An Investigation of Life Dissatisfaction and Aggressive Communication

Keywords: Life dissatisfaction, anger, hostility, verbal aggression, teasing, regression analysis, problematic relationships

Abstract: This study examined whether peoples’ general life dissatisfaction disposition impacts their communication in an aggressive way. Specifically, research on problematic relationships was extended by exploring the controversial link between global life dissatisfaction and aggressive communication such as anger, hostility, verbal aggression and teasing. Questionnaire surveys were employed to quantitatively test the relationship between negative life disposition and aggressive communication. The results of linear regression analysis indicated that persons who are more dissatisfied with life are also more likely to engage in aggressive communication by expressing higher levels of anger, hostility, verbal aggression, and teasing. This study provides researchers with a starting point for understanding one possible catalyst of aggressive communication patterns. Future research can attempt to improve perpetrators’ life satisfaction to see whether such interventions help reduce perpetrators’ further aggressive communicative acts towards future targets.