4295.0: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 - Board 4

Abstract #21767

Individual and family risk factors related to children's aggressive behaviors

Kwanghee Jung and Ambika Krishnakumar, PhD. Child and Family Studies, Syracuse University, 201 Slocum Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244, 315-443-2757, kjung@syr.edu

School violence is an increasing problem in Korea. The incidence as well as the intensity of aggression among children and adolescents is increasing at an alarming rate. Given the fact that the behavior patterns of aggressive and antisocial children tend to be stable over long periods, it is important to understand the factors that contribute to the early development of children's aggressive behavior.

This study will address the following questions. What are the factors that affect Korean children's aggression? How do these factors interact with each other to affect child aggression? Do proximal family level factors mediate the link between distal factors in influencing child aggression? Are these effects different by gender?

In pursuing the answers, I will focus on individual (child temperament, gender of child), and familial (parenting, parents' attribution of children's behavior problems, and marital discord) factors and the interplay between them as they relate to children's aggressive behaviors. Understanding of children's aggression will be enhanced if we consider the multiplicative influence of several factors rather than thinking about each factor singly or additively.

Given the global intermingling of world cultures, understanding aggressiveness in the Korean culture will be helpful in determining the common (with the U.S. culture) as well as unique factors that play a role in determining child outcomes. This study will also help to organize effective prevention and intervention programs for children and families from a comprehensive perspective.

Learning Objectives: Participants in this session will be able to identify the precursors of Korean children's aggressive behaviors.

Keywords: Youth Violence, Children

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 129th Annual Meeting of APHA