Reasons Why Children Are Violent

Raising kids in a safe environment can help prevent violent behavior in children.

Violence in children is a major concern for many parents. Although most children are not naturally prone to violence, certain events and factors in the life of a happy and healthy child can cause him to become violent. Knowing what causes violence in children can help prevent it. Recognizing that a child has been exposed to certain situations that can lead to violence can also help the child receive the help he needs.

Violence at Home

Children who live in homes where violence is a common occurrence tend to become violent themselves. According to the Child Welfare website, abused children are 3.1 times more likely to be arrested for violent crimes when they are still a child or later on as an adult. A child who lives in an abusive and violent home often thinks that violent behavior is an acceptable way of handling a problem because he has not been shown any other way of solving problems. Violent parents and caregivers set bad examples for their children and ultimately teach their children how to be violent.

Mental Health Issues

Depression is considered a major factor in violence among children, according to the At Health website. Depression, aggression and anti-social feelings tend to make children feel isolated from those around them. When depression and anxiety issues go untreated they tend to worsen and result in a violent and physical outburst. Paranoia and schizophrenia are serious mental health problems that can lead to violence in children; they can often lead to delusional feelings of being unfairly persecuted by others. This can often drive the child to lash out at whomever he believes is persecuting him.

Availability of Weapons

Guns and weapons are common in America and children can often get access to these weapons through friends or at home. Some children are raised in households that use guns for hunting and protection with easy access to them. Although weapons aren't the main cause of violence, having access to weapons makes violent children more likely to use them. A child with aggression and mental health issues is sometimes unable to communicate his feelings effectively and will use the guns as a way of expressing his anger and frustration.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Drug and alcohol abuse among children and pre-teens can cause various physical and emotional problems that can lead to violence. Substances like alcohol and drugs can damage a child's brain development and impair the child's ability to connect and communicate with others. Drugs and alcohol can also worsen mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and paranoia and cause dangerous mood swings. Intoxication can also impair a child's judgment and cause the child to follow through on negative and violent thoughts that she normally wouldn't.

References

• Natural Child: Ten Reasons Not to Hit Your Kids
• School Violence: Looking Into Reasons of School Violence
• American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry: Understanding Violent Behavior in Children and Adolescents
• Child Welfare Information Gateway: Long-term Consequence of Child Abuse and Neglect
• At Health:The Storms of Youth: Violence and Depression in Adolescents
• Science Magazine: Violent Games Not to Blame for Youth Aggression, Study Suggests

Resources

• School Violence: How Can Parents Help In Preventing School Violence