Nursery World - Child Behaviour: Violence 'starts at four'

The ability of young children to learn to control their behaviour before they start school could be the key to preventing violence in later life, according to a new study.

Richard Tremblay, professor of Paediatrics, Psychiatry, and Psychology at the University of Montreal, who presented the findings at the Royal Society in London last week, said, 'Our research showed that children do not learn to physically aggress - it is a natural behaviour. Instead, they learn not to use violence and to find alternatives. We found that child aggression peaks between the ages of two and four.'

The study found that children at the highest risk of violent behaviour in adult life included those with mothers with a history of antisocial behaviour during their school years, mothers who had children at an early age, mothers who smoked during pregnancy, parents on a low income, or troubled family relationships.

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