Children across the world seem to pass through the same sequences of development within the same broad developmental schedule. Although the pattern is generally the same for all children, it is important to remember that each child is different. Different areas of development are interrelated. The ideas, the language, the communication, feelings, relationships, and other cultural aspects among which each child is brought up influence his or her development profoundly.
Children with special needs or suffering from some kind of psychological pathology often seems to dance the developmental ladder as they move through developmental stages in unusual ways. For instance, they might learn to sit and walk on right time but not talk at the usual required age.
However, the question arises whether certain kind of portrayed behavior comes under normal development or is it a pathology?
Psychologists when consulted help out parents in ruling out the normal from the deviant development. Normal development also has some problem behaviors since normality never means problem-free. Many parents or teachers find normal behavior as abnormal or pathological and seems very concerned.
In my professional experience, the following normal problem behaviors were referred to me as pathological by either teachers or parents. The idea for this write up was also conceived through frequently referred cases as abnormal or deviant for which all of us need to know that problem behaviors are inherited in normal development.
In a series of studies conducted by Campbell (2002, 2000), it was found out that half the children in kindergarten through grade two were described as "restless" while another study found out that a similar percentage of 6 to 12 years old were described as "overactive"
Whereas both of these behaviors are part of the syndrome of hyperactivity, it would be incorrect to assume the half of the children were hyperactive since they neither have the clustering nor the intensity and chronicity of problems that would interfere with adaptive functioning. On the other hand, it would be equally foolish to deny that restlessness and over-activity constitute a problem both at home and in school.
Campbell (2002, 1986), over a series of studies classified the following typical normal developmental problems during the infancy, preschool period:
1. The "Difficult" Infant: Some infants are difficult to care. They tend to be irritable, slow to adapt to change in routine, intense and negative in their reactions and irregular in their biological functioning. If cared for sensitively, infants can outgrow this difficult phase, however, if care-takers are impatient and intolerant, or change routines abruptly then chances of behavior problem in later life are increased.
2. The Defiant Toddler: Disciplinary problems and uncertainty about when and how to set limits are the major concerns of parents of such toddlers. In most cases, problems are stage-specific, leaving no residue. However, parental mismanagement, for instance, in the form of over-control may increase the likelihood that problems will develop and persist
3. The aggressive or withdrawn preschooler: Aggressive behavior towards peer is a common complaint of parents and teachers of such preschoolers, with boys being more aggressive than girls. However, as with other behavior problems, there is no need to read warning signs into such aggressiveness unless its coupled with mismanagement by parents or conflicting family situation. Social withdrawal, unlike aggression is relatively rare. There is tentative evidence that the shy, quiet child is less at risk for developing behavior problems than the disruptive one.
The following are the normal problem behavior in adolescents:
4. The Oppositional Adolescent: Adolescents often practice their new higher reasoning skills by engaging adults in debates, arguing persistently and taking an oppositional side over matters that may seems trivial to their parents. Similarly, they are often highly critical of adults (teachers in many case) around them, seeming to intentionally search for differences, contradiction or exceptions to what adults say. Parents or teachers who take personally this excessive fault-finding might experience raising an adolescent as a highly frustrating experience. However, the teenager's argumentativeness is best viewed as a form of cognitive exercise that helps adolescents to develop their critical thinking skills.
5. The Overly Dramatic/Impulsive Youth: The teenage years are a time of heightened emotionally and sometimes, impulsive thinking. Adolescents may appear to jump to conclusions, stating extreme opinions that startle and concern the adults around them. Similarly, adolescents may have a tendency toward over-exaggeration and dramatic because they are experiencing their world in a particularly intense way. While adults may complain that everything seems to be a big deal to teens, to the youths themselves, what is happening in the moment indeed appears dire.
6. The Egocentric Teenager: As adolescents focus inward in order to explore such stage-salient issues as identity, and gender role, they may appear to adults to be excessively "me-centered-person". With time, they can be expected to develop a more reciprocal orientation. Where perspective-talking abilities do not develop naturally, these skills can be taught intelligently by parents as well as teachers.
There are numerous other normal problem behaviors which are present in every culture. A behavior cannot be considered abnormal or pathological until it creates distress for the child or individual (for example a painful symptom) or disability (for example impairment in one or more areas of adaptive functioning). Adaptive functioning can be considered as age-specific routine task in school or at home.
Psychologists can be consulted for both normal problem behavior and pathological behavior. In normal problem behavior, teachers and parents are counselled in managing a child to resolve this issue as well as including child in the process. Whereas for pathological behavior, proper protocol is followed in order to treat or manage the deviant issue. However, it's very important to know the normal problematic behavior which should not be labelled as abnormal or deviant since it can turn out to be dangerous to child's personality and future life.
References:
Campbell, S, B. (2002). Behavior Problems in Preschool Children: Clinical and Developmental Issues. Advances in Clinical Child Psychology, 9, 1-26.
