Effects of Parenting on Development & Violence

This paper presents a review of the literature regarding the effects of parenting on child development and adolescent violence. Ecological Systems Theory is used as a theoretical framework to further understand the issues. A review of ecological theory is followed by reports of family predictors of aggression in youth with a summary and conclusions.

Ecological Systems Theory asserts that the development of an individual is based on the engagement in constant transition with other people and other systems in the environment which influence each other reciprocally. Each system is unique and people do more than merely react to their environment; they make choices and act. To satisfy human needs and master developmental tasks the individual requires adequate resources in their environment and positive transactions. When the environment is not nutritive such as in a hostile environment there is a lack of support which inhibits the ability for optimal development and coping (Greene & Ephross, 1991). This system assists in the understanding that the parent-child relationship is important for optimal development of a child and a hostility in the family environment inhibits development and can lead to youth violence.

Fraser (1996) reported on the ecological developmental perspective with regard to understanding aggressive behavior in childhood and adolesce

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l problems. Parenting of Urban Minorities Tolan, Gorman-Smith, and Henry (2003) applied developmental ecology to urban male youth violence. Data from a longitudinal study with 294 African American and Latino adolescent boys and their caretakers, from poor urban communities, was used to evaluate relationships between parenting and peer deviance along with the influences of community and neighborhood structural characteristics on violence. Youth delinquency and violence are related to poverty, ethnicity, and residential mobility in urban communities. A more current focus is on the effects of these variables and child development. It is hypothesized that both parenting and neighborhood social support and cohesion affect child development. Communities support parents in the control and supervision of children. While it has been found that parenting practices are related to delinquency and violence risk, it is unclear how the neighborhood and community mediate these processes. Parents may carry out their practices in relation to the community type. Young mothers in dangerous poor urban neighborhoods are found to adapt by isolating their families to increase a sense of safety. Tolan, et al. (2003) reported findings from t
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Systems Theory, Capaldi Clark, American Latino, Violence Fraser, Boxer Lewis, Feldman Stueve, Loeber Stouthamer-Loeber, Zelli Huesmann, Violence Youth, Development Study, youth violence, parenting practices, antisocial behavior, negative coping, physical aggression, et al, aggressive behavior, violent nonviolent, coping strategies, negative coping strategies, ahmann 2001, parental physical aggression, capaldi clark 1998, ecological systems theory, et al 2003,
Approximate Word count = 4088
Approximate Pages = 16 (250 words per page)

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