Causes and Effects of Aggression in Children Research Paper Sample

Around the world it is estimated that 1 billion children from ages 2-17 years old have experienced emotional violence or neglect in the past year (“Violence against children,” 2020). These experiences and environments impact the health and well-being of these kids for the rest of their lives. Callow children are extremely vulnerable to trauma and aggression when growing up. Child neglect and substance abuse in homes cause a great impact on the children mentally and physically. Lack of parental supervision is when parents do not take care of their children, whether that be not feeding, cleaning, pampering, and watching their kids. Substance abuse in homes involves the overuse of any drugs or alcohol, which can lead to neglect or physical abuse. Even though there are many effects of aggression and violence, the lack of parental supervision and substance abuse seem to be the most common, which have negatively affected adolescents in many ways. 

Causes of Aggression in Children

Lack of parental supervision is often overlooked and not fully understood of the lasting impact it leaves on children emotionally. In fact, family interaction is significantly important to the development of the children in the home (Bateman, Cornell, & Murrie, 2003). Kids are the most vulnerable to trauma and emotional impact the younger they are. Children depend on their family for safety, love, and compassion. If parents neglect their children, it can cause kids to feel alone and vulnerable. Unfortunately, child neglect stems from other issues in the family. For example, in families where one of both parents abuse drugs or alcohol, children are neglected and sometimes injured and abused (Miller, Pinderhughes, Young, & Ferguson, 2002). The lack of parental supervision comes from parents' own addictions and violence. They invoke this aggression to their kids by not giving them the care and attention they desire. Child neglect causes children to feel alone and act out in any way to get the attention they need. 

Similarly, families where parents are addicted to alcohol or drugs leads to many problems and issues in the household. Children growing up in homes where drug abuse is present could be exposed to violence, unpredictable behaviors, and absence of both parents (Miller, 2002). Parents who are addicted to substances harm their children either emotionally or physically. The addiction can lead to a physical or sexual abuse. In fact, a 1986 research suggests that alcohol is involved in about 30 to 49 percent of child-sexual abuse cases (Kumpfer & Bayes, 2001). Addiction leads to many tensions in the household, but especially physical violence. This violence brings a huge impact and trauma to the children in the home. Substance abuse in family homes causes children to feel violence and cruelty in their own homes. 

Counter Argument of Movies causing Aggression in Children 

Although many people believe that movies is a main cause of aggression in children, the 

research fails to demonstrate this. It has been proven that children are more susceptible to behavioral influences when they are active participants than when they are observers (Clarke, 2002). Movies require observation and not participation, which means that children are not likely to develop aggressive behavior from violent movies. Thousands of children around the world watch thriller/horror movies and do not demonstrate violence in their lives. Furthermore, the question of violence in the media and its influence on children is the most widely debated domain of media influence (Clarke, 2002). Even though other forms of media could potentially cause violence in children, movies are not one of the main sources for this aggression. There is no confirmation for the speculation of children being influenced by movies. All in all, there is not enough evidence to support the theory of movies causing aggression in children. 

Effects of Aggression in Children 

One of the primary ways aggression negatively affects adolescents is by leading them to 

self-harm. Research has demonstrated that sexual and physical abuse and neglect may cause self-injurious behavior (“Self-injury,” 2007). The behaviors of children’s parents lead to a cataclysm in the adolescents in the household. This change causes children to harm and inflict pain on themselves. People self-injure as a cessation to calm their overwhelming emotions. The neglect and abuse from parents causes children to be overwhelmed and need an emotional release. Furthermore, self harm brings the psychological tension back to a livable baseline (“Self-injury,” 2007). Adolescents hurt themselves to make their pain bearable. The aggression and violence in their homes lead them to need an emotional outlet. When parents neglect or abuse their kids, it leads children to self harm. 

On the other hand, aggression in homes can affect children to hurt others instead of 

themselves. A statistic from 2001 shows that juveniles accounted for 17% of all murder arrests (Baughman, Bondi, Layman, McConnell, and Tompkins, 2001). Teens and children have grown animosity for others from their unstable home lives. Since teens have become more aggressive, it can result in harming others instead of learning how to handle their emotions. Unresolved pain and aggression leads children to take their anger out on others. Furthermore, there have been 860 juvenile arrests for murder and manslaughter in 2019 (Baughman, 2001). The violence in juveniles is not decreasing and continues to be a problem in society. Adolescents do not know how to recover from the trauma they experience in their households, which has led to violent actions. Unresolved aggression and violence from childhood trauma can lead to murder. 

Conclusion

Aggression in children is mainly caused by substance abuse and neglect in households. 

The lack of parental supervision causes children to feel alone and do anything for the attention they need. Substance abuse in households can cause sexual or physical abuse which leaves the children with unresolved anger and aggression. From this anger, children will begin to harm others and act or self injure themselves to release their emotions. Because of this, aggression and violence mainly stem from the lack of parental supervision and substance abuse which leads to aggression in adolescents. Helping children from broken homes will minimize the amount of suicide and murder in the world. 

References

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CLARK, L. B. (2002). Media, Influence on Children. In J. W. Guthrie (Ed.), Encyclopedia of 

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MILLER, D., PINDERHUGHES, E. E., YOUNG, N. K., & FERGUSON, C. (2002). Family 

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Self-injury. (2007). In World of Health. Gale. 

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World Health Organization. (n.d.). Violence against children. World Health Organization. 

Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-children.