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[The extremely violent child]

M Berger1, E Bonneville

  • 1Service de pédopsychiatrie, centre hospitalier Bellevue, CHU de Saint-Etienne, pavillon 20, 42055 Saint-Etienne cedex 02, France. maurice.berger@chu-st-etienne.fr

Archives De Pediatrie : Organe Officiel De La Societe Francaise De Pediatrie
|December 17, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Extremely violent behavior in toddlers, emerging around 15-16 months, stems from underestimated early psychological traumas. This behavior is sudden, individual, and lacks guilt, indicating a specific psychological structure.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Childhood behavioral disorders

Context:

  • Increasing prevalence of extreme toddler violence.
  • Onset around 15-16 months, coinciding with increased mobility.
  • Violence is sudden, individual, and lacks guilt.

Purpose:

  • Investigate the origins of early-onset extreme violent behavior in children.
  • Identify contributing factors and the resulting psychological structures.
  • Explore the potential for prevention strategies.

Summary:

  • Early, underestimated psychological traumas, including parental violence and distorted communication, are linked to extreme toddler violence.
  • This behavior manifests around 15-16 months, characterized by sudden, guiltless episodes.
  • A specific psychological structure develops as a result of these traumas.

Impact:

  • Highlights the critical impact of early childhood experiences on behavior.
  • Underscores the need for early identification and intervention for at-risk children.
  • Suggests current prevention methods are not feasible in certain regions, like France.

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