The Development, Trajectories, and Treatment of Childhood Aggressive Behavior Problems
A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Developmental Psychology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2026 | Viewed by 72
Special Issue Editor
Interests: etiology and treatment of disruptive and aggressive conduct problems (e.g., defiance, aggression); how the presence of callous-unemotional traits influences the stability and severity of aggressive behavior, especially during childhood; aggression throughout the lifespan
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Aggressive behavior problems in childhood represent a critical public health and developmental concern. These behaviors contribute to negative outcomes across all domains of life, including academic underachievement, impaired social relationships, and long-term psychosocial outcomes (e.g., substance use, criminal behavior). However, aggression remains a heterogeneous construct that emerges from complex interactions among biological vulnerabilities, environmental contexts, and socialization processes. This Special Issue of Behavioral Sciences aims to advance our understanding of the factors that influence the development and maintenance of aggressive behavior in youth and the interventions that effectively address it. We invite empirical studies, systematic reviews, and theoretical contributions that address aggression across childhood, including reactive and proactive aggression, coercive family processes, the role of trauma, refining the construct across samples, biases in defining and/or understanding aggression, peer and school influences, affective variation (e.g., callous-unemotional traits, irritability), neurobiological correlates, and school-, family-, or individually focused prevention and/or intervention programs. We particularly welcome work that integrates multiple levels of analysis, employs innovative methodologies, or highlights underserved and/or high-risk populations. By bringing together diverse perspectives and cutting-edge evidence, this Special Issue seeks to stimulate interdisciplinary dialog and promote scientific and clinical progress in understanding and addressing aggressive behavior problems in youth.
Dr. Pevitr Bansal
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- aggression
- conduct problems
- children
- adolescents
- disruptive behavior disorders
- reactive and proactive aggression
- trauma
- callous-unemotional traits
- prevention and intervention
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