Understanding Child Behaviour - Research Proposal Example

UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN BEHAVIOR Instruction Location Introduction Child behaviour is described as any action or responsethat a child of between two to twelve years old exhibits. These behaviours serve as communication as they contain meaning. This goes on even after the development of language necessitating the understanding of the behaviour (Pacer.org, 2014). As such, the topic of childrens behaviour has been the focus of a lot of scrutiny from different factions as people seek to understand the characteristics and general behaviour of children. However the general deductions among the general adult population concerning the issue are mostly misguided as the largest percentage does not truly understand children. There is a need for development of a working understanding of a child’s behaviour in order to create meaningful methods of responding to behaviours of children. Causes of concern Different people have different opinions regarding different behaviour exhibited by children. This results in the people in the environment of the child having dilemmas about whether the child’s behaviour is generally acceptable (Pacer.org, 2014). The child may display a negative behaviour but the views of the family members may not agree on the seriousness of the problem. Many guardians fear the inappropriate labeling of their child as a result of their child’s behaviour. As such, they may try to talk to a friend or relative to find out whether they also experience the same problems with their kids. Comparisons are made to establish whether the behaviours are normal. There are three most common causes for concern among parents regarding the behaviour of children. These are: An increment in the duration the child exhibits a troublesome behaviour An exhibition of behaviours that do not suit the child’s age bracket Increased intensity of certain behaviours Age Generally, certain behaviours are normal when displayed by children of a specific age (Antisocial Behaviour and Conduct Disorders in Children and Young People, 2013, p. 19). For example, it is not quite normal for a five-year old to display behaviours that are usually associated with two year olds. In a normal scenario, children of the same age may have different behaviours due to the attainment of emotional milestones at different ages. However, the deviation that may be regarded as extreme from the normal age appropriate behaviour is a definite red flag and a cause for concern (Pacer.org, 2014). In such a scenario, support can be offered to the child to try and rectify the negative behaviour. This may be in the form of allowing the child to play with kids who may be considered to suit his or her age bracket. This will allow the kids to recognize which behaviours are acceptable for them. Increased intensity of certain behaviour Every parent child relationship experiences moments of highs and lows. It is normal for a child to disagree with his or her parents and maybe throw a temper tantrum (Connor 2012, p. 32). Normally the issue is resolved quickly with everything going back to what it used to be (Pacer.org, 2014). However, it is a cause for concern when the tantrums elevate to levels that are extreme and may even frighten the parents. In such situations, there is a need for specific intervention of the problem so as to find out the reason for the change in behaviour and deal with it. The parents of such children should pay attention to the behaviour and feelings of the child. This will help in finding out the reason for the outburst of feelings that is exhibited in the form of increased behavioural intensity. This will act as an appropriate support for children with this kind of behavioural inappropriateness. Duration of the troublesome behaviour Normally children may display certain behaviour in an attempt to vent their emotions. However, these episodes are supposed to last sometime and it is expected that the child will soon outgrow the stage (Pacer.org, 2014). As a parent gets used to a child’s tantrum, he or she gets used to them and usually expects these fits of emotion to last certain amounts of time. However, this is not always the case as children may sometime prolong the duration over which they display certain behaviours. Sometimes it may go on and on without any sign that the child may outgrow it. This raises concern as the parents fear that the episodes are part of the child’s characteristic behaviour and that he or she may have trouble with interactions. The best support for children who display this kind of behavioural change is to find out the real reason for the change in behaviour so ass to try and resolve the underlying issue which will probably result in the end of the episodes. Anti-social behaviour Antisocial behaviour is any behaviour towards others that is lacking in consideration and which is likely to result in damage to the society, whether through negligence or intentional acts (Connor 2012, p. 30). The label is given to any act that is deemed to be in a manner conflicting with the prevailing and acceptable social conduct norms. The characteristics of anti-social behaviour include repeated violation of rules of society, theft, deceit, rebelling against authority and general disregard for others as well as one’s self. The anti-social behaviour displayed by children at an early age if unchecked impact the life of the children at a later stage in life. Effect of anti-social behaviour A study on the exhibition of behaviour that defies authority in children shows that they are more susceptible to substance abuse in later stages of life. They are also at a higher risk of problems such as early sexual activity and academic difficulties all of which have long term consequences in their lives. The defiance to authority also impacts the work environment as they have a problem with authority. Anti-social behaviour characterized by deceit and small acts of theft as well as other criminal activities act as good predictors of problems of adjustment in later life stages with the biggest issue being criminal behaviour. Between forty and seventy five percent of the children with these behaviours are either arrested in adulthood or have psychiatric diagnostics of conduct disorders. Severe anti-social behavioural problems Destruction of property deliberately is ruled as a severe anti-social behaviour. This includes acts like arson and the deliberate sabotage of property with the intent of causing damage. This behaviour is associated with family disadvantage. Most children who exhibit this trait have parents who were less consistent when it came to use of rules (Antisocial Behaviour and Conduct Disorders in Children and Young People, 2013, p. 26). The parents usually gave vague commands. As a result the children did not develop respect for people’s property. The parents of such children need to improve consistency on rules and avoid vagueness when it comes to commands as a method of offering support for them. Serious violations of rules which consist repeat counts of same violations are also labelled as severe conduct disorders (Antisocial Behaviour and Conduct Disorders in Children and Young People, 2013, p. 19). These ranges running away from home, crimes involving confrontation with the victim as well as bullying. The main causes of these behaviours include unconcerned parents, poor relations between child and parent, abuse of the child and interparental violence (Antisocial Behaviour and Conduct Disorders in Children and Young People, 2013, p. 26). Children that exhibit these kinds of behaviours may be offered support in the form of closer ties with the guardians. Proper homesteads are necessary for children who are in abusive homesteads in order to steer them off the violent paths. Involvement of parents and caregivers The involvement of parents and caregivers is a vital part of the determination of the behaviour of children. The presence of parents who are keen on the developments in a child’s life ensures that the child develops and acts in manners are within the acceptable norms of society. The presence also checks the development of conduct disorders so that such behaviours are dealt with at an early stage (Connor 2012, p. 45). Nevertheless, lack of involvement of parents or caregivers produces the opposite effect as the child picks up on wrong behaviours. This also allows existing behaviours to develop to greater unwarranted levels. Referral to and roles of professionals When a parent compares his or her child’s behaviour and realizes that something is out of place, there is need to seek professional help (Pacer.org, 2014). However, this may bring the feeling of failure in parenting, which is not the case. In such cases, it is necessary to seek the opinion of a psychiatrist so as to have a diagnosis of the condition and start treatment. In extreme cases, one should seek the opinion of several psychiatrists. Conclusion Understanding the behaviour of children is an important aspect in the proper upbringing of children. This is because it helps understand the message they are trying to communicate. It also helps in the management of detection and dealing with different behaviours that cause concern. Bibliography Antisocial Behaviour and Conduct Disorders in Children and Young People. 2013, 1st ed. London, The British Psychological society and The Royal College of Psychiatrists. Available at: http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/14116/63308/63308.pdf [3 May 2014]. Connor, D F 2012, Aggression and antisocial behavior in children and adolescents: research and treatment, New York, Guilford Press. Pacer.org, 2014, Emotional or Behavioral Disorders. Available from: http://www.pacer.org/ebd/ebdart.asp [3 May 2014]. Read More