Child to Parent Violence and Adolescence

From "Emperor's Syndrome" to Undiagnosed Pathology

Filio-Parental Violence (FPV), where adolescent children physically or psychologically assault their parents, is a growing phenomenon often misinterpreted as simple lack of authority or "Emperor's Syndrome". However, expert analysis reveals deeper causes.

Many of these young people entering the justice system have undiagnosed and untreated neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which when left unmanaged evolves into Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) or Dissocial Disorder.

These adolescents have a biological inability to control impulses and tolerate frustration, resulting in violent outbursts.

Treating these youth as "delinquents" without addressing the neurochemical basis perpetuates the cycle.

In addition, there is instrumental violence: the son uses aggression to obtain resources (money, permissions) inverting the family hierarchy, or reproduces the violence he saw his father exercise against his mother (vicarious learning), assuming the role of "alpha male" in the home in the absence or passivity of the father figure.

Parental Shame and Silence

This typology of violence presents a huge "black figure" due to social taboo and guilt.

Parents feel an absolute failure in their educational role and fear the legal consequences for their child if they denounce (criminal record, internment in reform centers).

The adolescent aggressor often plays on this fear: "if you call the police, you will ruin my life".

This generates total isolation, where the family hides the situation from friends and relatives to protect the child's image, living sequestered in their own home.

Intervention requires disempowering parents and offering family re-education programs that restore parental authority in a non-violent way, understanding that without external limits, the adolescent runs the risk of transferring this pattern of dominance and abuse to their future relationships and to society in general.

Summary

child to parent violence and adolescence