研究: 兒童的不良行爲或可歸因於遺傳基因

Many parents worry their child’s bad behaviour is a result of their parenting mistakes, but new research suggests this may not be the case.

A study found that some children are genetically predisposed to behavioural problems.

The research shows that some children display poor self-control and anger problems in a preschool setting because they have inherited the traits from their parents.

Researchers at Oregon State University believe genetics explain why some children thrive at preschool while others develop behavioural problems.

Lead author, Dr Shannon Lipscomb, said: ‘Assuming that findings like this are replicated, we can stop worrying so much that all children will develop behaviour problems at centre-based care facilities, because it has been a concern.

‘But some children (with this genetic predisposition) may be better able to manage their behaviour in a different setting, in a home or smaller group size.’

The researchers collected data from 233 families and found that parents who had high levels of negative emotion and poor self-control were more likely to have children who struggled with behavioural issues.

The researchers also studied adopted children and found a link between their birth parents’ characteristics and their behaviour even though they had not been brought up by them.

‘We aren't recommending that children are genetically tested, but parents and caregivers can assess a child's needs and help them get to a setting that might be more appropriate,’ Dr Lipscomb said.

‘This study helps us to explain why some children struggle so much with large peer groups and heightened social interactions. It may not be a problem with a teacher or parent, but that they are struggling on a biological level.’

The news comes shortly after a study from the University of Oxford revealed that children who spend time in day care centres, or with child minders, are more likely to have behavioural problems, such as hyperactivity.

The researchers also found that children who spend more time in pre-school playgroups have fewer problems with relationships with other children but that those who spend a lot of time in the care of their grandparents tend to have more peer problems.許多家長擔心孩子出現不良行爲是自己教育不當的結果，但是新的研究表明，事實並非如此。

一項研究發現，有些兒童具有產生行爲問題的遺傳傾向。

研究顯示，有些兒童在學前環境中表現出自我控制能力差和易發怒的問題，是因爲他們遺傳了家長的性格。

俄勒岡州立大學的研究人員認爲，遺傳基因可以解釋爲什麼有些小孩在幼兒園成長得很好，而有些小孩卻逐漸產生行爲問題。

研究報告的首席作者香農•利普斯科姆表示，“假如這樣的研究結果具有普遍性，我們就可以不再那麼擔心所有孩子都有可能在幼托機構產生行爲問題了。

“不過，在不同的環境，比如在家裏或更小的羣體中，受遺傳因素影響的孩子也許能更好地控制自己的行爲。”

研究人員收集並研究了233個家庭的數據，發現消極情緒強烈、自我控制能力差的家長更有可能生養出因行爲問題而苦惱的孩子。

他們還研究了被收養孩子的情況，發現儘管撫養孩子的不是親生父母，但是孩子的行爲與親生父母的性格有關係。

利普斯科姆博士說，“我們不建議孩子接受基因檢測，但是家長和看護人員可以評估孩子的需要，幫助他們在更適合的環境中成長。”

“這一研究幫助我們解釋了爲什麼有些孩子很難融入更大的同齡人羣體和更廣泛的社交活動。這也許不是老師或家長的問題，而是遺傳問題。”

此前不久，牛津大學的一項研究披露，放在日託中心或與保姆呆在一起的孩子更可能出現行爲問題，例如多動症。

研究人員還發現，在學前託兒所逗留時間長的孩子與其他孩子相處問題更少，而那些與祖父母呆在一起時間長的孩子在與同齡人相處時更有可能出現問題。