Socio-Emotional Problems

UNIT 15 BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS OF of Students with Disability

STUDENTS

Structure
15.1 Introduction
15.2 Objectives
15.3 Nature of Behaviour Problems
15.3.1 Problems of Children
15.3.2 Problems of Adolescents
15.4 Types of Behaviour Problem
15.5 Causes of Behaviour Problems
15.5.1 Personal and Social Needs
15.5.2 Effects of Maturation
15.5.3 The Teacher and Classroom Conditions
15.5.4 Social and Cultural Conditions
15.5.5 Home Conditions
15.5.6 Occasional Lapses
15.6 Suggestions for Dealing with Behavioural Problems
15.6.1 Does Punishment Improve Behaviour?
15.6.2 Techniques for Behaviour Management
15.6.3 Behaviour Modification Technique
15.7 Remedial Measures
15.7.1 Role of Teachers
15.7.2 Role of Parents
15.7.3 Role of Counsellors/Psychologist
15.8 Let Us Sum Up
15.9 Unit-end Exercises

15.1 INTRODUCTION
Most children have some behaviour problems at some time or the other. Behaviour
problems arise from conditions within the child or from external influences,
effects of which are often not noticed or understood by others. Behaviour problems
range from extreme withdrawal to intense hostile aggression. In a classroom,
students exhibit a range of behaviors. Teachers are required to deal with all kinds
of behaviour problems in a classroom. In this unit, we shall try to understand
more about the difficulties experienced by students which often result in different
behavior problems. It is important for teachers and parents to develop an
understanding of the factors that result in problem behavior. In this Unit we
explain the nature of behavior problems and their causes. We have also discussed
remedial measures and strategies for dealing with behavioral problems. The
understanding you gain through reading this Unit will enable you to identify
behavior problems in your students and help them in dealing with their problems
and modify their behavior.

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Guiding Students with
Special Needs 15.2 OBJECTIVES
After going through this unit, you should be able to:
• identify behaviour problems;
• distinguish between different types of behaviour problems in children and
adolescents;
• explain the causes of behaviour problems;
• provide suggestions for dealing with behaviour problems of students; and
• describe the role of parents and teachers in the management of behaviour
problems in students.

15.3 NATURE OF BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS

Behaviour problems arise from external influences whose effects are not often
noticed or understood by others. Often, emotional and psychological factors in
apparently normal children are not readily seen or understood but are often labeled
as depression, hostility, withdrawal or day dreaming to combat the stress. They
may be battered and abused sexually, emotionally or physically. Most of these
children are often in regular classrooms trying to cope with their problems
(themselves) without being understood.

Teachers and parents are faced with the difficulty of dealing with the behaviour
problems of their children. Behaviour problems of children often interfere with
the learning process and are incompatible with their educational program.

It is important for teachers to understand the factors which could be responsible

for the observable behavior problems of their students. Lack of understanding of
the reasons behind the behaviour of the students may make the teacher react in a
way which might aggravate the situation. Students with problem behavior in the
classroom pose challenges for teachers.

Behaviour problems may range from extreme withdrawal to intense hostile

aggression. These students, if not identified and helped during their school days
would continue to have difficulties dealing with society and their problems may
become progressively more serious later in life.

Students have many physical, psychological and educational needs which are
basic to their growth and development. Some of these needs are listed below.
Physical needs
— proper food, clothing
— protection from pain, sickness
— time for play.
Psychological needs
— to be accepted as a unique individual
— emotional satisfaction
— constant reassurance
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— affection Behavioural Problems of
Students
— help in regulating emotional responses
— help in accepting his or her gender uniqueness
— help in learning how to behave with other people.
Educational needs
— education that does not arouse fear
— help in studies
— warm and understanding atmosphere at school
— sense of achievement
— education to meet life’s challenges
— encouragement for new learning
All these needs are inter-related. They interact with one another and leave their
imprint on the growing child.

Self
actualization

Needs for Esteem

Needs to Belong

Safety Needs

Physiological Needs

Abraham Maslow (1970) saw human motivation as a hierarchy of needs, with

the most basic being physiological needs and the highest being self-actualization.
Only after basic needs are satisfied we can work on achieving higher needs.

15.3.1 Problems of Children

Some behavioral characteristics of children are extreme shyness, fearfulness,
aggression, attention seeking, hyperactive, excessively dependent, day dreaming,
lying and cheating, stealing etc.

