For a long time, many professionals have assumed that aggressive behavior is associated with violent environments (unsafe communities), modeling of aggression by parents, modeling of aggression by peers, poverty, stress, television, and video games. Researchers have found an association between these factors and violent behavior in children. However, very recent research has found that the factors with the greatest influence on violence in children are punitive parenting, maternal hostility, depressed mood of the mother, and young age of the mother. Unsafe communities, modeling of others, poverty, stress, and the media may account for less than 10 percent of the variance in aggressive behavior. Additionally, a childs own genetic map has an influence. This is known because many children with negative parenting and environments do not grow into aggressive children. Thus, violence in children is caused by an interaction between biological, genetic programming and how the child is treated in the early years. A child with an aggressive temperament, who has a young, depressed mother who is verbally abusive, hostile, and punitive toward the child is the most likely to show aggressive behavior.
Psychologists do not believe that any child is born to be violent. Rather, certain children are inadvertently taught to be violent. As Belsky points out, some children are more difficult to parent than others and more likely to receive negative and punitive parenting in certain circumstances.
Belsky has pointed out that prosocial behavior and aggressive behavior are opposite ends of a spectrum. Because the individual is so central to the development of violent behavior, psychologists are beginning to recommend that school programs and interventions be at the individual child level as well as at the school level. Children found to have aggressive behavior should receive intervention as early as kindergarten. Schools should employ a variety of curricular programs to promote prosocial behavior, as well as peer counseling, conflict resolution, and school-wide anti-bullying programsand research has found these programs to be very successful.
Schools and teachers have a profound opportunity to change the entire lifespan of an individual, turning a potentially aggressive adultsomeone who is likely to have difficulty in relationships and in maintaining a jobinto a more mentally healthy, productive adult by beginning the process in elementary school.
Sources:
Gest, S. D., Sesma, A., Masten, A. S., & Tellegen, A. (2006). Childhood peer reputation as a predictor of competence and symptoms 10 years later. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 34, 507.
Romano, E., Trembly, R. E., Boulerice, B., & Swisher, R. (2005). Multilevel correlates of childhood physical aggression and prosocial behavior. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33, 565578.
Wamboldt, M. Z., & Reiss, D. (2006). Explorations of parenting environments in the evolution of psychiatric problems in children. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 163, 951954.
For this discussion topic, consider the information above, as well as the material in Chapter 6 of your book. These additional articles will also support your learning in this area.https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-galinsky/child-aggression-_b_969656.htmlhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4522743/ use the two website to answer the 3 questions1. Briefly explain the difference between proactive aggression, reactive aggression, and relational aggression, and discuss developmental outcomes for children who exhibit these types of aggressive behavior. By developmental outcomes, I mean explain the predicted outcomes as these children mature into adulthood.
3. Suppose you are giving advice to a parent whose preschooler is having problems with aggressive behavior in his/her classroom and at home. First, express to the parent your concern about possible outcomes for their child if his or her aggressive behavior continues. Second, make suggestions for research-based interventions for aggressive behavior that might help.
Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.
[order_calculator]