"So I teach kids to manage anger"

How does this program work?
"It has two main components, one for working with children and one for meetings with parents. With the boys he faces the mechanisms related to their emotional problems and aggressive behaviors. The module contains seven units explaining to children how to think about the short-term goals they have to face in order to reach long-term goals. We teach them to organize the tasks they have to carry out at school, the behaviors to follow and above all to recognize their anger. There are methods to curb and control excessive nervousness. Using what I call "rapid relaxation", on demand, they can reduce and contain excitement. We also explain how easy it is to misunderstand the intentions of others. Kids don't know how to solve problems, finding alternative ways. And we help them. They must learn to manage stress when making decisions. This in time drives away aggression and anger ".

What do you do with your parents?
"We promote discussions on the different types of strategies they can use, on ways in which the family can become more cohesive and communicate better. And how parents can cope with their own stress and anxieties. The role of the parents is very important and influences the behavior of the children ".

How important is the attitude of teachers?
"The role of teachers is also very important, as they directly observe children's interactions with their peers and authority. They are the first witnesses of children's progress towards their goals and can reinforce improvements. This is why our program for managing anger also includes a space in which teachers are an active part ".

Aggressive behavior and behavioral disorders are among the most frequent reasons of access to services for developmental age. They lead to the worsening of the child or adolescent in different areas: school and family. Why do boys have so much anger?
"We know a lot about the risk factors that contribute to children's behaviors and negative emotions. These risk factors include the biological characteristics present from birth. Some genes or sets of genes depend on how the brain is activated to manage impulsiveness. "The genetic predisposition interacts with the context in which the child lives. The neighborhood or community it belongs to also counts. If, for example, crime rates are high. And then their family environment, absent or too strict parents. Finally, even the peers who attend ".

In fact, anger is often a reaction to something that happens.
"Children who respond largely with reactive aggression perceive a stressful, frustrating or provocative situation, even when an outside observer may not think so. They have strong physiological and cognitive reactions that are linked to rabies. Their response is guided by an activation of the amygdala that initiates an immediate fight or flight reaction through the sympathetic nervous system. Aggressive reactive kids can therefore misunderstand the actions of others. This leads to hostile and aggressive attitudes. They don't think about how to best solve the problem.

How to make children understand that aggression does not pay?
"When we start working with a boy, we focus a lot on the initial phase of the therapy. We know that if they are involved from the beginning, we will have better results. The therapist has a fundamental role. If he has an open, patient and jerky attitude "The anger, the treatment will work and the results will be lasting. After establishing a strong therapeutic alliance, the program teaches kids to understand the consequences of their actions. It is a way to teach them how to anticipate the consequences of what they do. We know that children who know how to anticipate the consequences of what happens become less aggressive ”.

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