Children and Violence

Not all children enjoy the "carefree" days of childhood. Unfortunately, when things start to go wrong, people often despair of being able to repair the damage.

This is a time of high concern about violence committed by and against young people.  As a nation, we are in a period of reflection as to what can be done to stem this tide. Helping young people avoid or overcome emotional problems in the wake of violence or disaster is one of the most important challenges a parent, teacher, or mental health professional can face. Moreover, children often face violence in their own homes.

NIMH conducts research looking at violence in young people, as well as the effects of violence on young people.

NIMH Publications

Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters:

• What Parents Can Do
• What Community Members Can Do
• What Rescue Workers Can Do

Other NIMH Publications

• Information about medications
• Treatment of Children with Mental Disorders

Related Information

• HHS Resources for Coping with the Newtown, CT TragedyExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer.
• Information on Coping With Traumatic Events
• Preventing Violence and Related Health-Risking Social Behaviors in Adolescents: an NIH State-of-the-Science Conference
• Youth Violence: A Report from the Surgeon GeneralExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer.
• Information from NIH's MedlinePlus on:
  • Teen Violence
  • Child Abuse
• The National Youth Violence Prevention Resource CenterExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer.
  A user-friendly, single point of access to federal information on youth violence prevention and suicide, including publications, research, and statistics.
• A new CDC report, The Effects of Childhood Stress on Health Across the LifespanExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer., summarizes the available research on childhood stress and its long-term consequences.

Some mental illnesses also carry an increased risk for suicide.