Many of these problems of children are handled by the teachers/parents by using

rewards such as adult praise, treats and trinkets. However, their understanding
of social situations that lead to such behaviour problems is severely limited, and
they may have difficulty in comprehending how their behaviour affects children
or why children behave as they do.

15.3.2 Problems of Adolescents

The period of adolescence is often marked by intense striving for independence
and by rebellion directed at adult authority. Problems with parental and school
35
Guiding Students with supervision, drugs and alcohol misuse, truancy, theft and sexual experimentation
Special Needs
are common at this age. Therefore, it is not surprising that adolescents with such
problems are generally reported to be suspicious of adults (including the therapist),
rebellious, defiant and resistant to treatment attempts. Such unwilling adolescents
may blame others for their own problems and lack motivation to change their
own behaviour. Group treatment methods are often used with adolescents in
order to create a less threatening and more inviting atmosphere and to attempt to
enlist peers support for behaviour change. Teenagers who are primarily fearful,
withdrawn, depressed or mentally confused are often given individual therapy.

Check Your Progress

Notes: a) Write your answers in the space given below.
b) Compare your answers with those given at the end of the block.
1) Fill in the blanks
i) Behaviour problems arise from conditions ……………………….
the child or from ……………. whose effects are not often
understood by others.
ii) Behaviour problems range from extreme ……………… to
intense…….. .
iii) According to Maslow the most basic needs of humans are
…………. and the highest needs of humans are …………… .

15.4 TYPES OF BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS

Some of the commonly observed behaviour problems in children are described
below :
1) Classroom Disturbance : The extent to which the child teases and torments
classmates, interferes with other’s work and is quickly drawn into noise
making.
2) Impatience : The extent to which the child starts work too quickly, is sloppy
in work, is unwilling to review work and rush through work. Physically
more active and restless.
3) Disrespect-Defiance : The extent to which the child speaks disrespectfully
to teachers, resists doing what is asked of, belittles the work being done,
and breaks classroom rules.
4) Achievement Anxiety : The extent to which the child gets upset about tests
and scores and is sensitive to criticism or correction.
5) External Reliance : The extent to which the child looks to others for
direction, requires precise direction and has difficulty making one’s own
decisions.
6) Inattentive-Withdrawn : The extent to which the child loses attention,
seems to be oblivious to what transpires in the classroom and seems difficult
to reach, or is preoccupied.
7) Irrelevant-Responsiveness : The extent to which the child tells exaggerated
stories, gives irrelevant answers, interrupts when the teacher is speaking
36 and makes irrelevant comments during class discussion.
8) Need for closeness to teacher : The extent to which the child seeks out the Behavioural Problems of
Students
teacher before or after class, offers to do things for the teacher, is friendly
towards the teacher and likes to be physically close to the teacher.
9) Anxiety-Depression : The child seems to be tense with face drawn and
rigid, cries easily at the smallest pretext, does not talk to anyone, doesn’t
take interest in things. The child gets upset about test and test scores, sensitive
to criticism or correction.
10) Quiet and Withdrawn : The child is withdrawn and quiet in the class,
doesn’t have friends and is mostly isolated. Tends to be very self-centred,
preoccupied with own thoughts and ,problems and disinterested in or
unenthusiastic about anything else.
11) Aggression and Violence : A hostile or angry behaviour directed to harm
or injure a person or property.
12) Attention Deficit : The child has difficulty in attending to tasks and
instructions for any length of time. Easily distracted, fidgets excessively,
has difficulty in sitting still.
13) Truancy : The child who is frequently absent in school for vague reasons or
minor ailments.
14) Physical Injury : Recurrent and multiple injuries are observed for which
no adequate reason is given, delay medication, spots like strap marks, bites
and burns.

Check Your Progress

Notes: a) Write your answers in the space given below.
b) Compare your answers with those given at the end of the block.
2) Clarify the given statements as True or False.
i) Behavior problems of children tend to disrupt the functioning of
the classroom. (T/F)
ii) Students academic achievement and intellectual growth is not
affected by behavior problems.
iii) A child with behaviour problems often has no friends. (T/F)
iv) Children with behavior problems are often rejected by teachers
and parents. (T/F)
v) Children who exhibit behavior problem would have more
difficulties in their later adult life. (T/F)
3) When does the behaviour become a behaviour problem?
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Guiding Students with
Special Needs 15.5 CAUSES OF BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS
The cause of a child’s behaviour problem is, in all probability a peculiar
combination of some of the contributing factors which we shall discuss, plus,
perhaps some others which we are not as yet aware of which have been
overlooked.

