The Long Term Consequences for Early Regulatory Behaviour Problems - Essay Example

Introduction In psychological perspective, there is great information considering the point that the environment plays a crucial role in the development of a child’s behaviours. From the standpoint of environmental perspective, the environment creates influence on the human behavior (Feldman, 2003). Thus, a more convenient and happy environment would be conducive for a pregnant mother for the child’s mental development in her womb. For instance, Ijichi and Ijichi (2004) hypothesised that in the case of autism, there is a great contributing factor of prenatal experience called ‘autistic imprinting.’ In this case, the mother and the child are considered both important subjects to an inevitable human social evolution in the external environment, which may have potential impact on prenatal early development. However, the biological and genetic aspects of the human behavior development cannot be completely nullified in the understanding of human behaviours. From the standpoint of biological perspective in psychology, the nature itself has significant contribution to the kind of behaviours that a child may potentially posses. Heredity and genetic concerns for instance, play a crucial role on this, as substantially justified by research studies concerning the association between the genetic make up and the mental and cognitive development that affect behaviours (Feldman, 2003). For instance, Down syndrome is a case trying to point out the relevance of genes in the human development. The actual product of this event could not only be visible in the phenotypic definition of the human attributes, but above all in the behavioural context. Although children with Down syndrome may vary in their inherent intellectual development, there is still a great chance for us to observe how they behave in common in the same domain compared to a normal child. This gives us the idea that the actual behavioural problems of a child may be linked to genetic aspect of the development of behaviours. In fact, there are many possible mechanisms that could try to explain the Regulatory Behavior Problems (RBP) of a child and their associated consequences. Most importantly, it is of great interest to investigate the probable mechanisms for the existing relationship between RBP and its long-term consequences. For this reason, it is of important point to rely on the prevailing empirical studies concerning this issue. What do empirical studies say? According to the report published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, study conducted in Germany shows that infants’ persistent crying might be an indication of behavioural problems later in childhood (CEH Inc., 2013). From the study’s actual meta analysis with 20 respective studies, researches found that infants with regulatory problems associated with persistent crying, sleeping and feeding are in the great odds of demonstrating behavioural problems later in the childhood stage. The study tries to point out the actual consequence of early RBP, but it does not point out further the associated mechanisms of this early behavioural problem of a child. Crockenberg, Leerkes and Lekka (2007) investigated the pathways from marital aggression to infant emotion regulation, as they would want to find out the development of withdrawal in infancy. The researchers employed 80 mothers and 73 fathers in the study, together with their 6-month old infants. During the data collection, subjects were asked to report aggressive marital conflict especially on the stage of maternity. Thus, parents were able to submit data concerning verbal aggressive marital conflict, and infant’s temperament and withdrawal. Furthermore, the respondents also reported infant exposure to argument and infant temperament at 5 months. The study revealed that mothers’ and fathers’ marital conflict predicted infant withdrawal. The study remains inconclusive as to how the infant emotional problem is acquired. The study remains a significant subject to find if the parental aggression during maternity contributes to infant’s behaviour or the actual exposure of the child during at five months to marital arguments. However, as to which point the child may acquire the relevant behaviour remain inconclusive. One thing that is clear in the study is the relevant presence of ‘parent-child’ interaction. The study tries to depict the point that there is actual exposure of the child into marital aggression during maternity and right after birth and infancy stage at 5-month old. In addition, the above-depicted study tries to create substantial implication that positive maternal responses would definitely create a relevant impact on the infant behaviour. In fact, although there might be a significant difference when it comes to the actual method employed, another study points out the association between observed non-verbal maternal responses at 12 months and infant development at 18 months to 4 years (Pearson et al., 2011). The study shows that a positive infant development at 18 months, including behavioural aspects, could be attributed to positive maternal responses. On the other hand, the child’s IQ level at 4 years would depend on the maternal education. In other words, this study tries to depict the point that parent-child interaction provides a significant contribution to child’s actual development. This development substantially considers the actual behavioural patterns as the basis of the inference made. Therefore, both of the above