For Family Violence Among Adolescents, Mattering Matters

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110418135543.htm

ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2011) — Adolescents who believe they matter to their families are less likely to threaten or engage in violence against family members, according to a new study led by Brown University sociologist Gregory Elliott.

The research s published in the Journal of Family Issues.
A relatively new concept, "mattering" is the belief persons make a difference in the world around them. Mattering is composed of three facets -- awareness, importance, and reliance. Do others know you exist? Do they invest time and resources in you? Do they look to you as a resource? Elliott asserts that mattering is the fundamental motivation in human beings. "Above all else, there's a need to matter," he says.

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