External and Internal Factors of Child Development Essay

Introduction

It is hard to disagree that child development, learning and behaviour are extremely significant processes that can be affected by various external and internal factors. While a parent may wonder why their child has suddenly become aggressive and violent or unexpectedly shy and avoiding, their own wrong attitudes may impact the kid’s actions. Therefore, it is of vital importance to raise awareness of the influence that various factors have on child behaviour and study the role of behavioural theories and childcare educators. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impacts of the aforementioned concepts and processes.

Explaining the Terms

Before discussing child development, learning and behaviour, it is essential to define these terms. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.), child development is the acquisition of the necessary emotional, thought, physical and language skills and changes. Learning is the process of searching for and processing new information by observing other people or using other sources of information to acquire new skills and expand awareness. Finally, behaviour is an observable reaction of kids to various internal or external factors.

Influences on Children’s Behaviour

Parenting Styles

One may agree that the development and attitudes of children and teenagers depend mostly on the way their parents or guardians raise them. Overall, several different parenting styles are authoritative, uninvolved, authoritarian, and permissive (Kuppens and Ceulemans, 2019). Depending on the selected style, a parent may focus on either supportive, caring and loving or frightening, aggressive and toxic relationships with their kids. Consequently, if a child grows up in a safe and tolerant household where moral principles are valued, it is more likely for this girl or boy to behave correctly and ethically, as well as become calm and adequate in general. At the same time, as stated by Kuppens and Ceulemans (2019), authoritarian and uninvolved parenting can promote aggressive behaviour in children and teenagers.

Relationships with Peers

Another factor that can significantly affect children’s behaviour and attitudes is the influence of peers. It is evident that one’s social circle and surrounding people, in general, are of significant importance. Bullies can make a teenager want to disappear, and the behaviour and reactions of this boy or girl will adapt to the negative circumstances, becoming closed, nervous and maybe even aggressive (Elenbaas, 2019). It is usually obvious when a child is bullied because they become less sociable, can eat and sleep more or less, avoid reality and spoil their relationships with parents (The Pragmatic Parent, n.d.). As for the positive effects, peers can promote an active lifestyle, encourage each other to study more, support one another, eat healthier and find interesting hobbies.

Lifestyle

Further, a child’s lifestyle, including sleeping patterns, eating habits and exercising, can either worsen or benefit their behaviour. For example, a chronic lack of proper sleep usually makes teenagers more depressed, irritable, frustrated, willing to avoid reality and unable to concentrate (Reynaud et al., 2018). What is more, as noticed by researchers, sleep deprived children are less alert and tend to avoid social life and interactions with their family (The Pragmatic Parent, n.d.). As for the eating habits, if teenagers prefer nutritious food, their bodies are healthier, which in turn makes these children more friendly, active, able to study and willing to explore the world. Finally, regular sports activities alter kids’ behaviour, encouraging them to be responsible, involved in real life, confident in themselves and socially active.

Screen Time

Finally, it is difficult to disagree that one of the most powerful modern factors is the involvement in the digital world. Researchers state that the more time a child spends online, the less interesting the real world becomes for them (Guerrero et al., 2019). Uncontrolled screen time promotes aggressiveness in kids, increases their explosive reactions, “unfavourable behavioural conduct, lower fitness and lower self-esteem” (Guerrero et al., 2019, p. 1). If screen time is limited, children can feel relieved and calmer, replenish energy for real-life communication and reduce stress, which are the positive effects on their behaviour.

Age-Appropriate Behaviour

One cannot overestimate the necessity of allowing children to behave according to their age. Age-appropriate behaviour during certain stages of development may be challenging for parents to handle, but this concept enables kids to progress correctly in their learning and social development. However, the aforementioned factors can interfere with age-appropriate behaviour and make teenagers act more like an adult or a younger kid (The Pragmatic Parent, n.d.). In the first case, an unsafe environment or negative impacts of peers and parents can make an adolescent grow up mentally much faster and stop enjoying the events and things a young child or teenager should enjoy.

Applying Behavioural Theories

The first effective theory to be discussed is behavioural modelling and observational learning formulated by psychologist Albert Bandura. According to him, children “are naturally inclined to engage in observation and learn from others”, so it is common for kids to copy the actions and attitudes of adults (Jones, 2019, para. 1). Consequently, it is possible for childcare professionals to adopt such an approach and demonstrate ethical behaviour, act morally and orient on positive principles. Such an example will foster moral behaviour among children (Jones, 2019). Another useful theory is operant conditioning: it states that punishment and reinforcement can be effective for modifying behaviours. Thus, childcare educators can adopt rewards and sanctions systems, which will encourage children to behave correctly and avoid being unethical and aggressive.

Possible Impacts of Childcare Professionals

Finally, it is essential to mention that childcare educators play significant roles in kids’ development and learning. The positive effect may be illustrated with the help of the following example: a childcare professional reads a book in which bravery, sincerity, love, care and justice are celebrated. In this case, the educator has a rather positive impact on children’s behaviour, encouraging them to act morally. One of the negative effects is that the carer may accidentally pass on their wrong attitudes, fears or mental trauma to the child. For instance, if the educator tends to react aggressively to dogs because of their own childhood trauma, a kid who sees this may develop a violent attitude towards dogs or all animals.

Conclusion

To draw a conclusion, one may say that numerous concepts and processes have to be considered when raising or working with kids and adolescents. While parents and childcare professionals may be quite effective in their roles, peers or other severe external factors can negatively change a teenager’s behaviour. Therefore, it is needed to adopt a comprehensive approach when trying to help children develop adequately. Thankfully, behavioural theories appear to be quite helpful in this professional context.

Reference List

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (2021) Child development basics.

Elenbaas, L. (2019) ‘Interwealth contact and young children’s concern for equity’, Child Development, 90(1), pp. 108-116.

Guerrero, M. D. et al. (2019) ‘Screen time and problem behaviours in children: exploring the mediating role of sleep duration’, International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, 16(1), pp. 1-10.

Jones, K. (2019) “Child see, child do” – behavioural modelling and observational learning.

Kuppens, S. and Ceulemans, E. (2019) ‘Parenting styles: a closer look at a well-known concept’, Journal of Child and Family Studies, 28(1), pp. 168-181.

The Pragmatic Parent (n.d.) 14 factors that influence a child’s behaviour or trigger their misbehaviour.

Reynaud, E. et al. (2018) ‘Sleep and its relation to cognition and behaviour in preschool‐aged children of the general population: a systematic review’, Journal of Sleep Research, 27(3).