Deviant behavior of children and adolescents. Correction of deviant behavior

Deviant behavior is any behavior that deviates from social norms. The key point is that norms are set in relation to a particular society. Therefore, behavior that is normal for some people is considered undesirable in another culture.

There is no generally accepted classification of types of deviant behavior. Below are several different classifications depending on the characteristics taken as a basis.

According to the goals pursued by the individual, deviant behavior occurs:

selfish orientation - the desire to obtain selfish material gain through dishonest actions or offenses (theft, deception, fraud, speculation);
aggressive orientation – crimes against the person (rape, murder, beatings, insults);
socially passive orientation - avoidance of fulfilling social normative responsibilities, avoidance of an active lifestyle and solving necessary problems (absenteeism from work and school, various types of addiction, vagrancy, suicidal thoughts).

In terms of results, deviations from the norm are:

positive – the individual’s actions are aimed at overcoming outdated standards and contribute to changes in the social system for the better;
negative – human actions are aimed at destroying the social system, leading it to dysfunction and disorganization.

Some experts divide deviant behavior into the following types:

antisocial (delinquent) – a person’s actions contradict legal, moral, ethical and cultural norms;
asocial - an individual commits actions that do not correspond to the social and legal norms of the society in which he lives, as well as customs and traditions;
self-destructive - such behavior threatens the development and integrity of the personality itself.

Deviant behavior in childhood and adolescence may include a combination of several types or manifest itself in only one. Such changes can appear very early due to congenital causes, arise as a result of physical injuries that affect brain activity and neurological condition, or be formed during the process of upbringing or under the influence of unfavorable social and psychotraumatic factors.

The assessment of one's actions in children and adolescents can also be different. Some feel guilty, which causes their self-esteem to drop and neuroses to appear. Others consider their behavior normal and justify it, even if society considers it deviations from the norm.

Deviant behavior of children

Problems in upbringing, disobedience and aggressive aspects of behavior force parents to think about the mental state of the child at an early age.

The causes of deviant behavior in children are quite diverse:

Biological – include intrauterine lesions (toxic effects, asphyxia, etc.), hereditary diseases that provoke delays in physical and mental development, and damage to the nervous system. This also includes somatic and mental disorders received by the child in the first years of life (traumatic brain injuries, frequent stress, etc.).
Social – reflect different levels of ill-being of the surrounding people. This includes alcoholism of relatives (for example, a young family lives in the same apartment with a drinking grandfather), excessive conflict, and domestic violence. All this provokes the child to adjust his behavior in accordance with antisocial norms. An incomplete family can also influence deviant behavior, since the child has a deficit of role and behavioral reactions that should be borrowed from the corresponding family member.
Pedagogical - this includes the abuse of prohibitions, lack of explanations for punishments, which in turn causes a protest reaction on the part of the child. Also, deviant behavior develops as a result of a standardized approach to treating children in preschool and school institutions, where individual characteristics are not taken into account.
Psychological – features of upbringing in the family that adversely affected the emotional-volitional sphere of the child, for example, upbringing according to the “family idol” type, hyper- or hypoprotection, domestic violence, parental alcoholism. Psychological reasons also include a violation of attachment to adults.

If there are medical indications, then therapy should be carried out as early as possible. In the case of social and pedagogical reasons, it makes sense to think about changing the strategy of adult behavior.

In the same way, psychological reasons require immediate correction. If deviant behavior is ignored in childhood, then it is consolidated and becomes more stable, flowing into adolescence.

Causes

For the development of obvious deviations, compelling reasons are required. Nothing happens in life just like that. Certain factors contribute to the accumulation of negative impressions and form attitudes that prevent the creation of a positive picture of the world. Let's take a closer look at the reasons for what is happening. Perhaps this will help someone decide on next steps.

Dysfunctional family

This is the most common reason why deviant behavior occurs. We all come from childhood. It is impossible to discard this experience or imagine that it did not happen. A dysfunctional family influences the formation of personality more than the social environment. There is a substitution of some concepts, a denial of general family values. In a family where there is no respect, there is no acceptance. A child may grow up withdrawn and unfriendly, afraid to express his point of view. This does not contribute to the accumulation of positive energy or the formation of a positive outlook on the world. In most cases, the child repeats the parents' experience. Patterns of behavior, attitudes, and ways of reacting in various situations will be unwittingly copied. Deviant behavior of an individual always leads to destruction. An individual cannot endlessly accumulate anxiety and irritation within himself. Ultimately, this will result in a continuous stream of aggression and condemnation.

