aggression of their children in elementary school. Method: This semi-experimental study was of pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population of the study consisted of all mothers of elementary school students who were studying in Hamedan district in the academic year of 2016-2017. After three months of observing the students' behavior and interviewing with the teachers, a sample of 30 mothers was selected using purposeful sampling. Subjects were then randomly assigned into two groups of 15 subjects. The instrument used in this study was the parent form of the children aggression questionnaire (Vahedi, Fathi A'zar, Hosseini Nsab, and Moghaddam 20). The data were analyzed by SPSS software and multivariate covariance statistical test. Results: The findings of this study showed that the choice theory training to mothers affects their children's aggression (P <0.01), so that the verbal, physical, and relational aggression significantly decreased in the experimental group, but no significant changes were observed in the control group. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, it can be concluded that due to the motivational nature and change of beliefs, thoughts and attitudes, choice theory training can lead to decrease of aggression in children.