Aggression and Violence By School-Age Children and Youth

BACKGROUND Peer relations during middle childhood and adolescence are an important part of children's social and emotional development. Children and adolescents pick up essential social and communication skills from their peers as they move into late adolescence and early adulthood. Peer conflict is not necessarily a bad thing; disagreement and conflict are part of life, and children and adolescents need to develop skills to resolve disagreements. 1 However, peer conflict can cause significant emotional and physical harm and can lead to aggressive behaviors when youth lack the social skills necessary to cope with their frustrations. Therefore, it is important for programs to be able to identify peer conflict and aggressive behaviors, and to promote positive peer conflict resolution techniques for children and adolescents. WHAT IS PEER CONFLICT? Peer conflict refers to mutual disagreement or hostility between peers or peer groups. 2 It is characterized as conflict between people of equal or similar power (friends); it occurs occasionally; it is unplanned; and it does not involve violence or result in serious harm. Perpetrators of peer conflict do not seek power or attention. However, peer conflict can escalate into violence. Those involved in violence and aggression usually have comparable emotional reactions, demonstrate some remorse, and actively try to resolve the problem. 3,4 WHAT FACTORS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH YOUTH WHO ENGAGE IN AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS? 5,6 Individual factors such as problem solving skills, self-regulation skills, and language are associated with youth who engage in aggressive behaviors. Some children and youth lack the social skills necessary to avoid engaging in aggressive behaviors. They are more likely to exhibit deficits such as poor impulse control, low frustration tolerance, limited ability to generate alternative responses to stress, and limited insight into the feelings of themselves and others. This inability to correctly process social information can cause youth to misinterpret social cues and assume others have a hostile intent during conflicts. Since these youth have fewer skills than others to cope with their frustrations, they lose control more quickly and engage in aggressive behaviors during times of stress. In addition, family factors such as interaction, discipline, and communication patterns are associated with youth who engage in aggressive behaviors. School SPONSORED BY: The Atlantic Philanthropies

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Aggression and Violence By School-Age Children and Youth

Cited by 10 publications

References 4 publications

Evidence-Based Practice and School Violence

Evidence-Based Practice and School Violence

Oppositional Defiant and Conduct Disorders Leading to Anti-Social Behavior and Violence

Assessing Peer Conflict and Aggressive Behaviors: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Program Practitioners

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