15.5.1 Personal and Social Needs

A child’s need for attention, recognition, approval and belonging are just as real
and compelling as the need for food and drink. A child deprived of attention
might resort to any activity which gets him/her attention.
A child or adolescent often does not know how to get social satisfaction properly.
For example, the bullv, the liar, the show off, the joker, the habitual interrupter -
is probably trying to satisfy social needs.
Besides social needs, the need for self-respect, the need to feel that one is free
and independent and important as an individual might be expressed by not
obeying, not co-operating, playing truant, talking when he/she should be listening,
or pushing when he/she should be waiting for his/her turn.
Children who are notably above or below average in mental ability often deviate
from norms in order to satisfy their social and personal needs because they are
not otherwise being met.

15.5.2 Effects of Maturation

Regardless of what an individual’s chronological or even mental age may be, s/
he may be no more mature in self-control or human relations than an average
individual some years his/her junior. Behaviour problems such as temper tantrums,
negativism, boisterousness, and attention seeking are indicative of immaturity.
Other contributing factors are the individual’s physical development. A short
child for example, may adopt defiant, aggressive mannerism in order to
demonstrate to himself/herself as well as to others that s/he is a force to be
reckoned with despite his/her shortness of stature. The fat child may try to live
up to the reputation he/she has acquired as the class clown. The big child in the
group may act as ring leader whenever any mischief is contemplated, for he/she
too has a reputation to uphold. His/her peers expect a certain amount of unruly
behaviour from him/her and she cannot afford to let them down.

15.5.3 The Teacher and Classroom Conditions

Some behaviour problems may be attributed to the teacher. It is improbable that
any teacher consciously invites misconduct, but many do so inadvertently.
Teachers who are sarcastic or who humiliate their students and those who are
downright unfair to them earn the animosity of the students, and they become
intent on seeking means for revenge.

The vacillating teacher with no set policy also contributes to students’

misbehaviour, since they try out to see what and how much they can do before
the teacher demonstrates displeasure. The teacher who is easy going, who tries
to be a ‘pal’ to the students, is another who practically extends the class an
invitation to do as they jolly well please.
38
The teacher’s methodology as well as personality can contribute to the incidence Behavioural Problems of
Students
of behaviour problems. If the work of the class is boring, if the interest and
attention of the students cannot be held, if there is little for them to do but sit and
listen or read, if the lessons are not well planned and if the ordinary matters of
class routine are not well organized, if every student is not given some worthwhile
task to perform, if the teacher allows discussions to get out of hand and degenerate
into a number of private conversations, the teacher is helping to set up the kind
of environment in which discipline problems are likely to breed and flourish.

Another aspect to be considered is the physical dimension of the classroom itself,

particularly the size of the room, the number of students and the seating
arrangements. The greater the number of students in the class, the less opportunity
there is for anyone to obtain the attention s/he wants and needs. Second, the
more crowded the room, the greater is the opportunity and temptation for a student
to misbehave, if for no other reason than that there is less likelihood for his/her
being singled out and watched. The crowdedness of a room might also, of course,
have a bearing on the student’s physical discomfort by necessitating restrictions
on bodily movement which are not conducive to normal classroom behaviors.

Sub-groups within a classroom exert a considerable influence on individual

behaviour. For example, Mohan and Ram cause disturbance as soon as they are
seated together. Their mutual influence seems to bring out the most undesirable
qualities in each. However, if seated next to other students behaviour problem
doesn’t occur.

15.5.4 Social and Cultural Conditions

Among the socio-cultural factors which have been found to contribute to the
misbehaviour of children and youth are certain television shows, movies, comics
and magazines in which they encounter violence, horror, sadism, disregard for
principles of decency and morality. The behavior problem of adolescents is often
explained in terms of the unfavourable world conditions in which they live.
Discrimination, persecution and inequality of opportunities on the basis of race,
cast, religion or nationality, may also contribute to problem behavior in young
people.

