Sex differences in the development of physical aggression: An intergenerational perspective and implications for preventive interventions

Abstract

This article reviews the state of knowledge on the development of chronic physical aggression (CPA), with the aim of identifying the most effective prevention strategies. We specifically focus on the early development of physical aggression, on sex differences in the use of physical aggression, and on the transmission of behavior problems from one generation to the other. The body of research on the development of CPA from the past three decades that we review shows increasing evidence that its prevention requires a long‐term biopsychosocial developmental approach which also must include an intergenerational perspective. Recent genetic and epigenetic research has indicated that there are both important genetic and environmental effects on gene expression which start at conception. We conclude that one of the most effective strategies to break the intergenerational transmission of CPA involves giving long‐term support to pregnant women with a history of behavior problems, their spouse, and their offspring.

The early biopsychosocial development of boys and the origins of violence in males

“…This issue of the Infant Mental Health Journal follows several lines of research finding that a significant part of the origins of violence lies in the environment of prenatal to toddlerhood periods of development (Tremblay, ; Tremblay & Côté, this issue). In many ways, this focus on the very early periods of life reflects other examples of problematic outcomes such as childhood psychopathologies and school failure, also often found to have a basis in the first years of life (Caspi et al., ; Fearon & Belsky, ; Fitzgerald & Eiden, ; Hatzinikolaou & Murray, ; Lyons‐Ruth et al., ; Raine, this issue; Schore, ; Sroufe, ; Sroufe, Egeland, Carlson, & Collins, ).…”

“…Within this context of very early discontinuous relationships, what is the connection between the early development of the self and the perpetration of violent acts? Two of the authors of this special issue have put forth the finding that aggressive behavior in children peaks, on average, between 2 to 4 years of age (Tremblay & Côté, this issue; Tremblay & Nagin, ). With nurturing caregiving, physical aggression usually declines after reaching a peak.…”

“…A great deal of research has pointed to biological components in the etiology of human violence perpetration (Dodge, ; Glenn, this issue; Moffitt, Caspi, Rutter, & Silva, ; Raine, , this issue; Tremblay & Côté, this issue). Further, for some time it has been widely believed that these biological components interact with environmental adversity early in life to make violent behavior more likely in adolescence and adulthood (Beaver, Schwartz, & Gajos, ; Jaffee, , this issue; Tremblay & Côté, this issue). Research in this area has shown that among the relatively small population of human beings who come to perpetrate violence as adolescents and adults, males seem more likely to experience these epigenetic effects of biological vulnerability and environmental adversity early in life in ways associated with the male statistical preponderance in this unfavorable outcome.…”

Construcción social de los problemas conductuales en infantes

“…Revisar estas razones es parte medular del presente ensayo puesto que justamente son elementos que influyen en la forma en que se perciben los problemas conductuales en cada sociedad. no se presta suficiente atención a los problemas de conducta hasta que el problema es más severo o afecta a mayor cantidad de personas (Tremblay y Côté, 2019). Probablemente, la ayuda se solicitará una vez que el sujeto ya ha delinquido o en casos menos severos cuando se recibió un reporte de comportamiento inapropiado en un contexto escolar.…”

“…Un importante cuerpo de literatura científica relaciona las conductas disruptivas en la infancia con la aparición de dificultades académicas, sociales, comportamiento delictivo, alteraciones psicológicas y trastornos psiquiátricos (Boisjoli et al 2007;Fischer et al 2019;Hagan-Burke et al 2011;Hodgings et al 2013;Tremblay, 2004;Tremblay y Côté, 2019;Vitaro et al 2005). Las conductas disruptivas son el eje central de los conflictos que presenta la población infantil (Valencia y Andrade, 2005) y constituyen uno de los motivos más frecuentes de consulta y asistencia psicológica, neurológica y psiquiátrica (De la Peña-Olvera y Palacios-Cruz, 2011).…”