KINDNESS LOVE & JOY

When a youngster is being aggressive or violent, it is so easy for others to point a finger to the parents. People say that the parents did not do a good job at disciplining their naughty kid or they weren’t able to properly instill good manners in their child. Although parents heavily influence the lives of their children in so many ways, sometimes, aggression in a youngster is not because of parental neglect or inadequacy. There are so many other external and internal factors that may contribute to violence in a child or teenager, and it is difficult to identify the exact cause as this could be due to a number of things.

1. Family Factors

Naturally, parents have a huge effect on the behavior, growth and development of their kids. Family factors are often better understood because these are often effects of certain parenting styles. For example, some parents exercise a more lenient parenting approach wherein the child often gets his way because if he doesn’t he’ll have a tantrum. Instead of asserting their rights, parents give in so as to avoid further conflict and to achieve peace more quickly. There are also parents who are too strict, and this pushes their kids to rebel.

There really is nothing to ensure parents that their children will grow up into good and law-fearing adults. But parents should understand that ignoring or failing to address issues about aggression can have grim results. Child aggression can develop into teen violence, which might lead to adult criminality.

What about abuse? Abuse, which has many forms, does have an effect on a youngster’s character. A child who is physically abused can retaliate by being a bully to kids who are smaller than him. A teen who is being emotionally abused in the home might not say anything back to his cruel parents but his cooped up emotions can burst, which can trigger him to do very violent acts. Even a child who is not being abused but who witnesses others being abused in his home can display aggressive behavior too.

2. Societal Factors

Today, aggressive behavior is being glamorized in many types of media. Music, television shows, and movies sometimes portray violence as sexy or admirable. So, youngsters might emulate violent actions in order to look “cool” or to become admired. Then, there are also so many kinds of violent video games that seem to convey the message that aggression is acceptable. Without proper parental guidance, children can easily believe that the fantasy world created by media can be turned to reality.

3. Internal Factors

Internal factors are those unique aspects that relate to every individual, and these have an effect on behavior. For instance, a child who has ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) can become violent towards his parents or family because of his underlying medical condition. Some suffer mental or psychological conditions, like ODD or Oppositional Defiant Disorder, which compel them to become violent, and many of them cannot control or help their condition without medication or hospitalization. With early detection and proper therapeutic intervention, violence or aggression can be reduced. Treatment can also help a person to better control his behavior.

Citations:

• ghetto_guera29. “DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HURTS 023 altered”. December 5, 2008. Online image. Flickr. May 22, 2013.

About the Author

Claire Waltham is a full-time freelancer who often blogs about crime and other legal issues. She wants to increase people’s awareness about their legal rights, and many of her materials have been used by Long Beach bail bonds companies.

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