15.5.5 Home Conditions

Various kinds of unsatisfactory home conditions are also the factors contributing
to student’s misbehaviour. Children who live in broken homes due to the death
of a parent, divorce, or separation or by the prolonged absence of one or both
parents for business or social reasons probably lack the firm but loving parental
guidance they need for satisfactory adjustment in school life. Feeling rejected
they might attempt to compensate by resorting to different forms of unacceptable
behaviour.
When parents and other adults in the home environment demonstrate by their
words or deeds of having escaped punishment for traffic violation; when they
are impudent and rude to one another; when they fail to respect each other’s
rights and dignity; or when they speak ill of others, children learn to disregard
social or moral conventions.
Some students have never had their share of attention and recognition, some
have had too much. Those who have had their every wish catered to or never
39
Guiding Students with been denied their own way become accustomed to the belief that the rest of the
Special Needs
world exists to serve them. When such students find themselves in a situation
where they are expected to perform tasks which are not immediately enjoyable
or to conform to regulations for the good of the group, they do not know how to
act. Children who exhibit aggression and indulge in problematic behavior often
come from homes where parents are inconsistent disciplinarians, use harsh and
excessive punishment, and show little love and affection for good behaviour.

15.5.6 Occasional Lapses

In some instances, none of the factors that have been mentioned above might be
applicable. The explanation of the misbehaviour might be the simple fact that
students were unaware of a certain regulation or that they had forgotten it, or that
they did not think it would be enforced, or that they were carried away in the
excitement of a moment and did something that they know they shouldn’t have
done and wouldn’t if they had only stopped to deliberate before acting.
Truancy
Truancy from school can mean one of the two things:
i) the student is escaping from an intolerable situation in which the school
programme brings nothing but failure, shame, disgrace and ridicule from
peers, or
ii) the student is suffering from serious emotional conflicts. In either case truancy
is a symptom demanding immediate attention from a psychologist or
responsible adult.
Example
Sunil was one of two children living in an upper-middle class family. The parents
were well educated, serious-minded people with strong religious beliefs. The
father was stricter than the mother in religious and moral aspects of life. He
constantly held the children to extreme difficult standards which they couldnot
meet. Both children were bright, but they did poor work in school as a result of
their feelings of inadequacy. They also became filled with angerand resentful
feelings towards the parents. Sunil was made to repeat the class because of his
poor academic achievements. This was a terrible blow to the sensitive child and
intensified his feelings of inadequacy and resentment. He began to withdraw
from school activities. Sunil’s truancy began with frequent illnesses of a minor
nature that kept him out of school for a day or two at a time. Finally, he refused
to go to school. The mother concealed the truancy from the father and school for
a short while on the excuse of illness. She gradually realized the seriousness of
Sunil’s disturbances and sought counselling from a psychologist.

These students require prompt and thoughtful attention to deal with their problems
resulting from emotional disturbance and lack of emotional support from the
family.

Withdrawn
Rani was in the sixth-grade. The teacher noted that she was unusually quiet, she
did not speak to the other students; she did not play with them. The other students
ignored her. In order to help Rani, the teacher tried giving her special tasks or
making another quiet child or friendly student sit with her. Rani did her work
40
quietly but her social interaction was still very little. The teacher decided that it Behavioural Problems of
Students
was not helping her, so called for her mother. The teacher talked to the mother
about Rani’s withdrawing silent behavior. They realized that Rani’s younger
sibling was getting much more attention from the parents and she was burdened
with responsibility at a young age.

The teacher and mother planned ways to help Rani to be more carefree and
childlike by reducing her responsibility and giving her an opportunity to have
more ‘fun’. The teacher got Rani to work with other girls in creative and fun
activities such as making puppets. By the end of the year Rani was still ‘shy’ but
no longer the silent, /solitary child she had been in the beginning of the academic
year.

Stealing
It is a common symptom noted in certain disturbed children. For example, the
teacher found Rs. 500/- missing from the students’ welfare fund. However, a
few days before the teacher had heard some students talking about Romesh
spending money on treating his friends to Pepsi and snacks for two evenings in
a row.

The teacher was alert and put two and two together. The teacher privately
confronted Romesh. After a few attempts to lie out of it, he admitted to the
mistake. On inquiring into the details of Romesh’s background the teacher realized
that he belonged to an average economic background but had friends from higher
socio-economic standards. In order to spend like others in the group he stole the
money so that he too could show off and treat his friends.

