Youths getting more violent, mental health expert says

CHIANG MAI -- Violence among young people rose by 10 per cent this year compared to the four years to 2007, while the age of youths committing crimes dropped to 1218 years, a child mental health expert said yesterday.

Dr Natthinee Chinthajitpan, from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Institute Rajanakarin, said family problems such as inadequate warmth by parents, divorces and a violent home environฌment were factors in about 60 per cent of incidents of youth violence.

Media such as computer games with violent content also prompted some youngsters to copy such violence, while many were also under peer pressure to drink alcohol or use drugs.

Some 80 per cent of fighting among teens stemmed from miscommunication, possibly due to their lack of good models on how to communicate, or exposure to violence as a solution to problems.

-- The Nation 2009-11-13

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In other words, they're finally becoming like the West...

In other words, they're finally becoming like the West...

Exactly, including blaming computer games for all the evil in the world.

Would be interesting to see more details of this study ...

Perhaps these kids and those around them might benefit from attending the Buddhist Festival of Peace (next topic in this sub forum, currently).

It's a sign of the times and the trend is very troubling - case in point in the UK press currently: three year old child is awarded criminal damages because he was attacked by a boy of a similar age with a car jack and nearly died, a three year old child!! What can be made of all of this, I'm at a loss and certainly computer games is not the answer.

It's a sign of the times and the trend is very troubling - case in point in the UK press currently: three year old child is awarded criminal damages because he was attacked by a boy of a similar age with a car jack and nearly died, a three year old child!! What can be made of all of this, I'm at a loss and certainly computer games is not the answer.

Multiple causes, I expect, some of which are mentioned in the article.

Computer game addiction (and internet addiction in general) is a growing problem. These could conceivably contribute to a socially maladjusted child's problems.

It's a sign of the times and the trend is very troubling - case in point in the UK press currently: three year old child is awarded criminal damages because he was attacked by a boy of a similar age with a car jack and nearly died, a three year old child!! What can be made of all of this, I'm at a loss and certainly computer games is not the answer.

The U.K.?

The criminal justice system there is often madder than the criminals themselves.

Take the 1993 Jamie Bulger murder case and what his two kidnappers received as "punishment" after what they did to that 3-year old as a case in point.

Still makes me sick, even to this day...