Toddlers: Why the Bad Seed Theory Isn't Far from the Truth
Everybody hopes their toddlers will "play nice," and it can be shocking when they suddenly turn into biting, hitting, kicking little beasts. A new study gathered data from more than 1200 children ages 1 to 4, and found that, to a large extent, their tendency toward physical aggression is genetically programmed and not caused by environmental factors such as watching violent cartoons on television or witnessing domestic strife. "Parents often feel guilty," lead author, Eric Lacourse, a professor at the University of Montreal, tells Yahoo Shine. "They should look at physical aggression as a normal phase of development."
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The study compared over 660 sets of non-identical and identical twins. It found that the pairs who shared 100% of their DNA were far more likely to exhibit the exact patterns of aggression than fraternal twins who grew up in the same environment. In a statement, the researchers said that their results challenge previous studies of single children "in which many family or parent level factors were found to predict developmental trajectories of physical aggression during preschool." It added, "Our results suggest that the effect of those factors may not be as direct as was previously thought."
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The study notes that between the ages of 1 and 4, aggression peaks and most children mature out of violent behavior. "There is no such thing as 'terrible twos,'" adds Lacourse, who says that the onset, duration, and intensity of this unpleasant conduct are highly variable from kid to kid.
The researchers' analysis doesn't let parents off the hook, though. Lacourse says that the way parents deal with their toddler's aggression can either help them grow out of it or perpetuate the cycle beyond early childhood and encourage chronic violent behavior. "Because early childhood propensities may evoke negative responses from parents and peers, and consequently create contexts where the use of physical aggression is maintained and reinforced, early physical aggression needs to be dealt with care," the study warns.
Parents should neither be too coercive nor too lenient. It's important to swiftly identify and discipline aggressive behavior in young children with age-appropriate punishments such as timeouts, says Lacourse. Harsh actions like screaming, spanking, or withholding love and affection may perpetuate the problem. He adds that if the behavior persists or parents are feeling overwhelmed, they should consult with their pediatrician about coping strategies or the possibility of other disruptive factors such as ADHD being involved.
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