Bullying in a team

Another common reason that contributes to the accumulation of negative emotions. Bullying, no matter how it is expressed, always ends in devastation of the individual. A person ceases to feel himself from the inside and does not know what to do. The sense of reality of what is happening is lost, the safety of the outside world is called into question. Bullying in a team is a powerful argument that causes pain and suffering. In some cases, specialist help may be needed. After all, if a person is constantly being oppressed, then he cannot then build full-fledged relationships or act according to the dictates of his heart. It seems that a reservation is being formed in the soul, preventing the formation of emotional attachment. Negative deviant behavior is the result of an inability to make the right choice and decide on further steps.

Peer influence

The desire to assert oneself sometimes leads to uncontrollable consequences. There are many examples of deviant behavior among the younger generation: peers persistently demand that the emerging personality adhere to certain rules and guidelines. Peer influence has a huge impact on an individual. There is nothing sadder than seeing that a teenager has not taken the best path. The destructive influence of peers can be quite serious.

Low self-esteem

This is a serious problem that can devalue any endeavor. Low self-esteem does not allow one to claim a high position in society, makes people be content with little, and does not lead to development. Often this becomes the reason that a person ceases to value himself. As a result, you may get the feeling that there is no justice in the world, so you can do whatever you want, do any crazy things. Adolescents and children develop a feeling of incomprehensibility, and there is a gradual accumulation of disappointment in the outside world. In this regard, they try to attract the attention of parents, teachers, and any people around them. Deviant behavior works as a form of protest. The individual is not aware of his own motives because he acts based on negative impressions.

Various fears

Phobias prevent us from moving forward in life. They dominate circumstances and contribute to the formation of a distorted picture of the world. A person who is afraid cannot make meaningful decisions. He constantly doubts himself, spins alarming scenarios in his head that he cannot cope with. This is why working with children with deviant behavior always begins with working through fears. It is necessary to look at the situation from the inside to understand how it can be dealt with as a result. Otherwise, even the most effective methods may turn out to be ineffective.

Deviant behavior of adolescents

Deviant behavior in adolescence is more dangerous than in childhood. Firstly, because a teenager can commit more destructive actions. Secondly, because correcting such phenomena requires active action and a long time.

The causes of deviant behavior in adolescents can begin in early childhood, or may develop later under the influence of a peer group or due to a change in environment, maladjustment (for example, due to the breakdown of a family, the loss of a loved one, etc.).

The most common forms of deviant behavior among adolescents:

destructive-aggressive - it is characterized by radical and even rebellious actions of the individual in order to establish new orders in the environment where he is located, this can be a family or boarding school, orphanage, as well as changing the activities of a social group or his place in it (class in school, a group at a club or in a sports section, a gangster group on the street, etc.).
destructive-compensatory - a milder form of deviant behavior in which a teenager tries to take a desired place in society or achieve certain changes in his social status. In contrast to the destructive-aggressive form of behavior, in this case a person most often gives in to his principles and beliefs, falling under the influence of a certain social group. This may be submission to the rules of informal groups in exchange for their friendship, protection, recognition or material support. For example, a teenager who has not previously tried cigarettes or alcohol or has not used obscene language begins to use them. Joins in bullying someone outside the group or takes a passive position, not trying to protect the victim from attacks from peers.
compensatory-illusory - aimed at relieving psychological discomfort and dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs with the help of psychoactive substances. There is no opposition to society; the teenager chooses to isolate himself from it or artificially change the existing perception.

Correcting the latter form of deviance usually causes the greatest difficulties, since in addition to psychological characteristics, it is also necessary to solve the problem of addiction.

Prevention of deviant behavior

Preventive measures should be aimed at identifying children at risk, eliminating factors contributing to the development of deviations, as well as providing timely assistance.

