Objetives.: To assess the levels of direct and indirect aggression and prosocial behaviors among schoolchildren at public schools located in 13 municipalities of an intermediate region of Colombia.
Materials and methods.: A total of 2,785 children aged 3-11 years were assessed using an instrument validated for the Colombian population that measures aggression and prosocial behavior via direct observations of schoolteachers.
Results.: Boys predominantly exhibited behaviors associated with direct aggression (22.4%), whereas girls exhibited behaviors of indirect aggression (8.0%). Prosocial behaviors were more common in women (67.2%) and in 10-11-year-old children (67.4%).
Conclusions.: The degree of aggressive behavior may be related to the sociocultural milieu in which children live, and can be detected and subjected to intervention by schoolteachers.