The Harshness in Language: A Violent Display of Emotions – A Study of School Students

Authors

  • Ms. Ila Rathore Director at Ashwini International School, Tathawade, Pune Author
  • Dr. Atul Patil Director, School of Holistic Development, MIT Art, Design and Technology University Author
  • Dr. Nandkumar S Shinde School of Holistic Development, MIT Art, Design and Technology University Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31305/rrjiks.2026.v3.n1.017

Keywords:

Emotional expression, Harsh language, School children, Abusive words, Interpersonal relations, digital content

Abstract

Oral communication serves as a powerful medium for expressing thoughts, feelings, and emotions in day-to-day social communication. Language expression reflects one’s social, Cultural and class representation.  The increasing use of harsh, aggressive, and offensive language has become a growing concern among school children. This study examines the relationship between emotional expression and the use of harsh language among school-going students. The research investigates how anger, frustration, stress, peer pressure, social media influence, and family environment contribute to verbal aggression in everyday communication. The study adopts a qualitative and quantitative approach by collecting data from students belonging to different age groups and educational backgrounds. Questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations were employed to analyze the frequency and contexts in which harsh language is used. The findings reveal that students often resort to aggressive verbal expressions as a means of releasing emotional tension, asserting dominance, gaining peer acceptance, or responding to perceived conflicts. The influence of digital communication platforms and exposure to violent content further intensify the normalization of such language practices. The research highlights that the persistent use of harsh language negatively affects interpersonal relationships, classroom harmony, emotional well-being, and the overall learning environment. It also reflects underlying emotional and psychological challenges that require attention from educators, parents, and counsellors. The study emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, communication skills, value-based education, and positive behavioural interventions in reducing verbal aggression among students. The findings contribute to the understanding of language as a reflection of emotional states and advocate for the development of supportive educational strategies that promote respectful communication and healthy emotional expression among school students.

References

Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice Hall.

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice Hall.

Brackett, M. A., Rivers, S. E., & Salovey, P. (2019). Emotional intelligence: Implications for personal, social, academic, and workplace success. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 13(4), 1–18.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674028845

Brown, B. B., & Larson, J. (2009). Peer relationships in adolescence. In R. M. Lerner & L. Steinberg (Eds.), Handbook of adolescent psychology (3rd ed., pp. 74–103). Wiley. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470479193.adlpsy002004

Crystal, D. (2006). Language and the Internet (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Denham, S. A. (2006). Social-emotional competence as support for school readiness. Early Education and Development, 17(1), 57–89. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15566935eed1701_4

Eisenberg, N., Spinrad, T. L., & Eggum, N. D. (2010). Emotion-related self-regulation and its relation to children's maladjustment. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 6, 495–525. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.121208.131208

Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics (5th ed.). Sage.

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. Bantam Books.

Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. Bantam Books. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ltl.40619981008

Hoffman, M. L. (2000). Empathy and moral development: Implications for caring and justice. Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511805851

Kohn, A. (2006). Beyond discipline: From compliance to community (2nd ed.). ASCD.

Krauss, R. M., & Chiu, C. Y. (1998). Language and social behavior. In D. T. Gilbert, S. T. Fiske, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), The handbook of social psychology (4th ed., pp. 41–88). McGraw-Hill.

Marsh, H. W., & Martin, A. J. (2011). Academic self-concept and academic achievement. Educational Psychologist, 46(2), 59–77. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1348/000709910X503501

Mayer, J. D., Salovey, P., & Caruso, D. R. (2004). Emotional intelligence: Theory, findings, and implications. Psychological Inquiry, 15(3), 197–215. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1503_02

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2019). The promise of adolescence: Realizing opportunity for all youth. National Academies Press.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2021). Beyond academic learning: First results from the survey of social and emotional skills. OECD Publishing.

Owens, L., Daly, A., & Slee, P. (2005). Sex and age differences in victimization and conflict resolution among adolescents. Aggressive Behavior, 31(1), 1–16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.20045

Parker, J. G., & Asher, S. R. (1987). Peer relations and later personal adjustment. Psychological Bulletin, 102(3), 357–389. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.102.3.357

Rosen, L. D. (2012). I Disorder: Understanding our obsession with technology and overcoming its hold on us. Palgrave Macmillan.

Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional intelligence. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9(3), 185–211. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2190/DUGG-P24E-52WK-6CDG

Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish. Free Press.

