Aggression is a problem that is very common in many children and that if not addressed early enough would continue through adolescence and later on in life. Aggression can be caused by a multitude of factor, which is sometimes considered part of a normal developmental stage; never the less aggression can also be a symptom of a multitude of disruptive behaviors (Barzman & Findling, 2008). It is important that parents learn to deal with this type of behaviors and find ways to effectively modify the child’s misconduct; according to Barzman & Findling (2008) the intricacy of aggression needs to be addressed through complex assessment strategies.
Aggression has been linked to significant repercussions in academic and social functioning (Farmer et al., 2011); and studies on youth have concluded that physical aggression was a predicting factor which preceded risky behaviors which developed later on in the adolescents that were studied. Those dicey inclinations included early onset of sexual activity and tendency to unsafe sexual behaviors, as well as substance abuse that incorporated tobacco, alcohol and drugs (Deater-Decard, 2008). This is an indication of how important is to prevent and intervene before aggression can lead to other dangerous and risky behaviors. To Deater-Decard (2008) it is essential that we continue to understand and improve our capability to decrease aggression, and to minimize the impact on our society.
Aggression is commonly connected with other disruptive behaviors such as ADHD, conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder; in those cases it is essential to identify the primary diagnosis to develop a disorder-oriented approach that would assist in the control of aggression (List & Barzman, 2010). It is also important to discus that aggressive disorder is frequent in cases where bipolar disorder is the primary diagnosis; in this condition the aggressive attacks follow warning signs such as irritability, loud voice, the use of curse words, pacing and so forth, that can be recognized by trained individuals (Latalova, 2009).
It has been established that good parenting is most the concerning issue in mental health, and parenting intervention is the most pressing issue in child psychiatry; these two factors are essential to effectively deal with aggression (Farmer et al., 2011). As mentioned by Dadds & Robes, (2008) the sooner aggression is detected, the earlier it can be addressed through valuable family engagements which in the majority of cases lead to positive changes in the child’s behavior through non-violent, susceptible, and corrective tactics; this approach promotes prosocial behavior which in turn minimizes the child’s antisocial attitude.
There are preventive programs focused on psychosocial interventions such as parent skills training, parent support and education (Barzman & Findling, 2008). In addition, parent management training in considered the most effective behavior management intervention, which...