Aggressive traits linked to parenting.

Contrary to general perception that aggression or depression lies in one’s genes, a new study has found that the traits may be linked to parenting at home.

An international team, led by Otago University, claims to have found that the role of positive and negative parenting practices influences a child’s mental health problems, such as depression or aggression. The study, published in the ‘Psychological Medicine’ journal, has suggested that the parenting environment plays a unique role in children’s development.

“This finding has implications for all parents — including those who are not genetically related to their children such as adoptive parents and genetically unrelated parents of IVF children.

“Rather than blame children’s behaviour solely on the genes passed on from a biological parent to a child, look at the environments that children live in to understand better why some children develop behavioural problems while other children do not,” team leader Gordon Harold said.

The study also found that parents who’re hostile towards their children promoted increased levels of aggression in children, but not depression.

Via Times of India