Neglected Boys At an Increased Risk of Turning into Violent Adolescents

Boys who were physically neglected by their parents might turn into violent adolescents, a new study reveals.

Sociologists at the Penn State evaluated data taken from a survey that included 85 subjects who were residents of Pennsylvania detention center for delinquent males. They found that among those male adolescents held as captives, physical neglect during childhood was seen as a greater predictor of violent behavior. The study highlights 'neglect' as a key role in influencing adolescent violence.

Among the 85 subjects, 25 had experienced a minimum of one incidence of childhood neglect. The acts of violence displayed by the adolescents included fighting with peers or parents, physically attacking the teachers or instructors, and using weapons to scare, rob or injure the other.

 "One of the problems with studying neglect is that it is an act of omission, rather than one of commission. In other words, it is characterized as the absence of an act, rather than an actual act of mistreatment," said McGuigan. "However, now we have better measures and larger databases to document neglect."

Physical neglect examples include improperly clothing a child, not giving sufficient food and not taking sick or injured child to the doctor. According to the researchers these are not acts of mistreatment, but of absence.

Though physical abuse is a key contributor to violent behavior, physical neglect is an even stronger predictor of violent behavior among male adolescents.  

"It sounds somewhat contrarian, but the physical abuse might at least show that parents are paying some type of attention to the child," said McGuigan.

This finding helps caregivers better understand how neglect influences violent behavior and what measures can be taken for the at-risk youths. By understanding how neglect causes violent behaviour, the researchers can develop early preventive care programs that assist in avoiding these negative outcomes. They could create assessments that offer protection to those caring for the adolescents by identifying those who are vulnerable to violence.

The finding was presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in San Francisco.