Importance of Physical Education in Behavioral Disorders - Essay Example

Behavioral disorder is one of the common disabilities which come under the category of Psychopathology. This disorder is found prevalent in certain children and in rare cases in teenagers and young adults. Those who are suffering from behavioral disorders often exhibit some kind of disruptive attitude. This attitude varies from individual to individual. Usually they range from 2% to 6% among individuals. Hence this disability should be properly considered. From general hospitals these disorders are commonly referred to mental health centers for proper treatments. In the case of education children suffering from behavioral disorders cannot be accommodated with other students in a class room, because they may develop the disruptive attitude on other students also. Thus, the matters relating to the classrooms cannot be brought under control by the concerned class teachers. Hence, teaching them together with other students and making them understand the matter is really a task. The curriculum in general schools are not sufficient to train and teach these students. Hence to educate such students the need of a special school aroused all over. The curriculum designed for such special schools are sufficient to contain the amazing behavioral nature of the students. The common behavioral disorders found among children are Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorders (CD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The common features exhibiting by children having Oppositional Defiant Disorders are as follows. Children having this type of disability exhibit aggressive nature towards others. They also develop threatening behavior. Certain times they prefer to disturb others physically and try to destroy properties belong to others. Occasionally their mental nature will not be in a position to develop empathy. At this juncture their behavior is as if they are not concerned about others feelings, wellbeing and wishes. Altogether their behavioral nature made others to consider that this guy is hard hearted having severe guilty mentalities. Self esteem will be negligible or almost nil. Moreover they also exhibit the tendency to blame others for all their mischievous behavior. In all these cases if the parents are tried to tame these children they always try to refuse them in all respects. As far as children suffering from Conduct Disorders are concerned others consider them as ‘bad kids’ on account of their denial nature towards all matters. About five percent of children around the age group of ten are reported to have conduct disorders. They are too much reluctant in obeying orders and always prefer to be absent from schooling. They will have strong intuition to rely on alcohols, narcotics and smoking even at their early ages. They develop no sign of consideration or sympathy on others. They have also tendency to harass innocent animals and other people. Sometimes this harassment will be with weapons. In certain times they develop sadistic behavior either physically or sexually. Tendency to commit criminals, lighting fires, house-breaking and stealing are the common drawbacks we can find with them. Certain children exhibiting Conduct Disorders abscond from their home and in very rare cases make suicidal attempt. With respect to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder boys outnumber girls by three to one. The main feature of this Disorder is the lack of attention. They cannot concentrate on any work properly. During the course of any work they often forget the purpose and the way to be followed to perform that particular work. This is on account of the nature of forgetting instructions very suddenly. The lack of concentration always drags them towards accidents unknowingly. They also exhibit extremely different natures such as over activity and nervousness often. The causes behind these disorders are not known properly but there are certain assumptions which can be considered as the reasons for the developments of such behavioral disorders. Researches and analysis have shown that boys are more prone to these disabilities than girls. This marked difference may be due to some genetic phenomenon or socialization process. Premature delivery, abnormal weight loss of neonatal babies and complicated pregnancies are the other reasons proposed behind the behavioral disorders of the children. Temperament is considered as one of the reasons behind these disabilities. Children who exhibit aggressiveness in early ages develop behavioral disorders in later years. Family attachments and their function have some key roles in developing behavioral disorders among children. If the life in a family is uncontrollable on account of violence, poverty and alcohol consumption there commonly occur absence of peace. Children in such families are forced to grow under poor parenting conditions which inversely affect their future life. They become accustomed to behavioral disorders later in their life. Children who have reading and writing problems in their early stages develop behavioral disorders in their later stages. Sometimes this may be due to some complex or depression developing in innocent minds. Behavioral disabilities are common among children who were intellectually retarded in their previous stages. Recent researches have shown that the activity of brain to control mind and attention have some relation in developing behavioral disorders among children. But it is well believed by scientists and researchers that the basis all intellectually related disabilities starts in brain during the early fetal stage and continues up to teenage years. It is found that the developing brains of children are very easily susceptible environmental conditions. The processes of affecting brain development from environmental factors are mainly by means of gene activity. This indicates the depth of sensitivity nature of developing brain in children. Hence tremendous researches have been going on to study the role of gene in the developmental process of young brain. By altering and renovating the gene formation the scientists have been trying to make revolutionary changes in the brain developmental process of children. According to them as other body cells the brain cells also show the property of dividing themselves. This process gives rise to new cells which in turn come in contact with existing brain cells and dies after that. Their main task is to find out a solution to overcome the behavioral disability development in growing children. During this process the environmental agents induce brain tissues with chemicals messengers which force the brain to transmit nerve impulses. The interference of environmental chemicals inversely affects the brain by making the developmental process of brain to retard. This retarded growth of brain creates so many