Richard Tremblay, professor of Paediatrics, Psychiatry, and Psychology at the University of Montreal, who presented the findings at the Royal Society in London last week, said, 'Our research showed that children do not learn to physically aggress - it is a natural behaviour. Instead, they learn not to use violence and to find alternatives. We found that child aggression peaks between the ages of two and four.'
The study found that children at the highest risk of violent behaviour in adult life included those with mothers with a history of antisocial behaviour during their school years, mothers who had children at an early age, mothers who smoked during pregnancy, parents on a low income, or troubled family relationships.
For the study, published in the Journal of Experimental Criminology, researchers monitored 2,000 children in Quebec from birth. The children are now aged between 10 and 14.
Mr Tremblay said, 'Physical aggression in children is a major public problem. It is not only an indicator of aggression in adulthood, but it also leads to other serious behavioural problems such as alcohol or drug abuse and violent crimes, and continues the cycle of abusive parenting. Identifying the factors which stop children becoming well socialised adults should help us design preventative measures which are employed at the right time in a child's development.'