Introduction
Antisocial behavior refers to a set of actions that result from a person’s lack of the ability to respect other people’s rights. Examples of these actions include setting fires, vandalism, crime, theft, and other delinquent acts which fail to conform to social norms. In the developmental stages of adolescence and childhood, antisocial behavior disorders are categorized as impulsiveness, behavioral disorders, vandalism, stealing, psychological and physical aggression, truancy, running away from home, and bullying, among others.
This research paper covers antisocial behaviors as a set of behaviors against conventional norms or rules. (Wen, et al., 2022) in their research assert that felonious behavior’s initial stages characterize what constitutes antisocial behavior. They claim antisocial behavior could result in socio-emotional development impairments, school failure, delinquency, adult crimes, and peer rejection. (Christian, et al., 2021) reports that antisocial behavior is a developmental trait that starts early in life and persists into adulthood and adolescence. Additionally, they stress that when antisocial behaviors start at early ages, the chronic nature and persistence of the behaviors can be distinguished by age at their onset.
Behavior disorders are of two broad categories: externalizing and internalizing behavior. Externalizing behavior is characterized by physical and verbal aggressions, violent acts, and disturbing others. On the other hand, Internalizing behavior is inwardly directed and entails behavioral deficits, including withdrawal, depression, and isolation. Nurses and psychologists alike have been involved in studies on the multiple diverse aspects of child development and how it is linked to the development of externalizing behavior problems. This paper explores the development of antisocial behavior, focusing on the role that family relations, particularly the Attachment of the parents and child, play in determining factors causing antisocial behavior development in children.
The Influence of The Family on Antisocial Behavior
Family variables have been recognized as the major causes of delinquent and antisocial behavior. These variables in the family are entrenched in settings affecting the family, including divorce, changes in employment, parents’ criminality, and large family size, among others. Therefore, the environment of the family is robustly linked with the steadiness of violent behavior in children prone to the risk factor. (Celestino, David, JosĂ©, & Paloma, 2018) continues to identify family variables that are contributors to antisocial behavior forms. They include parenting, the style of raising a child, the family’s socioeconomic status, and family structure.
Parenting
Parenting is a generally recognized vital risk factor associated with antisocial behavior. Studies indicate multiple significant parenting practices linked with the development of antisocial behavior, including physical aggression, punitive discipline, lack of positive and warm connection, inefficient problem-solving, and inadequate monitoring. At the onset of adolescence among children, parenting must entail a monitoring aspect. Studies have found a strong connection between the monitoring process of a parent and adolescent deviance and delinquent behavior.
It is established that poor parent monitoring leads to the emergence and sustenance of antisocial behavior right from childhood through adolescence. Additionally, (Celestino, et al., 2018) research approved that lack of adequate supervision and inadequate parental participation in a child’s activities are strongly linked to externalized behavior disorders. The two variables are essential determiners of whether a child will or will not develop antisocial traits.
The Style of Raising A Child
The style with which a child is raised is considered the most significant aspect in advancing antisocial behavior. Erratic control, negative parenting styles, and low supervision by parents affect a child’s behavior. Studies have supported the assertion that aggressive children’s parents demonstrate intimidating parenting styles that adversely affect the child’s development (Dr, et al., 2022). Three particular parenting style factors favor a violent reaction pattern among children. The initial factor is the parents’ negative c attitude: particularly the mother when characterized by a lack of involvement and warmth. The second factor is the level of tolerability of aggressive behavior by the parent. Lastly is an increase in a child’s aggressive behavior due to using power-assertive methods to raise a child.
The Socioeconomic Status of A Family
Aggressive and antisocial behavior is strongly linked with low family socioeconomic status. Low-income families are often associated with immense stress and are bound to have negative experiences they have little control over. Such conditions are often characterized by the absence of parents and punitive and coercive parenting. Studies have supported that parents of children exhibiting aggressive tendencies exhibit coercive parenting styles that negatively affect a child’s development (Celestino, et al., 2018). Most importantly, coercive parents have inadequate positive reinforcement skills and do not eradicate inappropriate behaviors. Instead, such parents unconsciously reinforce and model their children’s coercive behavior, and the children learn that coercive behavior will lead them to have their needs fulfilled.
Antisocial Behavior and Attachment
Child attachment has a significant role as far as antisocial behaviors are concerned. By definition, Attachment is the affectionate and intimate relationship that exists between persons. It also involves an emotional bond that encompasses safety, support, and comfort. According to (Dr, et al., 2022) child attachment involves a strong disposition to seek contact and proximity with a specific figure, mainly the parent. Attachment behavior possesses particular dynamics unique from other behaviors, such as sexual or feeding behaviors. It entails the basic needs of emotion that a person has. Therefore, in the course of healthy development, attachment behaviors lead to the formation of affection bonds between a parent and child.
Developmental psychology has applied this theory in studying the differences in the adjustments of individual children. (Dr, et al., 2022) asserts that depending on the quality of the early interactions between a child and a parent, children build internal functional representational models, which are a set of internalized expectations and beliefs regarding others and oneself. It is this functional model that will, in turn, influence or determine the manner in which persons interact with their environment. Attachment can be divided into secure and anxious-resistant attachment.
Secure attachment refers to a child’s utilization of an attachment figure as a secure base. When adolescents have secure parental attachments, this will positively contribute to their view of themselves, lower depressive levels, and overall lessen engagement in antisocial behavior (David, et al., 2019). Anxious-resistant adolescents are characterized by hesitant behavior directed to the caregiver and a lack of the ability to be consoled by reunion.
Conclusion
This paper has discussed the development of antisocial behavior, a personality behavior. From the research paper, it can be deduced that parenting has an imperative role in children’s relationships with their peers and as a predicting factor of antisocial behavior. One of the strongest determiners is children’s relationship with their parents. Like other parenting aspects, various motivational, behavioral, and regulatory social skills are linked to attachment security and affect relations with peers. It is important to be privy to the fact that antisocial behavior relates to parenting behavior and the manner in which children are attached to their parents. The bond between children and their parents is imperative. With a strong family affection bond this attachment can help prevent criminal behaviors.
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