Children are naturally aggressive. The potential to act aggressively is hard-wired into children's genes to enhance children's adaptation to the sometimes harsh environment in which they find themselves. The inclination to act aggressively can backfire, however, inflicting emotional, social and academic consequences on the child, family and community.
Consequences
Aggressive behavior can lead to varied consequences for the child and the victims. Victims of child on child aggression experience effects such as emotional distress, anxiety, depression, fear, anger, poor grades, loss of appetite and reluctance to go to school, according to Healthy Place. Sometimes, victims of aggression incorporate the aggressive behavior into their own repertoire, and they in turn become bullies. The perpetrators of aggression experience consequences of their conduct as well. Long-term effects associated with chronic aggression can include social rejection, anxiety, depression, truancy, delinquency and conduct disorder.
Causes
Aggression occurs naturally in children, and is more common in boys than girls, reports Review of General Psychology. Causes can be rooted in a history of abuse, neglect or exposure to violence and aggression. Children also become aggressive after experiencing trauma, distress, family stress or social problems. Medical causes can include neurological, endocrinological, allergic or metabolic conditions. Psychiatric conditions linked to aggression in children include depression, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and developmental disorders like autism or Asperger's syndrome.
Family Patterns
Families with aggressive children often get stuck, literally, in a vicious cycle. The aggressive child elicits responses from the parent such as frustration and anger, which causes the parents to engage in behaviors that inadvertently trigger further frustrated, aggressive behavior in the child. Parents with aggressive children often employ corporal punishment, or express their anger and frustration using a harsh tone and language. These aggressive verbal and aggressive parenting strategies can backfire, as the parents end up role modeling behavior they are trying to extinguish in their child.
Assessment
A confluence of factors contributes to the development of aggressive behavior, so parents often must seek professional guidance to sort through the possible causes of aggression in their own child. If your child persists in aggressive behavior despite your attempts to emend his behavior, obtain a full evaluation of your child to identify familial, medical and psychiatric conditions that may contribute to your child's aggressive tendencies.
Behavioral Treatment
Behavioral treatment of aggression can prove effective no matter whether the cause is rooted in medical, neurological, familial or psychiatric causes. Provide clear, consistent rules to your child regarding what behaviors are appropriate and inappropriate. Rather than simply trying to punish aggressive behavior, work with your child to identify positive replacement behaviors. For example, teach your child how to negotiate or share toys instead of grabbing a toy away from a sibling. Establish rewards for positive, prosocial behavior, and negative consequences for aggressive behavior.
Further Interventions
Don't use corporal punishment or verbal aggression. Parents are potent role models, and you give a mixed message when you act aggressively in your attempt to eliminate aggressive behavior in your child. Help your child learn how to use help seeking, problem solving, self-soothing, escape and other non-aggressive strategies to deal with his big emotions of anxiety, anger, fear, frustration and disappointment. If your child persists with aggressive behavior despite your efforts, seek professional help. With family or parenting therapy, parents are recruited as co-therapists, expanding treatment into daily life at home. Aggressive behavior in children can also be treated effectively with medications, according to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
References
- American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry: Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Ask Dr. Paul: Aggressive Behavior in Children has Many Causes
- Healthy Place: Child on Child Violence
- Journal of Clinical Psychiatry: Treatment of Aggression in Children
- Review of General Psychology: Sex Differences in Aggression in Real-world Settings
