Professor Baillargeon’s research focuses on the development of disruptive behaviour—physical aggression, oppositional-defiant and hyperactive-impulsive behaviour—in children, from birth to adolescence.
His work has shown these behaviours start occurring at early age and that certain behaviours are more common in boys than in girls, particularly physical aggression. The majority of children who show these types of behaviours before the age of two continue to display them following year, a strong indicator of early onset of disruptive behaviours. By following children over a long period, he has been able to show that the problems showing up in a child before the age of two are still present at four years of age and continue as the child reaches school age.
Once his research is completed, Professor Baillargeon should be able to identify the factors involved in the development of disruptive behaviours and formulate strategies for screening and prevention in pre-school age children.