Introduction
Behavior problems, or challenging behaviors, manifest in children in a variety of ways. Many of these are different forms of aggression, and, although a limited extent of aggression is normal, such behaviors can severely affect a child’s development of social skills. These problems, in turn, can lead to reduced academic achievement as the child ages. Furthermore, behavior problems tend to both cause and negatively affect academic performance, creating feedback loops.
Behavior problems
Behavior problems start early in life, but can follow a child int his or her later life. The first expressions of aggression can occur in children as young as six months (Kaiser and Rasminsky 8). In some cases, even these early expressions can lead to significant problems with developing basic skills, such as learning to read (Kaiser and Rasminsky 11). This can be attributed to the social isolation experienced by children exhibiting behavior problems — challenging behavior can lead to a child being rejected by his peers, exacerbating the problem and increasing the likelihood of rejection (Kaiser and Rasminsky 11).
This, in turn, leads to a failure to develop social and emotional skills, worsened antisocial behaviors, and reduced academic performance (Kaiser and Rasminsky 11). Therefore, it is necessary to identify and intervene on problem behaviors as early as possible.
Challenging behavior and poor academic performance can negatively affect one another, creating a feedback loop. As a child behaves aggressively, his or her teacher might respond negatively, dedicating less time and attention to him and being less helpful (Kaiser and Rasminsky 11). This, in turn, prevents the child from performing well academically, increasing their likelihood of being expelled or suspended (Kaiser and Rasminsky 11). Furthermore, this exacerbates his or her behavior problems, reducing the probability of recovering his or her performance and integrating socially.
A feedback loop is also evident in the student’s attitude towards learning, which can constitute another challenging behavior. A child who fails to acquire knowledge and skills, or integrate socially, can develop emotional or behavioral problems (Metsäpelto et al. 247). These problems include a low perception of his or her ability and a decreased interest in school work (Metsäpelto et al. 247). In turn, this can lead to increased externalizing behaviors — challenging behaviors directed against the environment, such as aggression (Metsäpelto et al. 247).
All these problems compound one another, leading to a further reduction in academic performance (Metsäpelto et al. 247). Therefore, a child’s academic environment can be a cause of behavior problems, which exacerbate the initial problem as time passes. This suggests that ensuring an environment that is conducive to study is crucial during for the child’s initial experiences at school.
Aggressive behavior has been linked to negative outcomes on a child’s academic performance and life in general. However, the two factors are not necessarily connected directly; in some cases, a child can develop task-avoidant behavior (Metsäpelto et al. 247). This behavior presents another feedback loop, where an initial failure at academic tasks creates low self-efficacy beliefs and a negative self-concept (Metsäpelto et al. 247).
These factors condition the child to expect more failure in the future and, therefore, avoid challenging tasks or putting little effort into them (Metsäpelto et al. 247). Task-avoidant behaviors present another feedback loop to be avoided in a child’s development.
Conclusion
Children displaying aggressive or task-avoidant behavior in a learning environment have been shown to have reduced academic achievement, and can cause significant issues later in life. The two problems are strongly linked, and in many cases present feedback loops where one exacerbates and worsens the other. Due to this, it is crucial to identify these problems as early as possible and correct them before they develop into significant issues.
Works Cited
Metsäpelto, Riitta-Leena, et al. “Developmental Dynamics between Children’s Externalizing Problems, Task-Avoidant Behavior, and Academic Performance in Early School Years: A 4-Year Follow-Up.” Journal of Educational Psychology, vol. 107, no. 1, 2015, pp. 246–257. Web.
Kaiser, Barbara, and Judy Skylar Rasminsky. Challenging Behavior in Young Children. Understanding, Preventing, and Responding Effectively. 4th ed., Pearson, 2017.