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Mean Teen
Recognizing Early Signs of Violence
By Carma Haley Shoemaker
Butterworth says that 80 percent of teens who commit violent or antisocial acts have a history of disruptive behavior that is known to parents, teachers and peers way before a major occurrence erupts. "Most teens who act out violently show an early combination of personality and family factors that include having trouble getting along with playmates in preschool," says Butterworth. "By second or third grade, they're doing poorly in school and have few friends. By the age of 10, they're picking fights and getting labeled by their peers as social outcasts."
Often teens who act out are doing so because they have been hurt by others and cannot control their feelings. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), some teens feel that by threatening others or making others fear them, they will solve their problems and earn respect. Below is a list of common behaviors that may indicate a potential problem:
- Loss of temper on a daily basis.
- Frequent physical fighting.
- Increase in risk-taking behavior.
- Carrying a weapon or talking about a weapon they may have.
- Increased use of drugs and/or alcohol during and/or after school.
- Significant vandalism of property and/or hurting animals.
- History of discipline problems or frequent run-ins with authority.
- Joining a gang or a strong desire to be in a gang.
- Threatening others on a regular basis or an increase in verbalized threats.
- Acting out to anger such as punching walls, lockers, throwing or kicking things.