Austerman, Joseph, D.O., (2017). Violence and aggressive behavior. Pediatric Review, February (69-80).

 

Dr. Austerman, a pediatrician, explains clinical aggression in children. He explains factors such as the difference between impulsive and premeditated aggression, the role aggression has a role in society, and discusses considerations to be taken when defining pathological aggression.

 

He focuses on many of the environmental factors that contribute to aggressive behavior, recognizing but not delving into biological factors (neuro monoamine correlates, neuroanatomic correlates, hormonal correlates, genetic factors, psychosocial environment).

 

Association for Psychological Science. (2012). Bandura and bobo. Retrieved from https://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications/observer/obsonline/bandura-and-bobo.html

 

In this article the association for psychological science explains the infamous study that Dr. Albert Bandura conducted with the bobo doll. This study illustrates the social learning theory pioneered by Dr. Bandura. The Bobo doll is arguably a main contributor in the shift from behavioral psychology into a social-cognitive approach. In this experiment, children received no reinforcement for their behavior, but learned it from a model. The children who viewed a video of adults treating an inflatable doll aggressively were much more likely to behave aggressively toward the doll than their peers who viewed a neutral video or no video at all. The association for psychological science also notes that Bandura’s work is still relevant today as the debate about violence in television continues.

 

Connor, D.F. (2002). Aggression and antisocial behavior in children and adolescents, research and treatment. New York: The Guilford Press.

 

This book is extremely useful for understanding both past and current research and treatment for aggression in children. He first gives an explanation and definition of aggression. He mentions key points such as subtypes of aggression, gender differences, and the different forms that aggression may take throughout child development.  The book is the most comprehensive I could find as far as addressing multiple techniques that have been used for treating aggression, and explained the theory behind each technique. He seems to write to an audience including psychologists, caregivers, as well as persons involved in the criminal justice system. Connor’s book easily became the most cited source in my paper, as he addressed such a range of points relevant to both theory and practices.

 

Crenshaw, D., Mordock, J. (2005). Understanding and treating aggression in children: fawns in gorilla suits. Lanham: The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.

 

Drs. Crenshaw and Mordock aim to help us understand the emotions behind the aggression in their book. They humanize aggression and help us remember that aggressive children are still just that- children. This is a great source for understanding the person-centered etiological view of psychopathology in children.

 

Dithurbide, L. (2006). When ostracism leads to aggression: The moderating effects of control deprivation. Retrieved from https://msu.edu/user/kerr/p840/Sum.WarburtonWilliamsCairns2006.htm 

 

This article explains a study of the effect ostracism had on aggression. Its main point is that ostracism led to a feeling of loss of control, decrease in mood, and a stress response. The implications of this study and my research is that the social exclusion that an aggressive child will most likely experience may perpetuate the aggressive behavior.

 

Hashemian, P., Jarahi, L., Mashoogh, N. (2015). Effectiveness of music therapy on aggressive behavior of visually impaired adolescents. Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science. Vol. 05 No. 03. Retrieved from https://file.scirp.org/Html/4-3900324_54486.htm 

 

This study demonstrated that music therapy was effective in decreasing aggressive behavior in visually impaired adolescents. Hashemian and the other researchers used the Buss and Perry questionnaire as well as the Rutter behavior questionnaire to measure aggression. I later used these as a reference in developing my own aggression questionnaire.

 

Huerta, Merle. (2014). Parenting and B.F.Skinner: It All Boils Down to Operant Conditioning. Web. Kars4Kids, Retrieved from  https://www.kars4kids.org/blog/parenting-b-f-skinner-it-all-boils-down-to-operant-conditioning/

 

Merle discusses operant conditioning as the basis of all learning. She applies it to parenting, explaining that it can be used to manage behavior. She explains that conditioning principles are more complex than bribes and punishment, it is the reaction we give to any behavior. This was a valuable source because it is from a parenting perspective rather than a clinical perspective. As my survey would be to parents, not to clinical psychologists, it was important to understand a bit about the information they have access to, and the influences they may be aware of.

 

Kramer, E. (1977). Art therapy in a children’s community: a study of the function of art therapy in the treatment program of Wiltwyck School for Boys. New York: Schocken Books.

