Why Do Children Misbehave? 1

What is Challenging BehaviorDevelopmentally Appropriate Behavior

Why Do Kids Misbehave?Parents as Partners

Prevention StrategiesBehavioral Planning Part 1Behavioral Planning Part 2

Intervention Strategies

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

Why Do Kids Misbehave?Objectives:

• Identify the three main reasons children use challenging behaviors.

• Understand temperament, goodness of fit, and attachment as important factors for developing relationships.

• Understand how various risk factors contribute to or influence use of behaviors.

• Understand how adverse childhood experiences, trauma and toxic stress can impact brain development and influence behavior.

• Define resilience and protective factors and the role they play in helping children find more success.

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

So, Why Do They Misbehave?

• BECAUSE THE BEHAVIOR IS WORKING FOR THEM!

• All children use challenging behaviors from time to time. Most find ways to meet their needs in a more positive manner.

• The key is to find out WHY they are acting the way they are, and design strategies that make sense for that child.

The Three Main Reasons for Misbehavior

• The three main reasons are:

1.) to avoid/escape a situation or person(s)

2.) to obtain an object or attention

3.) to change level of stimulation

• Example: How could “Kicking” stem from each of these three reasons? How would your response differ in each situation?

Why Shouldn’t We Ask ChildrenWHY They “Misbehaved”?

• They may not really know why!

• Is there any “good reason” for using challenging behavior to meet a need?

• Any answer they give us will lead us to say, “I know you were (upset, angry, scared, frustrated…) but what else could you have done?”

• This often comes out more as a threat than a question.

2

Facing The Challenge - Trainer Guide © 2007 Devereux Foundation42

Why Do Kids Misbehave?Reasons and Approaches

Handout 3:2

In the first column are commonly used challenging behaviors among preschoolchildren. In the middle column, list 2 different reasons a child might use that behavior. In the final column, consider what your approach would be to help that child, related

to each of the reasons you listed in the middle column.

Behavior

Kicking Others

Screaming at Circle

Cursing

Throwing Blocks

Hiding under Table

List Two Different Possible Reasons

Your Approach to Helping the Child

3

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

Activity: Reasons and Approaches

• Considering the 3 main reasons children use challenging behaviors (to avoid/escape, to obtain, or to change level of stimulation), complete Activity 3:2.

• Notice how the strategies you selected were related to the REASON or FUNCTION - not just the behavior itself!

How Risk and Protective Factors affect use of Challenging

Behaviors• Main categories of risk and protective factors:

1.) biological, or within-child

2.) environmental/family

• Risk alone does not determine a child’s future life outcome. Protective Factors play a major role in how the child will be able to “bounce-back”.

Understanding Temperament

• Activity level: are they active or restless, or in between?

• Perceptiveness or distractibility: how well can they focus?

• Intensity: when happy or angry, how loud are they?

• Regularity: how predictable are sleeping, eating habits?

• Persistence: how committed to tasks are they?

• Physical sensitivity: are they over-reactive or under-reactive to touch, sound, smell, etc. or in between?

• Adaptability: how easily to they adapt to change?

• Approach/withdrawal: how do they approach new situations, people, places, foods, etc.?

• Mood: are they typically in a pleasant or serious mood?

4

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

3 Main Types of Temperament

Remember: “Goodness of Fit” has a huge impact on the child’s success.

• Easy: 40%

• Slow to Warm-Up: 15%

• Difficult: 10%

• Mixed: 35%

Biological/Within-child Risk Factors

• Temperament (Slow-to-warm up or Difficult, and Inappropriate “Goodness of Fit”)

• Pre-natal and birth complications

• Developmental delays, health impairments

• Others?

Environmental/Family Risk Factors

• Major Life Changes

• Insecure or disorganized attachment

• Cultural Dissonance, Bias

• Exposure to Violence/violent media

• Early traumatic and toxic stress experiences

• Low-quality Childcare

• Others?

5

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

What is trauma?

Individual trauma results from an event, series of Events, or set of circumstances, that is Experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or threatening and that has lasting adverse Effects on the individual’s functioning and physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being (SAMHSA, 2012).

(According to the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2012)

Trauma can be thought about in terms of “Three E’s”:

(Bath, 2008)

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

6

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

The Impact of ACEs

“The ACE Pyramid”. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/acestudy/ace-graphics.html

Time to Reflect

How do you respond to children who use challenging

behavior when your “pitcher” is empty?

We ALL have an ACE score…children, parents, staff, ourselves!

7

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

Fight• Aggressive

• Irritable

• Short temper

• Defensive

• Harsh words

Flight

• Avoidance

• Anxiety

• Fear

• Hiding

Freeze

• Numbing

• Detachment

• Giving up

• Not speaking

Brain’s response to stress…

Nurturing Relationships Help Children Heal from Early Trauma

“Adults who provide love, support, encouragement and extra time spent with children are providing an environment that has the power to help all children heal and thrive.”

– Bruce Perry

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

8

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

Why is Resilience So Important?

• Protective Factors help “tip the scale” toward a more positive outcome for the child.

• Resilience is like a blanket you carry in the trunk of your car. You never know when you’ll need it, but when you do, you find coping much more successful.

• ACEs often last a lifetime…But they don’t have to! Recovery and healing can occur. The cycle can be broken.

Resilience Model

Outcome

Negative: Vulnerability

Positive: Resilience

Protective FactorsEnvironment/

Family

Biological/ Within-child

Risk Factors

Environment/ Family

Biological/ Within-child

• Meeting Developmental Milestones• Temperament (i.e., “Easy-Going”,

“Goodness of Fit”)

• Abilities and Talents• Initiative• Self-Regulation

• Others?

Biological/Within-child Protective Factors

9

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

• Secure Attachment/Relationships• A caring, committed adult• A safe place to live and learn• High-quality child care• Family values, culture, and parenting style• Access to necessary resources• Others?

Environmental/Family Protective Factors

Time to Reflect

Since many children use challenging behavior at times, why do some children come to

depend on these behaviors while others discover more effective strategies to help

them meet their needs?

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

Take Home Messages• “Kids misbehave because that challenging

behavior is working for them!”• The three main reasons children misbehave are

to avoid/escape, obtain, or change level of stimulation.

• Attachment and temperament play key roles in how children interact with their world.

• ACEs, trauma, and toxic stress can have long term impacts on development.

• Risk Factors and Protective Factors each contribute to a child’s behavior.

10

Why Do Kids Misbehave?

When you Face the Challenge, YOUmake a difference in the life of a child!

www.centerforresilientchildren.org

www.challengingbehavior.com

11