Childhood Trauma To Custody Is The Trigger For Youth Dare To Act Extremely

Illustration of teenagers acting negatively (Pexels)

JAKARTA - Teenagers who have negative behavior and even dare to act extremes can be influenced by several factors.

According to child clinical psychologist Ratih Zulhaqqi, S.Psi., M.Psi., there are various factors that can encourage teenagers to do negative behavior, including unfavorable parenting and unresolved childhood trauma.

"It is possible that someone who looks quiet or obedient can also be involved in negative actions. Many factors behind it, including unhealthy parenting or trauma experiences in childhood that are not handled," said Ratih, as quoted by Antara.

Ratih explained that extreme negative behavior, such as criminal acts that kill other people's lives, is often the tip of the iceberg. This happens when hidden emotions in teenagers eventually explode.

Some of the main causes of aggressive action in adolescents include the habit of harboring revenge, having difficulty expressing emotions, or the absence of trustworthy figures to express feelings.

To avoid this situation, Ratih emphasized the importance of parents' role in creating trust so that children feel safe to share stories and express themselves.

Being a figure that children trust means we must be able to maintain their feelings, keep what they tell and create a sense of security. That way, they will feel comfortable opening up to us, "explained Ratih.

Ratih added that parents can build trust by always keeping promises, listening to children's stories without judging, and avoiding blaming children before knowing the real facts.

If children feel unacceptable or not trusted, they tend to cut off communication with their parents and become more closed.

No matter how open a child is to parents, usually they still have some things to keep to themselves. This doesn't always mean bad things, but it can be in the form of things they think are only relevant to themselves. This phenomenon usually begins to emerge at a young age," said Ratih.