 

This book was filled with case studies. Though the book did not contribute directly to the paper, it gave me a better sense of what art therapy is really like in practice. This familiarity allows me to better articulate to others the theory and practice of art therapy.

 

Kramer, E. (1993). Art as therapy with children. Chicago: Magnolia Street.

 

This book, in contrast to the one Edith Kramer published several years earlier, explains more of the theory. Art Therapy, at its roots, stems from Freudian Psychoanalytic Theory. Therefore Kramer’s philosophy is based on these principles: the ego, sublimation, etc. The current methods of treatment, especially for children, have moved further away from these principles, but understanding the framework that art therapy was built upon is crucial. This book helped me understand the journey that art therapy has taken since its conception in the United States. Though the terms used in psychoanalytic theory are not as prevalent now, they are quite applicable when explaining the theory behind why art therapy could potentially be an effective treatment. In my paper I aimed to paraphrase Kramer’s words to modernize it a bit, to point out art’s special ability to connect with past traumas.

 

Lee, J., Snodgress, M. (2013). Posted by Emily Hughes. To condition the child. Retrieved from https://my.vanderbilt.edu/developmentalpsychologyblog/2013/12/to-condition-the-child/

 

This is another source from a parenting perspective. I began to notice that the current trend leans pretty heavily toward behaviorism. Lee and Snodgress caution parents on how conditioning may “backfire”, especially warning about how negative punishment may actually become negative reinforcement. They also emphasize the importance of consistency. 

 

Richman, L.A., & Leary, M.L. (2009, April). Reactions to discrimination, stigmatization, ostracism, and other forms of interpersonal rejection: a multimotive model. Psychol Rev. 2009 Apr; 116(2): 365-383. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763620/

 

This study found that there is a relationship between peer rejection and peer aggression over time. The more a child is rejected, the more aggressive he/ she will become. This article also explains, however, that some children may experience “emotional numbness” when faced with rejection. Richman and Leary explain the components that are believed to contribute to these individual differences (expectations of relational repair, value of the relationship, chronicity and pervasiveness, and possibility of alternative relationships). This article is a great example of why clinical child psychology becomes so complicated. When hoping to predict the behavior of a child, one must consider factors affecting peer relationships, familial relationships, environmental factors, neuropsychological development, as well as the cognition and emotions of the child. Certain factors may suggest that a child may be at risk to develop aggressive tendencies, but there are no guarantees.

 

Shapiro, F., (1995). The expression of aggression of adolescents involved in sports and artistic activities in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: basic principles, protocols and procedures (1st edition). New York: Guilford Press. Retrieved from http://www.emdr.com/theory/.

 

This article gives an overview of the theory behind EMDR. EMDR is interesting because the theory behind it is just that- a theory. Admittedly a “guess” at best, this therapy is actually supported empirically. We may not know exactly why it works, but we know that it often does. The theory behind EMDR parallels some of the theory behind why art therapy works- primarily the reprocessing of past traumas. This is one of the most convincing arguments for art therapy, and may help explain the discrepancy between the survey data and the theory. By this I mean that the children surveyed were not children with clinical aggression, who are engaging in art as recreation, not as therapy.

 

Sizer, Bridget Bentz. 2010. Seven tips for practicing positive discipline. PBSparents. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/parents/talkingwithkids/positive_discipline_tips.html.

 

This article illustrates the current trend toward behaviorism in psychology and in current parenting techniques. Sizer believes that children truly want to be good, and that they will be good if their needs are met. Sizer encourages parents to utilize principles of operant conditioning; especially positive reinforcement. The reinforcement she suggests: quality time with parents.

 

Weis, R. (2014). Introduction to abnormal child and adolescent psychology. Los Angeles, Calif.: SAGE.

 

This was the first book I read when I began my research. When beginning the project I had not yet begun the course Abnormal Psychology, and had not yet enrolled in Clinical Child Psychology, so I was quite unfamiliar with the childhood disorders associated with aggression. This textbook gave me an overview of how clinicians view aggression in children. I found it very valuable as I started out and used the references listed there as a starting point for further research.