Every day, across the globe, millions of children engage in acts of aggression toward siblings, peers, parents and others. Aggression and its emotional substrate, anger, are universal, genetic birthrights, selected across evolutionary time to help humans deal with an often malicious environment. Unfortunately, in children and adults, aggression is often misguided and maladaptive. Dismayed parents fret as they watch their own child raise his arm in anger against his sibling, or they may react with dread and shame as they see their child suffer the social, emotional and academic consequences of engaging in inappropriate aggression at school. The long-term affects of aggressive conduct range from depression and anxiety to social rejection, conduct disorder, truancy and delinquency, as noted by "Archives of Disease in Childhood."
Causes
Aggression is a natural tendency, more prevalent in boys than girls, according to "Review of General Psychology." While it is a part of normal development, this fact does not mitigate the potentially disruptive effect it can have on a child, her family and the community. Causes can include medical conditions such as endocrinological, neurological, metabolic or allergic conditions, or may have roots in psychiatric problems such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder or developmental disorders such as learning disorders, Asperger’s Syndrome or autism. Harsh, punitive or abusive experiences can inculcate learned aggressiveness, and contribute to the emotional and hormonal distress that breeds and motivates aggressive acts. In other words, children raised in a violent environment tend to mimic the violent behavior they observe.
Assessment
Because there are so many potential contributing causes to aggressive behavior, parents who have significant concerns regarding their children’s conduct should consult a physician, psychologist or counselor to obtain a full evaluation. Medical, familial, and psychiatric conditions that contribute to the anger stew should be identified and medically addressed.
Behavioral Treatment
Parents and providers need to establish clear, consistent, enforceable guidelines and consequences for aggressive behavior in their children. There should be zero tolerance for physical aggression under any circumstances. Children should understand that if they are aggressive or violent, they will indubitably experience a consequence, such as a loss of a privilege or the requirement to make amends by doing a chore. It is just as important that parents and teachers reward the child with praise or with privileges when the child successfully avoids the use of aggression in provocative situations.
Role Modeling
Parents should never use corporal or verbally aggressive punishments with or around their aggressive child. Powerful role models, such as parents, can give a mixed message when they use aggression. Remain calm and rational. Discuss the problems the child is having, validate his emotional distress, but inexorably lead him by example into a discussion of how to deal more effectively with the situations that trigger his aggression.
Cognitive-Emotional Treatment
Children are not born with the knowledge necessary to negotiate their way through the demands of complex social situations in which they often have little power. Children need to learn how to deal with frustration, conflict, and often with the denial of their immediate needs and desires. Children can develop cognitive errors in their perceptions, such that they believe that the best way to achieve their ends is to use aggression and violence. Parents and other role models should help children learn how to use problem solving, help-seeking, escape, self-soothing, and other strategies to deal with frustration, sadness, fear and disappointment. Do not expect to simply eradicate aggressive behavior. Rather, help your child discover better, more effective ways of dealing with the underlying emotional issues that feed her anger.
Pharmacologic Treatment
A variety of medications such as methylphenidate, lithium, haloperidol and resperidone have been found to be helpful in the treatment of aggression in children according to Psychiatrist. Occasional, minor acts of aggression may not be indicative of underlying pathology. However, chronic, acts of aggression that are resistant to treatment may well be symptomatic of underlying psychiatric conditions such as conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, ADHD, bipolar disorder or a disruptive behavior disorder. In these circumstances, the use of psychotropic medications may contribute significantly to the efficacy of other methods.
References
- American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry: Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Archives of Disease in Childhood: The CBCL as a screen for psychiatric comorbidity in paediatric patients with ADHD
- Psychiatrist: Treatment of Aggression in Children
- Review of General Psychology: Sex Differences in Aggression in Real-World Settings
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