Children and Adolescents’ Violence: The Pattern and Determinants Beyond Psychological Theories

Abstract

Background: Violence may be assimilated to actions or words that are intended to hurt. Youth violence includes a wide range of aggressive acts that may vary from bullying and physical fighting, to most serious forms such as homicide. Africa and Latin America are the continents where the highest rates of youth violence and homicide are reported. For many years in the past, media violence exposure alone was incriminated for children violence, but as time went on, it became clear that children violence is more of a resultant to a combination of factors contributing with varying degrees according to age, the intensity of exposure to a predisposing factor and the individual’s predisposition or susceptibility to violence. This review aims to present in simple and accessible terms the various aspects of children and adolescents’ violence. Epidemiological and psycho-pathophysiological aspects are described, with emphasis laid on the various risk factors and possible preventive measures. Method: A review based on past and recent publications treating the subject was done. The literature was screened, with relevant information critically analyzed. Results: The recurrent predictive factors for children and adolescents’ violence found in the literature are: the exposure to media and community violence, drug use and abuse, neuropsychiatric and psychological disorders that manifest or worsen with violence, and inadequate parenting models. These predisposing factors are underlined by some other determinants such as gender, genetic and individual factors, culture, poverty, and peer effect or companionship principally. Conclusion: Violence in children is determined by intrinsic factors such as the developmental stage or age, individual’s susceptibility or natural predisposition, and environmental factors such as media and community influences. The most essential of the preventive measures are based on the reduction of the various risk factors and their determinants which may be achieved by parental, scholar and governmental regulations.