The teacher decided to make Romesh pay back the stolen money on installment
plan. In three weeks Romesh paid up the debt. The teacher congratulated Romesh
for the way he had stuck by his promise to make things right.

This example illustrates better the ‘making it right’ aspect of restitution than
punitive measures as expulsion from school, staying after school for being bad
or being sent to a juvenile detention hour. Restitution, if followed by appropriate
rewards, is very effective restraining device and should not to be confused with
punishment.

Anxiety and Fear

Anxiety elicits both maladaptive and adaptive behavior patterns. Anxiety becomes
maladaptive behavior because of its intensity, duration and inappropriate
expression in response to situations. Anxiety is also an adaptive function and
necessity for prevention and preparation to meet various challenging situations
in life, for example exams.

Anxiety is called maladaptive behaviour when it is exhibited in the form of

speech problems like stuttering, stammering, unexplained physical symptoms
of headache, stomachache, sleeplessness, over sensitiveness etc.

Example
Sonal began to stutter at the age of 10 years. She was an extremely active child,
who prior to her stuttering, expressed tensions by physical signs such as twisting
her face repeatedly, restlessness and other small unnecessary movements of an
41
Guiding Students with involuntary nature. Her parents were critical, demanding and harsh with her.
Special Needs
After a while, she began to have difficulty getting words out and expressing
herself. Words would tumble out from her incoherently and breathlessly.

These conditions are largely correctable, but the earlier the corrective measures
are taken the better. If not corrected it easily becomes habitual and remediation
would take a longer time. The psychologist can help the student find out the
psychological condition causing the problem, and teaching her better habits of
breathing and relaxation.

Check Your Progress

Notes: a) Write your answers in the space given below.
b) Compare your answers with those given at the end of the block.
4) Answer the following in brief.
i) Mention other behaviours observed by you in teenagers which could
be added to the already classified behaviour.
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ii) Aggressive students are more easily identified than students who
are withdrawn in nature. Why?
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5) Match the statements given in column A with column B
A B
i) Vomits and gets upset before a) Withdrawn
exams
ii) Does not follow what is going b) Achievement Anxiety
on in the class
iii) Prefers solitude and refrains c) Truancy
from group activities
iv) Multiple or recurrent injuries d) Physically Abused.
often neglected
v) Absence from the classroom e) Poor Comprehension
6) Clarify the given statements as True or False.
i) Children often do not know how to obtain social satisfaction of
their needs appropriately. (T/F)
ii) A child may throw his books across Classroom in imitation of an
observed behaviour. (T/F)
iii) A bully is aware of his unsocial way of obtaining personal
satisfaction. (T/F)
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 Behavioural Problems of
iv) A show off is often trying to get recognition and attention. (T/F) Students
v) A student caught first time eating chewing gum should be punished.
(TIF)
vi) A respectable home environment would attribute to a child being
disrespectful to authority figures. (T/F)
7) Answer the following in 4 to 5 lines.
i) Mention any three teacher behaviour which could attribute to
behaviour problems in students.
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ii) Should a teacher try to understand what is beneath the observable
behaviour of the student. Why?
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iii) Why should the teacher have knowledge of kinds/types of
behavioural problems?
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15.6 SUGGESTIONS FOR DEALING WITH

BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS
15.6.1 Does Punishment Improve Behaviour?
A teacher is punishing a student whenever he consciously inflicts physical or
mental pain or discomfort upon other student. An important area of
misunderstanding must be clarified before we proceed further. There is a
substantial qualitative difference between withholding gratification and inflicting
punishment. A student may be denied the privilege of going out during recess
because he has disobeyed safety rules and endangered the health of his classmates
and himself. Obviously, this will cause him some discomfort. It however, differs 43
Guiding Students with substantially from being whipped, purposely embarrassed in front of his peers,
Special Needs
or forced to hold heavy books at arm’s length until exhaustion sets in.

The child’s fear of re-experiencing unpleasantness becomes the major reason for
stopping the undesirable behaviour. This is a positive technique. Research shows
that punishment may suppress deviant behaviour for a time, but it does not weaken
the bad habit.

The only time when punishment is effective for eliminating a deviant behaviour
is when a correct alternative behaviour is performed and reinforced.

