Behavior Disorders

Behavior disorder is a general term used to describe a consistent pattern of abnormal conduct impairing a child's ability to function effectively in one or more facets of his or her life. Abnormal conduct may include typical behaviors observed at a developmentally atypical rate or behaviors that are relatively uncommon or bizarre. Careful, multimodal, multi-informant evaluation by a professional is warranted to determine the presence of a behavior disorder. In this determination, a child's conduct is evaluated as to whether or not it deviates from the norm.

One standard that helps establish what is considered normal is whether or not the behavior is developmentally appropriate (i.e., typical for a child of that particular age). For instance, it would be developmentally within limits for a 6-year-old child to have difficulty staying in his seat if a teacher chose to lecture for 20 minutes. A 16-year-old, however, generally should be able to perform this task with minimal difficulty.

Another standard used to characterize behavior as disordered is whether or not the behavior defies social or cultural norms. For example, a child is expected to run around at recess or in gym class. Conversely, it is not acceptable for a child to run around during math class. Some behaviors may be considered inappropriate regardless of context, such as yelling at a teacher or principal. In establishing what is considered normal, professionals should be aware and respectful of cultural influences on behavior. For instance, a young man repeatedly refusing teacher's requests to remove his hat during class may be considered to be defiant. However, if the young man is Jewish and is refusing to remove a yarmulke, his behavior becomes understandable because the teacher's request would conflict with the individual's cultural values.

Aside from being considered aberrant, behavior disorders must also cause the child distress or impairment in at least one area of functioning, such as school, home, or social relationships. For instance, it is atypical for a young child to be able to play Beethoven's Fifth Symphony on the piano. Despite this behavioral abnormality, this child would certainly not be considered as having a behavior disorder, because his tendency to execute this action does not affect his ability to function at school or at home. Second, assuming the child is not continuously compelled to play the piece, it probably will not cause him much distress. It is especially important to identify behavior disorders when impaired functioning places a child at risk for harm or loss of freedom (i.e., incarceration). Examples of this are a child who bangs his head when frustrated or an adolescent who compulsively steals. Early identification of these behaviors allows professionals the time to implement steps necessary to better ensure the child's safety and maintenance in the community.

A variety of methods are available to identify behavior disorders. Typically, an adult, such as a parent or teacher, brings the behavior to the attention of a professional. The professional then uses a variety of measures and the reports of multiple informants to assess the child. These measures should include interviews, questionnaires, and direct observation. The technique of using a number of informants and assessment methods allows the professional to be more accurate in his or her determination by ruling out miscalculations such as those due to reporter biases and environmental causes of behavior. To the extent that the child is further classified, to guide service implementation, depends on the context in which the child is being treated.

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