Shinde, Agase (2025) Reclaiming Identity: The Role of English in Showcasing Indian Knowledge Systems at the International Level, Research Review Journal of Indian Knowledge Systems, Jan 26

https://doi.org/10.31305/rrjiks.2025.v2.n2.020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31305/rrjiks.2025.v2.n2.020

Shinde, M. N. (2017). Mahatma Gandhian concepts of ethics and morality in contemporary humanism. Critical Space®.

http://www.criticalspacejournal.in/pdf/Feb-2017%20Critical%20Space.pdf#page=113

Shinde, N. (2019). The Commentary of Individual and Community Sufferings in Nineteenth Century American Society: Toni Morrison's Perspective. Language in India, 19(1).

https://languageinindia.com/jan2019/nandakumarbluesteyefemale.pdf

Shinde, N. S. (2018). Long Walk to Freedom: A Document of Humanism. International Journal of Reviews and Research in Social Sciences, 6(4), 492-494.

https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/110054640/09_IJRRSS_6_4_2018_Nelson_mandela-libre.pdf

M Deb, N Shinde, (2026) Feminist Narratives of Intersectionality, Identity, and Resistance in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things, Research Review Journal of Indian Knowledge 112-118

Feminist Narratives of Intersectionality, Identity, and Resistance in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things

Shinde, N. S. (2026). Socio-Cultural Comparative Study of Women’s Autobiographies: A Case Study of Harriet Jacobe and Baby Kamble. Journal of Cultural Analysis and Social Change, 11(1), 2087–2093. https://doi.org/10.64753/jcasc.v11i1.4242 DOI: https://doi.org/10.64753/jcasc.v11i1.4242

Shinde Nandkumar, (2025) Early Black Autobiography: The Suffering of Individual and Community: Frederick Douglass autobiography, The American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, https://doi.org/10.69980/ajpr.v28i5.366 DOI: https://doi.org/10.69980/ajpr.v28i5.366

Shinde N.S., A. B. Patil, A. Agase, A. Salunke, R. Thakare, A. Rodage, and P. Chavan, "20th Century Slave Autobiography: Booker T. Washington: A Case Study," Cuestiones de Fisioterapia, vol. 54, no. 5, pp. 596–606, 2025. https://doi.org/10.48047/f3k3a975

Deb, M., & Shinde, N. (2026). Feminist Narratives of Intersectionality, Identity, and Resistance in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. Research Review Journal of Indian Knowledge Systems, 3(1), 112-118. https://doi.org/10.31305/rrjiks.2026.v3.n1.012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31305/rrjiks.2026.v3.n1.012

Steinberg, L. (2017). Adolescence (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Subrahmanyam, K., & Šmahel, D. (2011). Digital youth: The role of media in development. Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6278-2

Swearer, S. M., Espelage, D. L., Vaillancourt, T., & Hymel, S. (2010). What can be done about school bullying? Educational Researcher, 39(1), 38–47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X09357622

UNESCO. (2021). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education. UNESCO.

UNESCO. (2023). Global education monitoring report 2023. UNESCO Publishing.

United Nations Children's Fund. (2021). The State of the World's Children 2021: On my mind—Promoting, protecting and caring for children's mental health. UNICEF. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18356/9789210010580

World Health Organization. (2021). Adolescent mental health. World Health Organization.

World Health Organization. (2023). Global status report on preventing violence against children. World Health Organization.

Ybarra, M. L., & Mitchell, K. J. (2004). Online aggressor/targets, aggressors, and targets. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45(7), 1308–1316. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00328.x

Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Self-efficacy: An essential motive to learn. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 82–91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1016

Zins, J. E., Bloodworth, M. R., Weissberg, R. P., & Walberg, H. J. (2007). The scientific base linking social and emotional learning to school success. In J. E. Zins et al. (Eds.), Building academic success on social and emotional learning (pp. 3–22). Teachers College Press DOI: https://doi.org/10.65528/9780807776216-003

Downloads

Published

2026-06-30

How to Cite

Rathore, I., Patil, A., & Shinde , N. S. (2026). The Harshness in Language: A Violent Display of Emotions – A Study of School Students . Research Review Journal of Indian Knowledge Systems, 3(1), 173-184. https://doi.org/10.31305/rrjiks.2026.v3.n1.017