Violent and aggressive behavior in children and youth is an outgrowth of historical, ecological, cultural, demographic, biological, and psychological risk factors, many of which have been studied by psychologists and other scientists. Research demonstrates that multiple and varied processes place children on a particular developmental pathway that may lead to violence. Further, economic and social disorganization in communities promotes family disequilibrium. Weak bonding to caretakers in infancy and ineffective parenting techniques, including lack of supervision, inconsistent discipline, and failure to reinforce prosocial behavior in young children, may lead to poor peer relations and high aggression levels. Future directions in psychological research need to focus on the integration of culturally diverse perspectives, universal definitions associated with youth aggression and violence and child abuse, the establishment of common variables and measurement instruments, effective intervention and treatment strategies, and program evaluation and outcome measures. In the area of youth violence prevention, recommendations are offered that focus on interventions and on the complex influences of racial, ethnic, and cultural differences. 2 references