Correction of aggressive behavior in children

When correcting a child's aggressive behavior, first of all, you need to remember one simple thing: aggression is a normal emotion that is inherent to everyone to one degree or another. It is an instinctive form of behavior, without which self-defense and survival are impossible.

But a person is not an animal, and with age we experience socialization of natural aggression. It is important to emphasize here that adults cannot suppress children's aggression by force, since aggression is a completely natural and normal feeling. Suppression of a child's aggressive impulses very often develops into autoaggression or psychosomatic disorders. A child must learn not to suppress, but to control his aggression. This is the main secret of correcting aggressive behavior in children.

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Methods of correction of aggressive behavior

Destructive, aggressive behavior in children stems from three main reasons. First, it is a feeling of mistrust and fear in relation to the surrounding world. Second, the child's encounter with various prohibitions and dissatisfaction of his needs and desires. And, finally, the defense of his independence and autonomy, which is a necessary factor in growing up.

Therefore, parents are required to show unconditional love for the child, even in the difficult task of correcting aggressive behavior. Insults and threats are completely prohibited: parents must show dissatisfaction with a specific action, while accepting the child's personality. Parents should also remember their own aggression and learn to control it. Personal example and sincere love are the two foundations for correcting a child's aggressive behavior.

Correction of aggressive behavior in children

Suppressing aggressive impulses, as we have already written, is dangerous for the child's mental and physical health. Therefore, it is necessary to teach the child to express his negative feelings in any socially acceptable, harmless way for others: handicrafts, sports, drawing; with the help of toys, finally. Also, so that the child can "let off steam", psychologists recommend getting a special "punching pillow" on which to vent all the accumulated aggression.

One of the important methods is to teach the child to translate feelings from action to verbal. The ability to talk about your feelings, and not immediately get into a fight, is a vital skill. In addition, it will also be easier for parents if the child learns to explain in words why he is offended or angry. Here, again, do not forget about your own example. Speak! Without human communication, any correction of aggressive behavior will be meaningless and ineffective.

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Correction of aggressive behavior in preschoolers

Avoid the illusion that an adult knows more about a child's feelings than the child himself. Children need to be respected as individuals - this seemingly obvious axiom turns out to be one of the most difficult moments for adults in correcting a child's aggressive behavior. Freedom and personal space are things that are important not only for adults.

But here too you shouldn't overdo it - the child needs attention from an adult no less. Attracting attention is one of the main reasons for aggressive behavior. For example, when a preschooler hits a playmate, you shouldn't start scolding the aggressor, but show attention to the victim: lift him up, calm him down, and even better - leave the room together. Deprived of attention and company, the little aggressor will understand all the negative consequences of violence.

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Program for correction of aggressive behavior in preschool children

Aggressive children, due to their character traits, have a rather limited set of reactions to an unpleasant situation. As a rule, children in such situations adhere to forceful behavior patterns, which they consider to be normal defense.

The goals and objectives of this area in the program for correcting aggressive behavior in preschoolers are to teach a child that aggression is not the only way to respond to a problematic situation; there is a wide range of more constructive reactions. This will not only minimize aggression, but also improve communication and socialization skills.

This will also help develop empathy. An aggressive child is poorly aware of his own emotions and ignores the emotions of others. Developing empathy is the most important moment in correcting aggressive behavior.

Correction of aggressive behavior of primary school students

An important mistake made when correcting aggressive behavior in younger schoolchildren is "public reprimands." The child's misbehavior should be discussed exclusively face to face, without the participation of the class or any other social group. In the conversation, emotionally charged words ("shameful" and the like) should be avoided.

The child needs to be encouraged and do not forget to praise. When the child reacts appropriately, it is necessary to reinforce this with praise. But not with the usual "You are a good boy", children sense falsehood. Your praise, like emotion, must be sincere.

A good method for correcting aggressive behavior for preschoolers and younger schoolchildren is the so-called fairy tale therapy. Together with your child, come up with a fairy tale with him in the leading role. Model situations in which he behaves calmly and patiently and receives a reward for it.

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Program for correction of aggressive behavior of schoolchildren

Child psychologists identify six main blocks-directions within which the correction of aggressive behavior is built. Each block is designed to correct a separate psychological trait.

1. Reduction of intrapersonal anxiety.
2. Developing empathy and awareness of one's own emotions.
3. Cultivating positive self-esteem.
4. Teaching acceptable and safe responses to problematic situations.
5. Developing self-control and managing aggression and anger.
6. A separate block includes consultations between a psychologist and parents and teachers.

Such classes should be held at least once a week. The duration of classes with preschoolers is no more than forty minutes, with younger schoolchildren - no more than an hour.

