Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Nonviolent Resistance
- 1 Nonviolent Resistance: A New Approach to Violent and Self-Destructive Children
- 2 Escalation Processes
- 3 The Parents' Instruction Manual
- 4 Nonviolent Resistance in Action
- 5 Violence toward Siblings
- 6 Children Who Take Control of the House
- 7 Parents And Teachers: The Vital Alliance
- 8 Nonviolent Resistance in the Community
- Afterword: Nonviolent Resistance as a Moral and Practical Doctrine for the individual, the Family, and the Community
- References
- Index
4 - Nonviolent Resistance in Action
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 October 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Nonviolent Resistance
- 1 Nonviolent Resistance: A New Approach to Violent and Self-Destructive Children
- 2 Escalation Processes
- 3 The Parents' Instruction Manual
- 4 Nonviolent Resistance in Action
- 5 Violence toward Siblings
- 6 Children Who Take Control of the House
- 7 Parents And Teachers: The Vital Alliance
- 8 Nonviolent Resistance in the Community
- Afterword: Nonviolent Resistance as a Moral and Practical Doctrine for the individual, the Family, and the Community
- References
- Index
Summary
Before examining case examples of nonviolent resistance, we must first deal with some common assumptions that contribute much to parental ineffectiveness. Although these assumptions have often been dealt with in the literature, they are still quite prevalent. We thus feel the need to clear the field once more.
Aggressive behaviors are only “symptoms” of deeper psychological problems. This assumption may weaken the parents' determination to resist the child's negative behaviors, for dealing with mere “symptoms” may be not only useless, but also harmful. Dozens of studies have relegated this belief to the realm of superstition by showing that treating “symptoms” does not cause the situation to get worse or lead to the appearance of new ones. In fact, quite the opposite is the case: directly treating negative behaviors commonly leads not only to local but also to more generalized improvements. This phenomenon is called the “ripple effect”: parents who used a consistent restraining policy to stop the child's damaging behaviors not only reduced these behaviors, but also improved the child's functioning in other areas over time. Conversely, opting for a permissive and acceptant approach toward these behaviors led to their worsening and to a more negative prognosis over time (Bates et al. al. 1998; Baumrind 1971, 1991; Chamberlain & Patterson 1995; Eisenberg & Murphy 1995; Florsheim, Tolan, & Gorman-Smith 1998; Hetherington, Cox, & Cox 1975; Patterson et al. 1992).
The best answer to the child's aggressive behaviors is individual psychotherapy.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Non-Violent ResistanceA New Approach to Violent and Self-destructive Children, pp. 75 - 92Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2003