2. Social Influences

Peer Pressure: The urge to fit in can lead to negative behaviours, particularly in adolescence when children may engage in such behaviours to emulate peers and fit in.

Bullying: Those who are bullied often act withdrawn or aggressive, and the same goes for the bullies, who may even be dealing with insecurities or a history of trauma.

Family Environment: Dysfunctional family dynamics, inconsistent discipline, or lack of parental involvement also contribute to behavioural problems.

3. Emotional Factors

Mental Health Conditions: Anxiety, depression and trauma can show up as irritability, defiance or avoidance behaviours. A child with anxiety, for instance, might act out to get out of a stressful situation.

Unresolved Emotional Trauma: Experiences from the past, like abuse or neglect, may lead to challenges with emotion and behaviour regulation.

Difficulty Verbalising Emotions: Very young children or those with a restricted emotional vocabulary may act aggressively or throw tantrums to express their feelings rather than words.

4. Environmental Factors

Community and School Dynamics: Exposure to violence, poverty or lack of resources in the community can result in chronic stress and maladaptive behaviours.

Overuse of Technology: Overexposure to screens is associated with shorter attention spans, sleep disturbances, and behavioural challenges.

Cultural Expectations: Societal or cultural expectations can differ, often leading to conflicts in behaviour between home and familiar practices. This is very common among children who grow up navigating the world at home and the world outside.

5. Biological and genetic influences

Hormonal disorders: Conditions that affect hormones, such as thyroid disease, can lead to irritability and aggression.

Genetic Vulnerabilities: There is an inherited risk factor for behavioural, personality or psychological disorders.

Brain Development: Factors such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI) or prenatal exposure to harmful substances can hinder self-regulation and impulse control.

What we need to do:

Developmental Screenings: Regular check-ups with a paediatrician or psychologist can help highlight early signs of developmental delays, learning disabilities or mental health issues.

Holistic Assessments: Multi-disciplinary assessments include educational professionals, healthcare providers, and behavioural specialists to identify and understand the underlying reasons behind inappropriate behaviours.

You need to look out for red flags like consistent aggression, defiance, or withdrawal, which could be a sign of underlying issues that need to be addressed.

How to address such?

Counselling and Therapy

Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Understand yourself – the link between thought, emotion and behaviour. CBT teaches them to minimise impulsive or disruptive behaviour.

Family Therapy: Works on communication and familial conflict resolution, which promotes a healthier space for the individual to return to.

School-Based Interventions: Targeted support programs run by counsellors or educators (above, right), such as peer mediation or social skills training.

Parenting Programs

Positive Discipline Techniques include guiding parents to set boundaries that protect the children while rewarding them for doing the right things instead of punishing them.

Active Listening Training: This involves teaching parents to better interpret their children’s emotions by validating feelings and facilitating open discussion.

Uniform Methodology: Ensure caregivers, teachers, and extended family use the same behavioural management techniques to avoid mixed signals.

Special Needs Workshops: Special workshops for parents who have children with conditions like ADHD or Autism to help manage additional challenges.

You also need to use Holistic Approaches. The human mind and body are not comprised of a single aspect but the integration of the whole human experience. That’s why a holistic approach is so important.

Mindfulness Practices: Mindfulness practices like meditation and breathing exercises develop skills that help both children and adults handle life’s stresses, improve focus, and cultivate emotional regulation.

Art and Music Therapy: Creative outlets like drawing or music can help those who have trouble expressing emotions in words but still feel frustrated and aggressive because they provide such an outlet.

Exercise: Yoga, martial arts, or sports help direct energy in a positive way, build self-discipline, and release endorphins, which lift mood.

Dietary Interventions: A diet containing all the essential nutrients has been found to significantly impact mood and behaviour, as deficiencies in vitamins or omega-3 fatty acids have been associated with irritability and hyperactivity.

Sleep Hygiene: Regular sleep habits provide sufficient sleep, which is vital for emotional regulation and cognitive functioning.

Building Emotional Resilience

This includes Teaching Coping Skills, such as Giving people the tools to manage stress, like journaling or guided relaxation exercises.

Empathy Development: Early childhood activities promote empathy and reflection on others’ feelings to discourage aggressive or self-centred behaviours.

Emotional Literacy Programs: Teaching children to name and talk about their emotions helps ward off emotional bottlenecks that can erupt in disruptive outbursts.

Community and Educational Resources

Involve people around to help with this kind of behaviour. Ask for help and be guided.

Participating in Peer Support Groups: Sharing experiences and strategies for coping with behaviour difficulties in group settings that reduce feelings of isolation.

Teacher Training: Teachers could be trained to spot early indicators of behavioural issues and to use classroom techniques that reduce disruptions.

Community Advantage: Access to local services such as counselling centres or recreational programs further supports regulating their behaviour.

Other Things to Think about for Handling it holistically:

Environmental Modifications: Minimising exposure to overstimulating or anxiety-inducing environments can help to minimise the ecological triggers of behaviours.

Integrative therapies: Exploring complementary treatments such as aromatherapy or acupuncture, primarily effective for stress and anxiety.

Tracking Studies of Technology Use: Reduce screen time without creating a video game.

The combination of traditional, well-documented treatments and holistic methods addresses them more effectively, allowing individuals to succeed emotionally, socially, and academically.

Behavioural problems can be effectively dealt with if we treat him as a whole person and help him grow in all spheres of life. Applying these principles to treatment plans will facilitate lasting changes in the quality of life for those experiencing behavioural challenges.

References

NHS. (2023). Bereavement Support. Retrieved from www. nhs. UK

Kübler-Ross, E. (1969). On Death and Dying. Scribner.

Worden, J. W. (2018). Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner. Springer.

NICE Guidelines. (2023). Bereavement Care. Retrieved from www. pleasant. Org. UK