Correction of aggressive behavior in adolescents

Aggressive behavior in teenagers has its own characteristics, related to both physiological and social factors. As a teenager grows older, he or she discovers many contradictions not only in the world around them, but also within their own “I-image”. The emotional and value attitude towards oneself changes, and these personal shifts often manifest themselves in a sharp surge of dissatisfaction with oneself and uncontrolled aggression. It is clear that correction of aggressive behavior in teenagers has its own characteristics.

Aggressive teenagers, despite the diversity of their personal characteristics, have common features. These include a poverty of value orientations, a lack of hobbies, narrowness and instability of interests.

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Program for correction of aggressive behavior of teenagers

Suppressing aggression is unacceptable at any age, and in adolescence this moment is especially important. Forcibly suppressing natural instincts will only deepen the depression, suggestibility and passivity so common among teenagers. The task of correcting aggressive behavior is not to suppress negative emotions, but to control them.

Programs for correction of aggressive behavior of teenagers are designed to expand the social skills of teenagers. Socialization is the main problem for a teenager, so it is so important for aggressive teenagers to learn to control negative emotions and manage themselves in unpleasant situations.

Psychological correction of aggressive behavior

Aggressive children are the most condemned and rejected by adults. Failure to understand the reasons for children's anger and aggression leads adults to open hostility and rejection of such children. But normal contact with an adult is a basic condition for correcting aggressive behavior. Only interaction with a sensitive and understanding adult will allow the child-aggressor to understand that not all adults are "bad", and the whole world is not so terrible and dangerous.

Therefore, parents should approach this problem with full responsibility. Especially since a lasting effect from the correction of aggressive behavior can only occur with a systematic, comprehensive nature of the work and the development of individual character traits.

Psychological correction of aggressive behavior in children

Anger comes from weak control over one's emotions (or complete lack of such control), therefore, when correcting aggressive behavior, it is necessary to develop skills of self-regulation and aggression control. To do this, it is necessary, firstly, to establish clear rules for managing aggression; secondly, to reinforce these rules and skills through a role-playing game that models a problematic situation. The child also needs to master relaxation techniques, since in addition to managing a problematic state, relaxation techniques help to reduce the level of intrapersonal anxiety.

Psychological correction of aggressive behavior of teenagers

Correction of aggressive behavior of teenagers has its own peculiarities. Conversations about how “you need to behave well” are useless. The matter must be approached comprehensively, solving both the problems of the whole family and the individual intrapersonal conflicts of the teenager.

It is especially important to form a productive, positive circle of interests for a teenager, taking into account, of course, the peculiarities of his character. The point is to minimize free time: idleness is destructive for a teenager. It is necessary to look for activities that have a positive effect on the personality: music, sports, self-education.

Unlike younger children, group therapy rarely works with teenagers; it is better to work individually.

Methods of Correcting Aggressive Behavior in Children

V. Oaklander identifies four stages of reacting to aggression and anger.

• Stage #1: Provide children with practical, acceptable methods for expressing aggression in a way that is safe for others.
• Stage #2: help children to really perceive the feeling of anger, encourage them to emotionally react to their aggression and the situation as a whole right here and now. To do this, it is recommended to visually designate your anger: draw it or mold it from plasticine.
• Stage No. 3: arrange verbal contact with the aggressive emotion: let the child speak out (even through tears and screams).
• Stage #4: Discussing the situation with the child. We wrote about this above: it is necessary to talk and try to find the true reasons for aggressive behavior together with the child.

Individual correction of aggressive behavior

Often, aggressive children have a clearly deformed self-esteem, so the correction of aggressive behavior also implies the correction of self-esteem. More often, an aggressive child has low self-esteem, which, in fact, is a mirror image of the child's perception by adults (parents and teachers). Therefore, it is necessary to reconstruct a positive "I-image".

Let us emphasize once again the important points of individual correction of aggressive behavior, which an adult should remember. Firstly, an adult should talk to the child about his feelings and by his own example accustom the child to this. Secondly, it is important to "actively listen" to the child's inner world. Thirdly, it is necessary to evaluate not the child's personality, but only his actions.

Exercises to correct aggressive behavior

Psychologists widely use a number of exercises to control anger and correct aggressive behavior. Here are some of them:

• crumple and tear paper; on this paper, by the way, you can write all the negative words you want to say;
• take out aggression on a "punching pad";
• shout loudly using a "megaphone" made from a large sheet of paper;
• stomp your feet or kick some tin can;
• press plasticine into cardboard or a board;
• In domestic situations, you can use a water pistol or, for example, inflatable batons.

Of course, such exercises are only “quick response” methods and are essentially quite superficial. In order for the correction of aggressive behavior to be effective and successful, it is not enough to use only these methods. It is necessary to help the child react to the problem situation as a whole.