MASSAGE THERAPY DECREASES AGGRESSION IN CHILDREN
Adolescent violence is becoming a commonplace and alarming trend. Before we blame television, the Internet, or working parents, multiple studies conducted at the Touch Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University and the University of Miami by Dr. Tiffany Field indicate that the groundwork for adolescent violence is laid in infancy.
"Touch deprived infants and toddlers become aggressive children. As a culture, we are not gentle and physically demonstrative enough with our children," says Field, Dean of the Mailman Family and School Center at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL. She also oversees the university's newly established Touch Research Institute and Wellness Center.
Out of 18 industrialized nations, the United States tops the list in adolescent male homicides. France is at the bottom. In one of the studies, conducted in McDonald's restaurants and playgrounds in both countries, American mothers were less physically affectionate with their children than French mothers. The American children and adolescents also displayed a higher level of aggressive behavior than their French counterparts.
"Further studies conducted at the institutes shows that children of depressed mothers receive very little physical affection from their mothers and, by the time they reach preschool, display high levels of aggressive, non-empathetic behavior," says Field. She believes that interventions such as massage therapy may help and notes that preliminary results from her research indicate that the therapy decreases aggression and increases empathy.
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Editors & Producers: If you would like to speak with Field about her research, she's at 954-262- 6919 (office). She's very good about returning calls. Please contact Steve Infanti of Dick Jones Communications at 814-867-1963 if you need any assistance. DJC helps Nova Southeastern University with its public affairs work.
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