Parental Influences on the Prevalence and Development of Child Aggressiveness

Abstract

The development of aggressiveness between 5 and 17 years and some parental influences on this development were analyzed using data from Germany. International studies have shown a ''camel humps'' curve, i.e., a peak of aggression of children (primarily boys) between 2 and 4 years and a second peak of antisocial or aggressive behavior of boys between 15 and 20 years, but small groups of children and adolescents were persistently aggressive. A representative longitudinal study (2,190 children and their parents) and an additional study (1,372 children and adolescents) were conducted in Germany. The hypotheses of this article are that in the data can be found (a) an U-shaped course of aggressiveness for boys and girls, but on different levels, (b) a minority of persistently aggressive children and youth, (c) influences of parental temperaments, behavioral tendencies, parenting styles and the family status on the children's aggressiveness. The results replicate roughly the ''valley'' of the U-shaped course of aggressiveness. Small groups of chronically aggressive children were found as well. Influences of parental temperaments and corresponding behavioral tendencies (internalizing and externalizing behavior), parenting styles (child-centered communication, use of violence) and the social status of the families on child aggressiveness confirmed the hypotheses. These processes were moderated by gender effects between mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons. In regard to the group of persistently aggressive young people prevention of aggression should start early in childhood and over the long term. Parent education should consider more the individual personalities of the parents, not only parenting styles.

Factors related to the comorbidity between oppositional defiant disorder and anxiety disorders in preschool children

“…In other studies, the impact of paternal psychopathology on child outcomes appears modest but given the constraints of the time factor, as fathers spend less time with their children compared to mothers, this could make it seem that mothers have more effect on their children (Pilowsky et al, 2014). Regarding the influence of mothers, the association of maternal aggression and ODD+AD comorbidity can be explained by shared genes or by modelling that favors similar personalities and types of behavior (Wahl & Metzner, 2011). Mothers of aggressive children can therefore model a hostile attribution because of the tendency to view the ambiguous actions of others as hostile, increasing the probability of responding with aggression ( MacBrayer, Milich, & Hundley, 2003).…”

Temperament, parental personality and parenting stress in relation to socio-emotional development at 51 months

“…Mothers high in agreeableness (i.e., cooperative, compassionate, and friendly) tend also to be more authoritative and less authoritarian in their parenting (Eryigit-Madzwamuse, & Barnes, 2013;Metsäpelto & Pulkkinen, 2003) and are likely to promote positive child emotional regulation (Thompson, & Meyer, 2007). Mothers with a more neurotic personality (i.e., anger, anxiety, depression, vulnerability) have been found to use more negative parenting (Wahl & Metzner, 2012). However, the relevance of parental personality and related parenting behaviour for children's socio-emotional development are not always studied in conjunction with child temperament.…”

Parenting Styles and Aggressive Adolescents: Relationships with Self-esteem and Personal Maladjustment

“…Unfortunately, despite the efforts of public authorities to eradicate the high ratios of aggressive behaviors in young people, this pandemic public health concern still remains ( WHO, 1996WHO, , 2009WHO, , 2014; see also Baron & Richardson, 1994). Research has exhaustively examined aggression as behavior and aggressiveness as an individual disposition for aggressive behavior (e.g., the desire to start fights with others; for a review, see Wahl & Metzner, 2012).…”