Assignment - Risk Factors of Behavior Summary  

Assignment: Risk Factors of Behavior Summary  

Why do some children exhibit challenging behaviors, while others do not? While we don’t really know the “cause” of challenging behaviors, we can distinguish different risk factors that can lead to these behaviors. Research has found that while risk factors increase the possibility of negative behavior, the outcome of how that child will behave is often dependent on genetic and environmental factors (Kaiser & Raminsky, section 2.0, 2012). For your assignment this week, you are asked to choose a scenario, identify three risk factors the child may have, and discuss how the educator can best support the child both in the classroom and at home. How is a risk factor determined?

Environmental factors are defined by the child’s peer, school, neighborhood, and societal influences (Kaiser & Raminsky, section 2.0, 2012). Examples of an environmental factor could be a child who lives in poverty, or who comes from a teenage mother. Parenting, the social environment and its effects on child development (Links to an external site.), describes the effect the physical environment has on a child’s relationship to the world. It is important when reading the scenarios that you consider the environment that the child is exposed to. How could the child’s environment directly affect his/her behavior?  Talking about both biological factors as opposed to environmental factors can be phrased as nature vs. nurture.

Before beginning the assignment, read the following 2 scenarios and select one for your paper:

Scenario A: Olivia is a three-year-old girl in a classroom of twenty children. Olivia comes from a single parent household, and lives with her mother. Olivia’s mother had Olivia as a teenager and is currently working full time and attending classes to earn her high school equivalency.  In the last few weeks Olivia’s behavior has been described as disruptive. She is continually acting impulsively and has been observed saying negative things to her peers.

Scenario B: Jose is a two-year-old boy in a classroom of fifteen children. Joe comes from a two-parent household. both of Joe’s parents work full time, and Jose’s mom is pregnant with her second child. Jose has been described as having low language skills and is often seen hitting his peers during free play times. Jose has trouble sitting at circle time and receives constant reminders to stay in his chair during classroom activities. In your paper, select one of the scenarios to write about and consider the question Why are some children more challenging than others?

Be sure to address the following:

· Identify and describe three risk factors which influence behavior (may include considerations of brain development).

· Instructor Tip:  Remember risk factors can be either biological or environmental. As you read the scenario you chose, keep in mind if what’s being described falls into either category.

· Discuss how each factor influences behavior

· Instructor Tip:  For each factor you chose, think about how this could have affected the child. What impact has it made of the child’s behavior?

· Analyze strategies teachers may use to support the process of changing or replacing behaviors

· Instructor Tip:  How can the educator support the child? Think of the strategies we discussed such as positive reinforcement, re-direction, or modeling.

· Brainstorm ideas to involve parents in the behavior modification process

· Instructor Tip:  Think about how you can help the busy parent in the scenario you chose. What home-school connection can you provide to help the child and still meet the time constraints of the parent?

“A child whose behavior pushes you away is a child who needs a connection before anything else” —Kelly Bartlett

References

All images used under license from istock

Hawaii Early Learning Profile (2nd Ed.). (2010). Palto Alto, CA: Vort Corporation.

Kaiser, B. & Raminsky, J. S.  (2012). Challenging behavior in young children: Understanding, preventing and responding effectively (3rd Ed.) Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc.

U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Head Start Bureau (2006). What is developmentally appropriate - and what is a concern? (Technical Assistance Paper No. 10) (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/resources/ECLKC_Bookstore/PDFs/TA10%5B1%5D.pd