Genetics and Environment
Dr. Stephen Scott, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, conducted a study focusing on behavioral disorders during childhood. He discovered that children whose parents exhibit anti-social behavior are at a higher risk of developing violent tendencies themselves, suggesting a hereditary component to the emergence of aggression in children.
Exposure to Violence in Children
In the United States, approximately 60% of children experience violence in various settings, including school, home, and community. According to the Office of Justice, children exposed to violence suffer physical, mental, and emotional harm, making them more likely to engage in aggressive behavior.
Socioeconomic Factors
Socioeconomic conditions can significantly contribute to violence among children and adolescents. Influential factors include family disintegration, absence of parents, unemployment, poverty, and emotional deprivation.
Media Influence
Research has established a correlation between media violence and real-life aggression. A study conducted in 2010 by researchers from Columbia University and Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York found that adolescents who watch more than an hour of television daily are more prone to exhibit violent behavior, akin to that of adults.
Physical Injuries
In some cases, physical injuries can be a catalyst for violent behavior in children. For instance, injuries to the frontal lobe or conditions like epilepsy may lead to increased aggression.
Strategies to Mitigate Media Violence
The impact of media-induced violence can be reduced by implementing the following strategies:
- Monitor what the child is watching.
- Watch television with the child.
- Set specific times for television viewing.
- Avoid placing a television in the child’s bedroom.
- Restrict the child from watching violent scenes.
- Change the channel or turn off the television during violent content.
- Oversee the time spent by the child watching news programs.
- Engage the child in discussions about what they have seen and any questions they might have.