A new study brings further explanations as to what causes adolescent boys to physically abuse their girlfriends. Research shows that the teenagers most prone to violence are those who grew up with violent parents or in communities and entourages where violent actions were common sights. According to their own testimonies, adolescents begin viewing hostile behavior as normal and even advisable from an early age, and it becomes very difficult for them to change once they grow up.
Scientists and behavior experts say that understanding what causes them to act like this is the key to designing effective prevention programs, meant to reduce the rates of violent actions in various communities throughout the U.S. Some teenagers said that they felt a lack of support from their friends and parents once they began flunking in school. Psychologists agree that these causes play important roles in shaping an individual's personality. Elizabeth Miller, assistant professor of pediatrics at UC Davis Children's Hospital, says that the explaining factors used by specialists to catalog the behavior of juveniles should be extended to also cover their homes, schools and communities, so that a better image of the conditions they live in can be obtained.
In order for authorities to understand why intra-relationship violence occurs, they have to analyze the network of social and environmental factors that lead young men to abuse their girlfriends. Education, or the lack thereof, is crucial in shaping someone's character, as well as in teaching young children such values as respect or tolerance for others. If this doesn't happen, the chances for an individual developing anti-social behavior are very high, say psychologists.
In minority communities, substance abuse is sometimes the predominant factor that causes young men to get violent with other people. Drugs are a part of daily life and escaping their influence is very difficult, especially for youngsters, who can't distinguish right from wrong. Traditionalist visions on women are also a major cause for abuses, when some men don't regard them with the respect they deserve. This can also be seen in cases where young men even abuse their mothers.
It's only by understanding these intricate behavioral patterns that scientists can devise efficient means of preventing large-scale abuse, especially in closed communities. "It's not that simple. We really need to do meaningful prevention that addresses the failures of the structures and systems in place that are supposed to support these boys. For example, the lack of positive mentorship and support at home and in school are key factors. Given staggering high school drop-out rates, school-based programs cannot reach those males who have already dropped out of school," Miller concluded.
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