How does aggressive behavior develop

Most importantly, efforts should be directed at dramatically decreasing the exposure of children and adolescents to violence in the home, community, and through the media. Clearly, violence leads to violence. Your support will help us continue to produce and distribute Facts for Families , as well as other vital mental health information, free of charge.

You may also mail in your contribution. Box , Washington, DC The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry AACAP represents over 9, child and adolescent psychiatrists who are physicians with at least five years of additional training beyond medical school in general adult and child and adolescent psychiatry.

You might not know which behaviors are socially appropriate. In other cases, you might act aggressively on purpose. For example, you may use aggressive behavior to get revenge or provoke someone.

You may also direct aggressive behavior towards yourself. This can help you address it. As an adult, you might act aggressively in response to negative experiences. For example, you might get aggressive when you feel frustrated. Your aggressive behavior may also be linked to depression, anxiety, PTSD, or other mental health conditions.

Many mental health conditions can contribute to aggressive behavior. For example, these conditions include:. Brain damage can also limit your ability to control aggression. You may experience brain damage as the result of:. Different health conditions contribute to aggression in different ways. For example, if you have autism or bipolar disorder, you might act aggressively when you feel frustrated or unable to speak about your feelings.

If you have conduct disorder, you will act aggressively on purpose. Your child might imitate aggressive or violent behavior that they see in their daily life. They may receive attention for it from family members, teachers, or peers. You can accidentally encourage it by ignoring or rewarding their aggressive behavior.

Sometimes, children lash out due to fear or suspicion. This is more common if your child has schizophrenia, paranoia, or other forms of psychoses. If they have bipolar disorder, they might act aggressively during the manic phase of their condition. If they have depression, they might act aggressively when they feel irritated. Your child might also act aggressively when they have trouble coping with their emotions. Motivation and Emotion, 17 3 , — On the construction of the anger experience: Aversive events and negative priming in the formation of feelings.

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