Your three-year-old is a real handful, but it’s just his age and he’ll grow out of it – right?
In most cases, the answer is yes.
Tearaway preschoolers generally do become better behaved as they get older, and find it easier to deal with the frustrations that made them such ratbags when they were little.
However, scientists investigating the links between childhood behaviour and how people turn out in adulthood say children who are badly behaved are more likely to be involved in antisocial activity as adults.
A project carried out by researchers at three US universities found the type of behaviour kids indulge in when they’re three years old can indicate whether they’ll suffer from what is known as conduct disorder once they’ve grown up.
This is a set of ongoing emotional and behavioural problems that can lead to being impulsive or violent, using drugs or committing crime.
The US researchers say the traits displayed by youngsters that parents should be concerned about include:
• Being cruel to animals.
• Not feeling guilty after misbehaving or hurting someone.
• Lying.
• Being selfish.
• Refusing to change the way they behave, even after they’ve been punished.
Psychologist Dr Luke Hyde says these traits aren’t really significant until after your child’s third birthday.
“Before that, many of these behaviours are fairly common and don’t predict anything. But after age three, if children are still continuing in this manner, their behaviour is more likely to escalate in the following years than improve.”
It is known that being impulsive and aggressive is tied to an area of the brain called the amygdala.
“Previous research suggests that the amygdala becomes overreactive, probably as a result of both genetics and experience,” says Dr Hyde. “People then tend to behave in an anxious way to things they see as a potential threat.”
The link between behaviour and the amygdala is affected by the amount of social support a child gets.
If parents spend positive time with their kids, avoid physical punishments and reward good deeds and actions, it can make a difference, says Dr Hyde.
Getting professional help from a child behaviour expert, such as a clinical psychologist, can also turn things around.
Three ways to help a badly behaved child:
1 Show them lots of love.
2 Praise good behaviour.
3 Be a good role model. Don’t get aggressive when you are angry, show empathy and caring for others, and let them see you being remorseful.
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