studies pertaining to verbal and non-verbal interaction between a parent and a child would create remarkable impact on the latter’s behaviours, which according to the report published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood as stated are regulatory problems that would have important link to the child’s early behavioural problems. Analysis In general, the study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood presents the fact that regulatory problems would create future early behavioural problems in the child. The study that Crockenberg, Leerkes and Lekka initiated clearly stated that infant withdrawal would be a potential result of marital aggression. Therefore, as implied based on the report of Archives of Disease in Childhood, infant withdrawal could present another remarkable early childhood behavioural problems. In addition, the positive infant development would be the result of a caring parent as shown in the study of Pearson et al. Not only that, maternal education presents a significant point to help us consider the positive views of parents to enable their child to achieve a better perspective in the future as tantamount to their children’s prevailing behavioural performance in school. This is just among of the relevant ideas that the study of Pearson could imply. In other words, one clear mechanism presented in this paper involves the idea of ‘parent-child’ interaction that creates infant’s and child’s behaviours. Although it remains a puzzle to know if the actual behaviour would be generated right during pregnancy or after birth, the point is that there is a strong justification that parent-child interaction is a primary factor that could contribute to the development of child’s behaviours. Thus, the idea presented in the environmental perspective in psychology is clearly justified in this level of argument. Although the biological and hereditary perspectives cannot be undermined in the behavioural development, environmental perspective is such as rich area of exploration knowing the fact that those studies presenting results of associating parent-child interaction determine behavioural outcomes. Next to parent-child interaction, we also generate a remarkable idea that parents’ views could also help develop future child’s behaviours and development. In fact, this is evident in the case of the study of Pearson et al., which tries to lead us to the point that parents’ positive views of life could reflect on to their educational attainment, which would further reflect on their child’s behaviours and performance in the preparatory and grade school years. At some point, this still would lead us to ‘parent-child’ interaction in detail. However, it is also interesting to consider that behaviours could be hereditary. After all, parents with strong marital aggression could form a child with early regulatory problems. This area requires meaningful studies, but for now, the most obvious point is that parents’ views and interaction towards their child would have remarkable impact on behavioural development. This means that the environment itself is a potential contributing factor to the formation of behaviours and outlook in life. Parents’ positive outlook in life could be potentially passed on to their future offspring. Genetically influenced or not, there is still a strong considerable point to include the environment as a contributing factor for the development of one’s behaviours and actual outlook in life. Conclusion In detail, many mechanisms could try to link RBP and its associated behavioural consequences later in childhood development. As introduced, biological and behavioral problems could be uncontested mechanisms for child’s problematic behaviour. However, in general point of view, there are also evidences that could show us that the environment itself contributes to the development of child’s behaviours. In fact, there is a great point to consider based on the stated studies presented in this paper that parent-child interaction plays a crucial role on the child’s development. In addition, parenting difficulties would rely on parents’ views especially in the case of looking at it from their educational attainment. Positive views of parents increase with their education, which at some point could be justified in the actual performance of children in their grade school years. References CEH Inc., (2013). insidermedicine.com: Breaking Medical News and in Depth Medical Stories. Retrieved from: http://www.insidermedicine.com/archives/Regulatory_Problems_in_Babies_Associated_With_Childhood_Behavioral_Problems_Cognitive_Development_of_Children_Affected_by_Poverty_Too_Much_TV_Time_May_Indicate_Heart_Disease_in_Kids_Video_5173.aspx Crockenberg, S. C., Leerkes, E. M., & Lekka, S. K. (2007). Pathways from marital aggression to infant emotion regulation: The development of withdrawal in infancy. Infant Behavior and Development, 30(1), 97-113. Feldman, R. S. (2003). Essentials of Understanding Psychology (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Ijichi, S., & Ijichi, N. (2004). The prenatal autistic imprinting hypothesis: developmental maladaptation to the environmental changes between womb and the social world. Medical Hypothesis, 62(2), 188-194. Pearson, R. M., Melotti, H. R., Joinson, C., Stein, A., Ramchandani, P. G., & Evans, J. (2011). The association between observed non-verbal maternal responses at 12 months and later infant development at 18 months and IQ at 4 years: A longitudinal study. Infant Behavior and Development, 34(4), 525-533. Read More