Teachers who make generous use of punitive control techniques often defend
their actions by saying, “It works”. What the teacher usually means is that the
deviancy doesn’t occur or spread. Research corroborates the principle that the
longer the duration of a punishment, the longer the punished response will be
suppressed,

15.6.2 Techniques for Behaviour Management

Some Control Techniques that have proved effective in managing behaviour
problems in the classroom are:
1) Signals such as a finger on the lips, a frown, or shaking of the teacher’s
head in a disapproving way might be all that is required to get the students
quietly back to their work.
2) Moving nearer to the noisy pair could remind them of the proper classroom
decorum.
3) The student’s interest might be boosted if the teacher says “That’s a pretty
important report you are writing. May I see how it’s coming along”?
4) Ignoring the noise for a moment might be a technique if the teacher believes
that the noise will soon subside by itself.
5) Verbal clarity of a command produces results. For example, ‘John, stop
drumming on your desk and get busy on those arithmetic problems’.
6) A firm control technique conveying ‘I mean it’. A serious, business like
tone, walking towards students who are disrupting, or continue to stare at
them until they desist: all these contribute firmness to a teacher’s efforts at
control.
7) A task-focused technique dealing with noise in the ‘I hear noise in the back
of this room. We will never finish learning how to do square root if that
continues’.
8) Increase your repertory of techniques. Part of misbehaviour control is using
the right technique at the right time since students are individuals and react
in different ways.
9) Know your class leaders well. Knowing every student well decreases the
possibility of discipline problem. It is important to know what things
reinforce a student before you can reward him for his good behaviour.
10) The more interesting a subject can be made, the more effective a teacher’s
control efforts become.
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11) Encourage the students by pointing out their positive attributes. Behavioural Problems of
Students
12) Comment positively when the attention deficit student is attending
appropriately to a task. Let him/her know he/she is working constructively.
Praise him/her.
13) Stop disruptive behaviour in time. Do not wait until the situation is totally
out of hand. Stop the act before you become angry and lose control or
before the whole class gets into the act.
14) Establish limits and maintain consistent, clear ground rules. He/she knows
what is appropriate or inappropriate. He/she needs to know what the
consequences of his/her behaviour will be. Be consistent in following
through with legitimate consequences. Threats and bribes will not work.

There are certain actions which we should avoid while dealing with students.
Some such actions are listed below.
1) Using brute force
2) Accusing the student of misbehaving.
3) Comparing the student’s behaviour with that of his/her peers or siblings.
4) Arguing - you cannot win a argument with a student. Usually, you both
lose.
5) Embarrassing the student in front of his/her peers or other elders.
6) Removing the student from activities she does well and enjoys doing.
7) Ridiculing the student for his/her mistakes
8) Labelling the student
Thinking through problems and alternatives in advance, as suggested here, may
help to save the day for the parent/ teacher and for the student.

15.6.3 Behaviour Modification Technique

This technique is helpful for parents and teachers who wish to relate more
effectively with children and to assist them to grow in the most healthy way,
both physically and mentally. Major terms used in this context are :

Reinforcement
Reinforcement is a consequence following a behavior that is designed to increase
the occurrence of the behavior in the future. A child will do his work neatly if
each time he does so his mother/teacher lets him know how much she appreciates
his efforts.

Punishment
Punishment is a consequence following a behaviour that is designed to decrease
the occurrence of the behavior in the future.
Example: If a child is told to sit in a chair each time he hits his sister.
Extinction
Extinction is not - responding to a behaviour in order to decrease the occurrence
of that behaviour. 45
Guiding Students with Example: A child engaging in tantrums who is not given attention by his mother
Special Needs
(ignored) will stop having a tantrum.

Shaping
Shaping is the reinforcement of closer and closer approximations to the desired
behaviour. Example: In helping a mother to make her excessively dependent
child more independent, the procedure must be started with small initial attempts
and each attempt rewarded. Each (attempt) step takes time, depending on the
child’s readiness, so patience is important. As the child progresses from step to
step, the reinforcement for the previous step should be eliminated.

Consistency
Consistency is following through with a selected approach.
Example: Each time a child gets out of bed after being put to bed, the parents
need to immediately return the child to bed.

Observation
Observation is watching a behaviour for a specific period of time in order to
determine the frequency of the behaviour’s occurrence.