Campbell, S. B., Shaw, D.S., & Gilliom, M. (2000). Early Externalizing Behavior Problems: Toddlers and Preschoolers at risk for later maladjustment. Development and Psychopathology, 12, 467-488
Children with special needs or suffering from some kind of psychological pathology often seems to dance the developmental ladder as they move through developmental stages in unusual ways. For instance, they might learn to sit and walk on right time but not talk at the usual required age.
However, the question arises whether certain kind of portrayed behavior comes under normal development or is it a pathology?
Psychologists when consulted help out parents in ruling out the normal from the deviant development. Normal development also has some problem behaviors since normality never means problem-free. Many parents or teachers find normal behavior as abnormal or pathological and seems very concerned.
In my professional experience, the following normal problem behaviors were referred to me as pathological by either teachers or parents. The idea for this write up was also conceived through frequently referred cases as abnormal or deviant for which all of us need to know that problem behaviors are inherited in normal development.
In a series of studies conducted by Campbell (2002, 2000), it was found out that half the children in kindergarten through grade two were described as "restless" while another study found out that a similar percentage of 6 to 12 years old were described as "overactive"
Whereas both of these behaviors are part of the syndrome of hyperactivity, it would be incorrect to assume the half of the children were hyperactive since they neither have the clustering nor the intensity and chronicity of problems that would interfere with adaptive functioning. On the other hand, it would be equally foolish to deny that restlessness and over-activity constitute a problem both at home and in school.
Campbell (2002, 1986), over a series of studies classified the following typical normal developmental problems during the infancy, preschool period:
1. The "Difficult" Infant: Some infants are difficult to care. They tend to be irritable, slow to adapt to change in routine, intense and negative in their reactions and irregular in their biological functioning. If cared for sensitively, infants can outgrow this difficult phase, however, if care-takers are impatient and intolerant, or change routines abruptly then chances of behavior problem in later life are increased.
2. The Defiant Toddler: Disciplinary problems and uncertainty about when and how to set limits are the major concerns of parents of such toddlers. In most cases, problems are stage-specific, leaving no residue. However, parental mismanagement, for instance, in the form of over-control may increase the likelihood that problems will develop and persist
3. The aggressive or withdrawn preschooler: Aggressive behavior towards peer is a common complaint of parents and teachers of such preschoolers, with boys being more aggressive than girls. However, as with other behavior problems, there is no need to read warning signs into such aggressiveness unless its coupled with mismanagement by parents or conflicting family situation. Social withdrawal, unlike aggression is relatively rare. There is tentative evidence that the shy, quiet child is less at risk for developing behavior problems than the disruptive one.
The following are the normal problem behavior in adolescents:
4. The Oppositional Adolescent: Adolescents often practice their new higher reasoning skills by engaging adults in debates, arguing persistently and taking an oppositional side over matters that may seems trivial to their parents. Similarly, they are often highly critical of adults (teachers in many case) around them, seeming to intentionally search for differences, contradiction or exceptions to what adults say. Parents or teachers who take personally this excessive fault-finding might experience raising an adolescent as a highly frustrating experience. However, the teenager's argumentativeness is best viewed as a form of cognitive exercise that helps adolescents to develop their critical thinking skills.
5. The Overly Dramatic/Impulsive Youth: The teenage years are a time of heightened emotionally and sometimes, impulsive thinking. Adolescents may appear to jump to conclusions, stating extreme opinions that startle and concern the adults around them. Similarly, adolescents may have a tendency toward over-exaggeration and dramatic because they are experiencing their world in a particularly intense way. While adults may complain that everything seems to be a big deal to teens, to the youths themselves, what is happening in the moment indeed appears dire.
6. The Egocentric Teenager: As adolescents focus inward in order to explore such stage-salient issues as identity, and gender role, they may appear to adults to be excessively "me-centered-person". With time, they can be expected to develop a more reciprocal orientation. Where perspective-talking abilities do not develop naturally, these skills can be taught intelligently by parents as well as teachers.
There are numerous other normal problem behaviors which are present in every culture. A behavior cannot be considered abnormal or pathological until it creates distress for the child or individual (for example a painful symptom) or disability (for example impairment in one or more areas of adaptive functioning). Adaptive functioning can be considered as age-specific routine task in school or at home.
Psychologists can be consulted for both normal problem behavior and pathological behavior. In normal problem behavior, teachers and parents are counselled in managing a child to resolve this issue as well as including child in the process. Whereas for pathological behavior, proper protocol is followed in order to treat or manage the deviant issue. However, it's very important to know the normal problematic behavior which should not be labelled as abnormal or deviant since it can turn out to be dangerous to child's personality and future life.
References:
Campbell, S, B. (2002). Behavior Problems in Preschool Children: Clinical and Developmental Issues. Advances in Clinical Child Psychology, 9, 1-26.
Campbell, S. B., Shaw, D.S., & Gilliom, M. (2000). Early Externalizing Behavior Problems: Toddlers and Preschoolers at risk for later maladjustment. Development and Psychopathology, 12, 467-488
The article was originally published in The Proseed Educational Magazine: https://proseedmag.com/normality-isnt-problem-free-normal-problem-behavior-infancy-adolescence/
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