Maybe this will give you a start...Just so you know there are varying studies showing no decrease in aggressiveness or increases as well, but these are favorable. You can also approach it from the aspect of broadening movement experience for young athletes, fitness, alternatives to dance, etc. Just a thought...If you know how to search in Pubmed, something may strike your fancy.
Bill
J Sports Sci. 1990 Summer;8(2):95-101.
An analysis of the relationship between hostility and training in the martial arts.
Daniels K, Thornton EW.
Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, UK.
Contrasting views and data are available on the issue of whether combative sports facilitate or reduce aggression. In the present study levels of hostility were assessed in two groups of martial arts students using the Buss-Durkee Inventory. Levels of hostility on a variety of the sub-scales were compared with scores from similar samples of participants in a body contact, aggressive but non-combative sport (rugby football) and a competitive sport with no body contact or direct aggression (badminton). When the effects of age and length of training were controlled by use of partial correlation there was no evidence to support group differences in either the combined score from the varied sub-scales of the inventory or the more specific assaultive sub-scale. However, there was evidence to suggest a significant effect of length of training on hostility levels in martial artists. Beginners attracted to the martial arts were more hostile but the hostility declined with the duration of training. No difference was apparent in this respect for students participating in either jui jitsu or karate. It is suggested that such differential effects with respect to length of training may lead to the overall absence of the between-sport differences. The results provide tentative support for the notion that the discipline of the martial arts may reduce assaultive hostility rather than serve as a model for such behaviour, yet support the need for prospective longitudinal studies on intra-individual hostility.
Br J Sports Med. 1992 Sep;26(3):118-20.
Length of training, hostility and the martial arts: a comparison with other sporting groups.
Daniels K, Thornton E.
School of Management, Cranfield Institute of Technology, Bedfordshire, UK.
Previous research has indicated that training in the martial arts leads to a reduction in levels of hostility. However, such research has only compared hostility within martial arts groups. The present research compares two martial arts groups and two other sporting groups on levels of assaultive, verbal and indirect hostility. Moderated multiple regression analyses revealed a significant interaction between length of training in the respondent's stated sport and whether that sport was a martial art in predicting assaultive and verbal hostility. The form of the interaction suggests that participation in the martial arts is associated, over time, with decreased feelings of assaultive and verbal hostility.
Percept Mot Skills. 1999 Jun;88(3 Pt 1):992-6.
Judo--the gentle way: a replication of studies on martial arts and aggression.
Lamarre BW, Nosanchuk TA.
Department of Sociology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
There have been numerous studies of the effects of traditional martial arts training on aggressiveness, most reporting a decline in aggressiveness with training. The majority of these studies have examined students of karate or taekwondo, disciplines emphasizing strikes and blocks. In contrast, this cross-sectional study examined the effects of traditional judo training on aggressiveness by looking at 51 judo students. Furthermore, we incorporate into our analysis two variables generally associated with aggression, age and sex, to control for their effects. Aggressiveness declined as expected across training and ages, but surprisingly sex had no effect in this setting.
Br J Med Psychol. 1988 Dec;61 ( Pt 4):317-28.
Comment in:
· Br J Med Psychol. 1991 Jun;64 ( Pt 2):127-35.
Martial arts and psychological health.
Fuller JR.
Butler Clinic, Langdon Hospital, Dawlish, Devon, UK.
The misleading public image of the martial arts masks a rich though esoteric psychological legacy containing informative parallels for contemporary psychotherapeutic concepts and practices. To date, empirical research on the martial arts has lacked sophistication in the questions it has posed and in the methodology adopted to answer them. Whilst not entirely consistent, findings from studies of martial artists' personalities, outlooks and behaviour have generally indicated positive psychological effects of training. Clinical and psychotherapeutic applications are at an exploratory stage but appear promising. As an exemplar the psychological facets of the art of Aikido are discussed, and prospective uses of martial arts principles as systemic or adjunctive therapies are considered.
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