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Resilience in physically abused children: protective factors for aggression
Megan R Holmes1, Susan Yoon2, Laura A Voith3
1Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 11235 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, OH 44106-7164, USA. mholmes@case.edu.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 30, 2015
Summary
Childhood aggression is linked to maltreatment, but protective factors like prosocial skills and well-being can promote resilience. Interventions targeting these areas can foster healthy behavioral adjustment in maltreated children.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Work
Background:
- Childhood aggression is a significant issue, particularly for children experiencing adverse life events like maltreatment.
- Many maltreated children exhibit resilience, indicating the presence of protective factors influencing their development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate protective factors (child prosocial skills, internalizing well-being, caregiver well-being) that promote positive adaptation in physically maltreated children.
- To understand how these factors influence the likelihood of children engaging in normative aggressive behavior despite maltreatment.
Main Methods:
- Logistic regression analyses were performed using two waves of data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW-I).
- The study compared aggressive behavior levels between physically maltreated and non-maltreated children.
Main Results:
- Physically maltreated children were more likely to exhibit clinical levels of aggression at Time 1.
- Child internalizing well-being, child prosocial behavior, and caregiver well-being were associated with a lower likelihood of clinical aggression.
- These child factors remained significant predictors of nonclinical aggression at 18-month follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Protective factors play a crucial role in fostering positive and adaptive behaviors in maltreated children.
- Interventions aimed at preventing early aggression by reinforcing child prosocial skills, internalizing well-being, and caregiver well-being show promise for healthy behavioral adjustment.
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