Early Neglect Can Predict Aggressive Behavior in Children

A new longitudinal study conducted by the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Public Health reveals that children who are neglected before their second birthday display higher levels of aggressive behavior between ages 4 and 8. The research has been published in  Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.  According to the Administration for Children and Families, neglect accounts for nearly two-thirds of all child maltreatment cases reported in the United States each year.  For purposes of the study a child was considered neglected if his parents or caregivers did not provide adequate supervision or failed to meet the child’s minimum physical needs for food, clothing and shelter.
[Read UNC News Release]