consequences in the later life of the concerned person. The so much exposure of brain to the environmental adverse factors result severe consequences in the later life stages of the individual. Alcohol nicotine and lead are the key elements which commonly interfere in the brain developmental process. The lead and alcohol interact with the nerve cells and intervene in the transmission process of nerve impulses. The outcome of this impact is totally negative on brain functioning. The development of brain is a complex process and can be affected inversely in many ways. These ways are the interactions between various factors such as genetic, environmental and social. The more the exposure the more will be the consequences. To conduct higher researches regarding these matters the scientists cannot depend on animal factors since these disorders are mainly related to man only. The process of diagnosis of behavioral disorder is too complicated because the children who exhibit Conduct Disorder may also develop Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms. In addition to these disorders they also exhibit depression, anxiety, drug addiction problem and peace less home life sickness. Among these various complicated symptoms the process of decision making, diagnosing and treatments prescribing are really a task. Hence the children suffering from such behavioral disorders are examined by a group of specialist doctors which include pediatrician, psychologist and physiatrist specialized in child mental disorders. After diagnosing the child the team of doctors demands interviews with parents and teachers of the disabled child. The doctors compile the information collected from the parents, teachers and the concerned child and conduct a brief analysis and discussion on account of that. Then the team of doctors come to a conclusion and decides treatments required for the behavioral disorder exhibiting by the child. Another type of diagnosis process commonly adopting by the doctors is a review process to measure whether the behavioral disorder satisfies the maximum limit prescribed. In the treatment process the doctors will demand to avoid all stress factors which may disrupt the child’s mental nature. Sometimes the doctors may find out the action of victimizing the child by other children and poor parental caring may be the reasons for the behavioral disorder of the child. In such cases the doctors will strongly demand to avoid such circumstances as a part of treatment of the child’s behavioral disorder. Ignoring treatments to behaviorally disabled children is a great foolishness. If no proper treatment is given timely the child will exhibit increased disruptive behavior and in adulthood their disorder becomes uncontrollable to other people. Thus they become a nuisance to the society. But early consideration and proper treatments to such children will provide marked improvements in their behavioral disorder. Tremendous research and study conducted in National Institute of Mental Health in United States and the Office of the School Education Program has revealed that proper behavioral treatment, adequate medication and suitable management will provide considerable improvement in all types of behavioral disorders in schools as well as at home. The treatment of such disorders mainly based on the symptoms of the particular disability and the environmental factors which are found to be the key reasons of that disorder. The treatment of the behavioral disabilities consists of parental education also. In this education program the parents of the disabled child provide training in communication and management of their children. Another part of the treatment is the functional family therapy. By this treatment the family members of the disabled child get adequate knowledge to develop techniques to deal various problems and communication. Next method of treatment is the cognitive behavioral therapy. This treat mental process help the child to control his thoughts and thereby his behavior. Another chapter in the treatment process is the social training. By this training the child is made capable to develop important social skills like talking with others and the way to cooperate in a game. Anger management process in the treatment of behavioral disorder is considered as the very important factor. This treatment makes the child to contain his anger nature to a great deal. He also becomes capable to aware the anoint nature developing in his mind. This treatment also provides him training to mingle with others after controlling his anger nature. Stress control and relaxation techniques are the other two factors experiencing by the child. Another treatment is based on Associated Problem Support. In this type of treatment the child is benefited in his learning deficiency by professional support. Giving adequate encouragement to disabled children will enable to expose their inherent talents. This will help to develop a self esteem on behalf of their abilities in schools and outside. Usually children having behavioral disorders always fail to interact with others. But this treatment provides considerable support to contact others with fine manners. Proper medication under the supervision of a specialist doctor is capable to provide too much relief to the children who have been suffering from behavioral disabilities. Physical education is the other miracle which can bring remarkable changes in the behavioral disabilities of children. But before providing physical education to children the concerned teachers must make sure that they are equipped with adequate behavioral management ideas. The physical education process consists of numerous activities which are considered as the basis of behavioral management ideas. Behavior savers are the preliminary activity which is commonly employed. This activity encourages children to behave positively and maintain a good interaction manner. The materials required for this activity are fine clothes pins, fine marker and paint. Here the teachers can paint the wooden clothes pins and keep them decorated. On each of these clothes they can provide positive messages like good work, well done, outstanding performance and keep it up. If any students having behavioral disorder can do something beneficial the teachers can encourage them by making applause and simultaneously giving them the painted clothes pins and making them put these clothes pins on their shirts. This method identifies the student to the class and makes them think on what they are to be done. The student will normally try to maintain good behavior throughout in order to keep the clothespins on his shirts. The students who secured the clothespins are made to line up and the teacher should encourage other students to clap for them. Then the students feel happy on receiving the clothespins and become very pleasant minded. Learning directions