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Youth Aggression and Violence

A Psychological Approach

• By Thomas G. Moeller

• Price: $49.95
• Binding: Hardback (also available in Paperback)
• Pages: 432
• Published by: Routledge
• Publication Date: 1st June 2001
• ISBN: 978-0-8058-3713-1

About the Book

The rash of school shootings in the late 1990s has generated a tremendous amount of public concern about youth aggression and violence. But students, trainees, and professionals who work with children and adolescents have had no concise or systematic survey of our current knowledge about causes and effective approaches to intervention and prevention on which to draw. Youth Aggression and Violence has filled the void.

Comprehensive and readable, it:
* utilizes theory and research from the developmental psychology of "normal" children and adolescents, as well as material on "abnormal" forms of development, such as disruptive behavior disorders and juvenile delinquency;
* situates youthful aggression and violence within the overall framework of children's moral development;
* integrates quantitative research with carefully considered qualitative research and case studies;
* discusses the genetic and biological underpinnings of youthful aggression, as well as family and social factors related to antisocial behavior;
* emphasizes cognitive, motivational, and emotional processes involved in youth aggression and violence;
* provides in-depth coverage of juvenile killers and school violence;
* examines female aggression and violence in a variety of contexts; and
* critically examines a number of questions frequently discussed in conjunction with youth violence, such as media violence, firearm accessibility, and the relationship between self-esteem and aggression.

Reviews

"Moeller has written an excellent resource on a crucial and timely topic. Clear, well written, and well organized, this book should serve as an excellent library resource as well as a primary text for an upper-division undergraduate course on youth violence. The research is up-to-date, and the author is comprehensive in his coverage of theoretical views."
—CHOICE

"This book is a valuable reference for those who are interested in researching the nature, course, and development of youthful aggression and violence. It features a comprehensive, well-written review of theories and research in psychology, sociology, criminology, and history on the topic of youthful aggression. The author has done a commendable job of assembling the most influential studies on the topic and illustrating them with real-life examples...It (Youth Aggression and Violence) will make a significant contribution to the study of violence, aggression, and psychopathology, and will provide insight that will aid in the development of more effective intervention and prevention programs to address this serious social problem."
—International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling

"Youth Aggression and Violence is a reference book that all delinquency researchers should have on their bookshelf. An engaging read, the book concisely synthesizes the large body of scientific research on youth aggression as well as research on prevention and treatment, leaving readers with an excellent organizational schema with which to understand the causes of youth violence. It is an excellent text for a graduate or advanced undergraduate course in juvenile delinquency or human aggression, or as a supplement for a course in juvenile justice....[It] will stay on my bookshelf as an indispensable refresher and reference source for years to come and until the author writes a second edition."
—Contemporary Psychology

Table of Contents

Contents: Preface. Introduction. Overview of Aggression. Abnormal Manifestations of Youthful Aggression. The Child's Contribution: Genetic, Biological, and Temperamental Factors. Family Factors. Television and Media Violence. Social and Cultural Factors. Psychological Processes in Hyperaggressive Youths. Aggressive Youths and Their Peers. Youthful Homicide. School Aggression. Intervention and Prevention. Summary and Questions.