7 Factors of Adolescent Aggressive Behaviors

Physical Abuse Increase the Risk of being Aggressive

Adolescence is the stage of transforming both physical and emotional development of children. The children development occurs in form of emotional and cognitive ability which leads to their ability in establishing social life. As it is very important to monitor their behavior, activities related to their development is crucial to be monitored.

Aggressive Personality in Children Activities

The acts of aggression is defined as reactionary and impulsive behavior that commonly is caused by the disobeying of household rules, social and religious norms as well as the law. This characteristic can be a big issue for both parents and the children themselves which occur in their stages of growing/ adolescence. Aggressive characteristics constitutes intended harm to another individual without thinking whether this individual is their relatives. Children psychological theories might have been argued in finding the causes of aggressive behavior in human beings (not only adults) including children and adolescence.

Different observation can be seen through the gender of adolescence. For boys, the typical behavior occurs in physical appearances such as the size of body parts, the height, and as well as endurance in doing some sports. On the other hand, girls may have occurred in form fashion factors such as new clothing, shoes, and hairstyle. However, boys are almost always more aggressive than girls without concerning the intention.

Aggression from Toddlers to Adolescence

Social scientists argue the aggressive characteristics has been started before the early adolescence ages. Although there are many factors that can cause their aggressiveness to be more, their earlier aggression is not exactly the same as adults do, such as competitiveness and jealousy. In toddlers age, which the age between two and four years, show their aggressive outbursts in forms of yelling, crying, tempers, damaging toys and furniture hurting someone nearby them including their parents, grandparents, siblings, relatives, and strangers. The aggression usually happens to express their disappointment and compliance due to their parents restriction in purchasing the things they want such as sandals, clothes, shoes, and toys.

For pre-school and kindergarten ages, between four to 6 year age, they often to show their aggressiveness toward their siblings and friends. This aggressive activities are not caused of competitiveness or even more jealousy, but it is merely occurred of the insults made by their older siblings or friends. Next, aggressive boys and girls in their adolescent ages are observed throughout their emotional and social interaction such as lying, snatching, and vandalism.

7 Common Factors of Aggressive Behavior in Adolescence

Although no confirmed theories can cause the linear influences for the aggressive behavior in adolescence,  assumption related to this aggression may have begun to the frustration in expressing their disappointment and compliance. Adolescents tend to show their self-personality, and this self-esteem lasts until they reach adult. It is also their responses in expressing their anxiety and feeling of incompetence.

Another factor is the exposure cultural violence experienced either directly or indirectly. Violence includes a wide range of behaviors such as explosive temper tantrums, physical aggression, fighting, threats, and the temptation in hurting someone or harassing others. Violent personalities can also be seen in their action in hurting animals or destructing walls or public properties such as traffic signs. The development of aggressive behavior could be caused by these common factors:

1. being a victim of physical and sexual abuse
2. seeing direct violence in home and neighborhood
3. exposure of violence from media (TV, movies, internet gaming)
4. use of drugs and alcohol
5. curiosity of using weapons that are continuously displayed
6. combination of stressful family such as poverty, marital breakup, unemployment, single parenting, loss of support from extended family.
7. brain injury

To monitor their aggressive characteristics, parent can teach children nonviolence activities as well as maintaining and improving their emotional and cognitive abilities. For children and toddlers, frequent short stories before bedtime are effective in preventing violent behavior, while for adolescents reading, worksheets, and camping activities can train them both their physical and emotional developments.