is the other activity mentioned in the curriculum of physical education. This help students to learn various directions, experience them in taking turns and make them absorb class management programs such as lining up, standing and answering while calling presence. For this activity four posters with four directions such as north, west, east and south mentioned properly are required. These posters are to be pasted on walls at the appropriate directions so that the students can remember the directions all time. Other instructions in this activity program can be learned by proper experience. Thus students become capable to obey directions like line up, stand face to face, turn to various directions and other useful instructions. Next activity of physical education is to get a job. This develops responsibility skills among students and makes them to take ownership of their classes. Here the students are provided with certain tasks or problems to be performed. Mention these tasks on poster board or on a hard sheet with tag. Certain ideal tasks are handling of equipments, cleaning floor, stacking of books and arranging papers. The number of students is equally classified in to groups and these tasks can be entrusted on these groups. The performance with respect to work can be assessed in the meeting of the concerned groups weekly and is to be reported to the teacher. Another activity mentioned in the physical education curriculum is the Golden Sneaker Award. This is an activity to persuade students to cope with the physical education programs. Here successfully participating students in physical education programs will be encouraged by providing bonus points or awards. Moreover the classes with full presence will be awarded one bonus point and the members of the classes are honored by making them to wear sneakers. This curriculum in physical education program develops certain pleasure feelings in the minds of the students. Another very important curriculum in Physical Education program is the Hot Hand Activity. This is an encouraging and rewarding program with respect to students who desire to participate in classes with proper behavior and keen interest. Hot hand behavior includes answering questions, giving respect, practicing skills, demonstrating effort, cooperation and sportsmanship. Students will be responded to this scheme so positively because this mode of physical education enable them to monitor their behavior from time to tome. This also helps the students to be more accountable in their behavioral nature. The strategies in the physical education activity provide teachers some ideas regarding the manners to be learned by students in class rooms. This also enables teachers to make some conclusions to bring students in a very controlled, quiet and safe manner. The process of lining up of students is one of the strategies. To bring students in elementary classes quietly and safely is really a task. But as far as physical education teachers are concerned this task is even more complicated. Physical education teachers have to bring and bring back students to class rooms after got them participated in the physical education classes. The students have to take part in the physical education classes for eight or ten times a day. This tremendous training enables students to learn the manners properly and move safely. Another strategy is to make the student aware with the disability nature. They should be allowed to interact with other normal students to develop appropriate behavioral manners. The teachers should make the students aware about the consequences of the misbehavior. It is better to impose the consequences immediately on students and observe the changes in their behavioral nature. The class teacher of the disabled students should perfectly know the nature and time of medication being carrying out by the students. They should make necessary alterations in the teaching strategies if needed. The teachers should allow disabled students to cool down him from the abnormal behavior nature. Devise a special program in which the student can replace his abnormal behavior with appropriate ones. They should be given proper consideration and respect from others. the classroom rules should be implemented on students gradually and very suitably and try to maintain the disciplinary nature without any force. The teachers should bear in mind that the chances getting to encourage students should not be wasted in any way. They must be encouraged always when proper environment is obtained. Always try to praise and reward these children than punishing them. The teachers should exhibit a high degree of ownership nature in the classrooms and environments. Conclusions The role of physical education is too great in the case of behavioral disorders in children. The strategies in the physical education program mould the disabled children to interact with others so perfectly. Hence the value of physical education cannot be explained by words. If the physical process is not there the disabled children would have suffered too much. They would have become a nuisance to the whole society. Even though, the modules of physical education and its strategies should be subjected to tremendous research and analysis in the coming years. The outcome of such research and analysis will be the creation of better days for the mentally challenged children. We can pray and hope for that. Reference: A. Nancy, Carbone, MD, Murphy, Paul S. (May, 2008), Promoting the Participation of Children With Disabilities in Sports, Recreation, and Physical Activities, retrieved from, http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;121/5/1057 Arends, (2002), Learning to Teach, Fifth Edition, web resources, Teaching methods, retrieved from,http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/education/methods/resources.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Person with disabilities, retrieved from, http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/disab.htm Joy, Tracie Strategies for teaching children with behavioral disabilities, retrieved from, http://www.helium.com/items/776005-strategies-for-teaching-children-with-behavioral-disabilities Joseph, Win nick, (2005), Adapted Physical Education and Sport-4th Edition, Retrieved from, http://www.humankinetics.com/products/all-products/adapted-physical-education-and-sport-4th-edition Keller, Ed,(April 20, 2007), Strategies for Teaching students with behavioral disorders retrieved from, http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/behavior.html#sect0 Trudeau, François, Shepherd, J, Roy, (25, February, 2008), Physical education, school physical activity, school sports and academic performance, retrieved from, http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/5/1/10 Watson, Sue, Behavior Contracts, retrieved from, http://specialed.about.com/popular.htm Read More