Example: A child who is hyperactive and distracting to her peers; the teacher
records the number of times the child having a temper tantrum.

Recording
Recording is the systematic record keeping of the number of times a behaviour
occurs.

Students Name: ..........................................

Date : ..................................
1 minute 2 minutes
............................................................... .....................................
............................................................... .....................................
3 minutes 4 minutes
............................................................... .....................................
............................................................... .....................................
5 minutes 6 minutes
............................................................... .....................................
............................................................... .....................................
7 minutes 8 minutes
............................................................... .....................................
............................................................... .....................................

Figure 1: Sample of chart by systematic record keeping of number of times a behaviour

occurs

46
Consequence Behavioural Problems of
Students
Consequence is the event that follows the occurrence of a behaviour.
Example: A child finished his homework and is allowed to watch the T.V.
programme of his interest as a reward (consequence).

Baseline
Baseline is the frequency of occurrence of a behaviour prior to intervention.
Example: An observer records the frequency of whining (inappropriate) behaviour
before attempts are made to change that behaviour.

Manipulation
Manipulation is the intervention technique in order to change a behaviour.
Example: A child throws his books. In order to decrease the occurrence of this
behaviour the child is placed in a chair each time he throws the book (timeout).

Check Your Progress

Notes: a) Write your answers in the space given below.
b) Compare your answers with those given at the end of the block.
8) Give Short Answers to the given questions.
i) Why can’t there be one best way of dealing with behaviour
problems?
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ii) Why should punishment be least used?
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Guiding Students with
Special Needs 15.7 REMEDIAL MEASURES
Some of the measures that teachers, parents and counselors may take to manage
behavior problems are as follows.

15.7.1 Role of Teachers

The teacher should be concerned with the total development of the students and
not just the academic achievement. The teacher is in a position to make significant
contributions towards the formation of healthy personalities and have
opportunities and responsibilities in this regard. The teacher with a training in
human behaviour and has opportunity to observe children in a classroom is in a
better position to identify students with problem behaviours. Most behaviour
problems of students are mild to moderate problems that can be treated effectively
in the regular classroom and at home. However, severe behavior problems of
students should be handled by a psychologist.
A teacher dealing with these students must be effective and creative, able to
adapt curriculum materials and activities to the individual needs of the students.
The teacher can help a student who has an inadequate self-image by creating
psychologically safe environment in which the student can express her/himself
freely without fear of rejection. By showing unconditional positive regard for
the students, teachers can encourage individual students to explore her/his own
positive and negative feelings freely.
If we create school and home environment in which students receive continuous
love and regard, most behaviour problems would be eliminated. People value
the good will and positive regard of others and will try to obtain it.
However, the primary task of the teacher dealing with behaviour problems of
students is to teach them improve their social skills - helping students replace
their maladaptive behaviours with more socially appropriate responses. This is
often a difficult and demanding task, particularly when the teacher seldom, if
ever, knows all of the factors that affect the students’ behaviour. On top of this,
there are sometimes a lot of contributing factors over which the teacher can
exert little or no control (for instance, the delinquent friends with whom the
student associates after school). Inspite of these limitations, it does little good to
bemoan the student’s past (which no one can alter) or to use all of the things in
the student’s environment that cannot be changed as an excuse for failing to help
the student in the classroom.
Rather than threaten, the teacher can establish logical, realistic and natural
consequence and make it (hopefully) more comfortable for the student to choose
the more responsible activity. Consequences need to fit the situation and be such
that can be followed through. For example, “I’ll break your arm if caught stealing!”
what are your choices if he does steal again?

15.7.2 Role of Parents

Adolescents are dependent primarily on their parents to socialize them, to protect
them and meet their needs. Competent parents tend to develop competency in
their children, and inadequate or rejecting parents may permanently disable their
children. Despite the importance of adequate parenting practices, such skills are
taught only informally, mostly by examples within families.
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Instructions on parenting and behavioural principles might help to prevent parental Behavioural Problems of
Students
mishandling of children and to promote optimal child development. Most parents
seek such instructions only after their children have developed troublesome
problem behaviours, not as an instructional or a preventive measure.

New directions in the prevention and treatment of children’s behaviour problems

have included training programs offered for parents and self-regulation training
for children. Parent training programs have become popular and proved effective
in altering parent-child interactions and have positive effects on the entire family.

