Children and Violence - Nurturing Social-Emotional Development to Promote Mental Health

Oct 15, 2026

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The report examines children’s exposure to violence as a major public and developmental concern, framed through social-emotional development as a central protective factor. It reviews how negative emotions such as frustration and anger can contribute to aggression, while kind emotions and emotional connection with others support protection. Key social-emotional processes—empathy, emotional awareness, care for others’ impact, and self-regulation—are summarized, alongside research-informed approaches for preventing violence exposure across development. Recommendations for practice and policy conclude the review.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages27

Reading Time1 h 8 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

From the Editor

Social relevance of child violence and policy urgency

Protective factors and developmental trajectories

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| | Volume 33, Number 2 | 2020
Social Policy Report | | --- | --- | --- | Children and Violence: Nurturing Social-Emotional Development to Promote Mental Health Tina Malti, University of Toronto ABSTRACT The absence of violence against children is a fundamental children’s right and a major milestone of civilized society. Similarly, reports on incidences of violence by children and youth, including severe cases with devastating consequences, speak to the need that the trauma of exposure to violence in childhood needs to be addressed. While violence and its risk factors are generally understood, what is less clear are the essential protective factors, how we can identify those as early as possible, and how we can use them to prevent and address the trauma of violence exposure in children and youth. In this report, I review pathways of child and youth violence through the lens of social-emotional development as a central protective factor. Negative emotions of frustration and anger can underlie violence and aggression. Kind emotions, such as caring and our ability to connect with others emotionally, can serve as social-emotional protective factors. A brief review of the central social-emotional processes and their development is provided, including the human capacity to feel with others and express empathy, be emotionally aware and care about the effects of one’s own actions on others, and be able to regulate the self and their emotions. Given the negative widespread and long-term impact of exposure to violence, I describe research-informed attempts to prevent violence exposure across development. Taking a humanistic, strength-based perspective, the focus is on social-emotional protective factors to address violence and nurture mental health in every child. I conclude with recommendations for practice and policy. Correspondence: Tina Malti ([tina.malti@utoronto.ca](tina.malti@utoronto.ca)) Author Note: Tina Malti, Department of Psychology, University ofToronto, Centre for Child Development, Mental Health, and Policy, University ofToronto Mississauga. This report was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Foundation Scheme grant (FDN-148389; early career investigator) awarded toTina Malti. Social Policy Report | 1 Social Policy Report Volume 33, Number 2 | 2020 ISSN 1075-7031 Social Policy Report is published three times a year by the Society for Research in Child Development. EDITORIAL TEAM Lead Editor Ellen Wartella, PhD [ellen-wartella@northwestern.edu](ellen-wartella@northwestern.edu) Associate Editor Fashina Aladé, PhD [alade@u.northwestern.edu](alade@u.northwestern.edu) Editorial Board P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale, PhD Sandra Waxman, PhD David Figlio, PhD Craig Garfield, MD Neil Jordan, PhD Terri Sabol, PhD David Uttal, PhD Diane Schanzenbach, PhD Dedre Gentner, PhD Matthew M. Davis, MD Amelie Petitclerc, PhD Rachel Flynn, PhDOnnie Rogers, PhD SRCD Policy Staff Kelly R. Fisher, PhD Nighisti Dawit, M. Sc. Anna Kimura Manager of Publications Rachel Walther FROM THE EDITOR This Social Policy Report comes at an opportune time with the Black Lives Matter movement inspiring marches and protests in cities across the U. S. and around the world. Both in-person experiences of violence and media coverage of police violence against Black bodies, such as in the case of the George Floyd murder, and against protesters at large are being discussed in very open and graphic ways. The extent of real world violence that children are experiencing today, particularly in Black communities, makes this report especially relevant and important. As Tina Malti, Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, points out, far too many children around the world experience real interpersonal violence, or “behaviors that involve the use or threat of use of physical force to hurt or damage other persons,” as well as aggressive beha

FAQs

Why does the report focus on social-emotional development when discussing child and youth violence?

It treats social-emotional development as a central protective factor that can reduce the impact of violence exposure and support mental health.

What emotional factors are presented as risk or protective influences related to violence?

Negative emotions like frustration and anger can underlie aggression, while kind emotions (caring) and the ability to connect emotionally with others act as protective factors.

What types of interventions does the report describe for reducing children’s risk as victims or perpetrators?

It highlights family-based, school-based, and broader community and societal interventions, emphasizing prosocial development and emotional processes such as other-oriented emotions, ethical pride, and emotional self-regulation.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Angel