Introduction
Recently crimes committed by young people (juvenile delinquency) have been seen to rise. This has been attributed to kinds of emotional behaviors in the society affecting the way adolescents relate. Some of these are relational aggression, overt aggression and emotion dysregulation. Relational aggression which is also known as covert aggression or bullying (Moretti, Holland & Mc Kay 2001) is mostly seen in adolescent girls. Girls with these kinds of psychological behaviors are mostly seen to exhibit delinquency activities. In this kind of aggression harm is done mainly through manipulation, fights and damaging of relationships between friends and groups. The intentions of this aggression are always to hurt or harm others as they go hand in hand with delinquency behaviors. Relational aggression comes in many ways some of which are as simple as nasty look, show of discontent, hindrance to freedom, preventing one to sit at the same table, showing exclusion, taunts, bullying, harassments and fights. Overt aggression relates with relational aggression because overtly aggressive girls seem to adopt all relational aggressive behaviors. The difference might be overt aggression is more bended towards popularity (using harassments and fights to make a name). Emotional dysregulation on the other hand is an odd psychological behavior that characterizes our society today. This emotional response as shown by Beauchaine, Gatzke-Kopp and Mead (2007) encompasses mood swings, liable emotions and angry behavioral outbursts (characterized by hitting anyone or anything in the way) among adolescents. All this is highlighted in this part which will show that relational, overt and emotional dysregulation aggressions are psychological behavior problems linked to delinquency. It will also show that they interfere with people’s social ability to interact (especially adolescent girls) display the causes of these behaviors how they happen and intervention measures.
Causes
Among adolescent girls relational and overt aggression is perceived as a way of developing an identity to others, to feel superior and the ability to control others. Unfortunately these aggressions escalate giving birth to juvenile delinquency. The following are some of the causes of emotional and overt aggression that result to juvenile delinquency in girls. They include the need to fit in a popular peer group (Mayeux & cillesen, 2008), the separation from family members too much independence, parental abuse, promiscuity, delinquent peers, conflicts or violence in families, physical abuse and, rebellion and the use of drugs. Some peer groups require that members adopt their kind of behaviors for them to feel to be at the same level. This causes emotional aggression further as there is support from members making the feeling of being guilty minimal. Independence, the use of drugs and the separation of family members are seen to fuel these behaviors since there is no proper guidance and counseling in place.
On the other hand emotional dysregulation is not caused by the sheer feel to be popular or feel superior. This is caused by a myriad of factors that are not self imposing but are emotionally regulated (Conway, 2005). Some of these causes are psychiatric disorders, post traumatic stress (Pynous & piacentini 1999), bipolar disorder (Schore 2003) and an injury to the brain, psychological trauma, low self control and neglect by people who matter, abuse, reactive attachment disorder and autism spectrum disorders. Although the effects of this psychological behavior differ from person to person (some people have stronger and quicker emotions than others which are likely to overwhelm them), a combination of these causes are likely to show serious emotional dysregulation.
Manifestations
Relational and overt aggressions have been seen to predict the future adjustments in girls (Crick, 1996). The girls mostly use social skill for spreading negativity with the intentions of harming an individual as brought out by Stauffer and DeHark (1992), this is observed in middle child hood. Adolescent girls exhibit these behaviors to show disconnect and superiority. They deter with the feelings of social acceptability, inflict harm to the abused and manipulate them. For example an aggressive girl can insist to her friends to block a particular girl from sitting at the same table, exclude her from the entire group, insult, push or more physically of bullying and violent fighting (Smalley, 2005) to humiliate others. These manipulations are like, “she must not eat with us” or “if you don’t obey you won’t join us”. The more common ones thou are abusers subjecting victims to humiliation or shaming victims in front of others, controlling aspects of individual life, coercing, bullying, physical harm and violent girl fights (Scelfo, 2005).
Emotional dysregulation is manifested through behavioral outbursts like throwing and destroying of objects before the individual, threats to commit suicide and violent aggression among girls (Putallaz & Bierman, 2004). This normally leads to social behavioral problems deterring with social interactions and relationships.
Intervention measures
Empowerment of girls in encouraging them to stand up for the victims has been seen to help. Change is effected by refusing to be part of a bully audience, acknowledgement of the pervasiveness of a bad peer group, early release of delinquencies, canceling, skill oriented programs, monitoring of situations, involving girls in social activities such as scouting, challenges, vocational programs and games important for correlation are seen to prevent delinquency that comes with aggression (Snyder, 2008). In situations where intervention is required professional counseling helps psychological adjustments (Crick and Grotepeter 1995). When these methods are embraced aggressiveness that causes delinquency can be challenged.
In cases of emotional dysregulation aggression there is need to understand emotions of the victims in order to instill change. Making victims feel the emotions are part of them and are not threats with the coping of emotional expression skills when feeling negative emotions is seen to help.
Conclusion
Therefore as shown in this part all these forms of aggressions (emotional, overt and emotional dysregulation) in a way lead to juvenile delinquency. The aggressions which are present in our societies and mostly target adolescent girls are known to fade out as they continue growing. Curbing measures can be archived thou when the aggressions are noticed early and dealt with by the appropriate people at home, in school and in other social places.
References
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