Self-regulation programs have been devised for impulsive, aggressive and non-
compliant students. For example when the teacher tells the parent that the student
is often absent from school without taking leave, indulging in stealing or is violent,
parents very often find it difficult to accept this. However, non-acceptance of the
undesirable behaviour would only aggravate the problem. Instead, the parents
should try to understand the underlying factors that lead to such problem behaviors
and sort them out or if needed seek help of a professional.

15.7.3 Role of Counsellors/Psychologist

The counsellor has two primary responsibilities, first to make sure that he or she
does no further damage to the child and second, to manipulate the child’s present
environment in order to cause more appropriate behaviour to develop in spite of
past and present circumstances that cannot be changed. The emphasis is on the
present and future, not the past and on improving the school and home
environment or using community resources for the child’s benefit.

When the counsellor receives a request for assistance, would usually talk with
the teacher/parent to get a first hand report and assessment of the problem of the
child. Following a detailed picture and understanding of the child’s problem
from the source of referral, he/she would then decide whether the particular
problem of the child could be handled by the parent or teacher or herself/ himself.

In case, the counsellor feels that the problem is severe she makes use of a number
of diagnostic techniques in making her/his study, such as psychological tests,
interviews, observations of the child, etc. The child’s physical health in some
cases may also be ascertained through consultation with the parents or a physical
examination.

Following the completion of the detailed study, findings will be discussed with
the childs’ parents and recommendations will be made to help him. The
recommendation may be therapy for the child, together with counselling for one
or both parents. Just as the child needs help, so do the parents in knowing how to
work with the child at home. The counsellor would also discuss helpful procedures
with the child’s teacher. He/She maintains a contact with the parent and teacher
to check on the child’s progress after a plan of assistance has been established,
determine whether the planned strategy is working with the child or it needs to
be changed and further determine whether assistance is needed.

The counsellor can also address a group of teachers and explain in a general way
the pupils’ difficulties and discuss methods by which teachers who come in contact
with such children can help or plan a program. The counsellor can also assist the
school with P.T.A. meetings or parent discussion groups.
49
Guiding Students with
Special Needs Check Your Progress
Notes: a) Write your answers in the space given below.
b) Compare your answers with those given at the end of the block.
9) Tick mark (√) the given statements as True or False.
i)) A teacher is in a better position to identify behaviour problems of
students (T/F)
ii) Mild and moderate problems can be handled effectively by parents
and teachers. (T/F)
iii) Punitive approach is better than trying to remediate the situation
for the child. (T/F)
iv) Parents and teacher can help children overcome all types of
problems (T/F)
v) A counselor needs to assess the problem of a child before working
on the problem. (T/F)
vi) A counsellor does not need the help of parents and teacher in
understanding and dealing with the behavior problems of children.
(T/F)
10) Give short answers to the questions given below.
i) Mention some positive approaches teachers/parents can use to
improve or correct behaviour problems.
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ii) How can parents help their children cope with their behaviour
problems?
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iii) Why does a counsellor need to assess the behaviour of the child
before planning strategies for treatment?
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50
 Behavioural Problems of
15.8 LET US SUM UP Students

To deal effectively with behaviour problems a teacher must understand the factors
and situations that lead to behaviour problems. Some of these factors are attempts
to satisfy personal or social needs, the teacher and classroom conditions, home,
social and cultural environment. A number of suggestions have been given for
dealing with behaviour problems of children. Teachers and parents should use
positive rather than punitive methods for correcting behaviour problems. Under
certain conditions punishment can be effective. In deciding which type of
corrective measures to employ, the teacher and parent should take into account
its effects on the child’s mental health and long term effect. Corrective measures
should also be suited to the individual student.

Children who have behaviour problems require the help of teachers and parents
to understand and deal with them so that they can modify the behavior and are
able to cope better with their academics and improve their personal life. Teachers
and parents should try to identify if the cause of the behaviour problems is within
the child or in the environment. For this they need to value the good and positive
aspect within the person and help them modify their behaviour problem with
more socially appropriate responses.

15.9 UNIT-END EXERCISES

1) Prepare a list of agencies in the community that offer services to the
adolescents. Describe the services available and the procedure for making
referrals.
2) Visit a school in your neighborhood and discuss with the principal and
teachers about the behavior problems prevalent among some of their
adolescent students. Find out the measures taken by the school to help such
students.

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