In order to stabilize the emotional and behavioral spheres in children and adolescents, it is necessary:

To develop an interest in the world around us and people, a desire to study and understand the patterns of people’s reactions and the functioning of society. This needs to be done not only in educational institutions, but above all in the family.
Introduce the child to the appropriate rules of behavior in various life situations. For kids, it is possible to consolidate the necessary skills in a playful way; for teenagers, training classes are suitable.
Develop adequate self-perception and self-esteem, which subsequently makes it possible to navigate in any situation and choose appropriate behavior from those strategies that were successfully learned earlier.
Develop communication skills in various forms for any situation, as well as with different categories of people. The more practice a person receives, the higher the likelihood of subconsciously using the correct strategy in a real situation.
Parents should pay attention to intrafamily interaction and the psycho-emotional atmosphere in the family. Develop mutual understanding and parenting competence.

For categories of children and adolescents who have undergone correctional programs, it is necessary to prevent a return to previous forms of interaction. The key points here will be practicing the acquired skills and appropriate moral and psychological support.

Three problems of deviantology.

It seems that everything is extremely simple: there is normal, usual behavior accepted in society, and there is behavior that deviates either in a negative or in a positive direction.

But deviation is a much more complex phenomenon, and this complexity is determined mainly by three problems :

The boundaries of a social norm are not precise, but rather conditional and blurred.
The unsolvability of the dilemma “Freedom or Necessity?” The choice to act as one should, as dictated by society, moral and legal norms, or to act freely as one wants - in the end, remains a personal matter for everyone.
There is simply no such thing as a citizen who is absolutely normal in all respects!

A person can, having committed a crime (negative deviation), save many people (positive result), and another, seemingly making a brilliant discovery (positive deviation), harm all of humanity (negative result).

Human behavior is relative and contradictory , it is very complex, multifaceted, determined by many factors, and therefore often cannot be assessed on a scale of “good and evil,” but there is no other evaluation criterion.

It is moral norms that determine who is to be condemned and punished and who is not, since they underlie written and unwritten laws. But judging a person strictly as “good” or “bad” is like looking at a three-dimensional cube from only one side and recognizing it as a flat square.

Criminals, hermits, revolutionaries, homeless people, geniuses, saints, discoverers - all these are deviants, that is, people who differ from the “average” in character and behavior.

Deviant can be not only an individual, but also a group of people, a community, an organization or a subculture.

Examples of deviant behavior and the correct reaction of parents

One of the common examples with which parents turn to a psychologist is when a child behaves aggressively for no apparent reason or makes scandals.

The most effective response on the part of adults, preventing the recurrence of such manifestations, will be its complete absence. Those. even if a child falls to the floor, chokes in hysterics and screams all over the street, the parent should start talking to him only after he has completely calmed down. Thus, self-control is trained and behavior is reinforced, in which the baby understands that he will be listened to only if he behaves normally.

Absenteeism from school and systematic failure to complete assignments should not cause an excessive reaction on the part of parents, but they also cannot be ignored. This form may be a way to attract attention from the family, or it may arise as a result of psychological difficulties that have arisen in the school community. Here it is important to calmly discuss with the child the reasons for this behavior, without interrogating or hinting at punishment. The main thing is to let the child understand that you are at the same time, that is, you are even ready to write a note to the class teacher if a banal rest will correct the situation.

In case of offenses and/or evidence of drug use, drastic measures are necessary to suppress this type of behavior, including changing the place of residence, if there are no other opportunities to change the child’s social circle. It is also necessary to carefully study the reasons for this behavior and eliminate them, since without removing the “root” of the problem, its recurrence is very likely.

Fighting methods

A very pressing question that many people ask due to the inability to quickly cope with the situation. Working with deviant behavior involves revising previous ways of interaction. It will take a lot of effort to avoid uncontrollable consequences. Here are some reliable methods.

Talking through the situation. This must be done in a timely manner in order to prevent the situation from getting completely out of control. It is necessary to talk about your feelings and teach your child this. Then it will be easier to make a decision and push you to the right step. An open discussion of the current situation will allow us to find common ground and reach the expected level of understanding.
Control . Correction of undesirable behavior is impossible without vigilant monitoring. If there is a person nearby who, by definition, cannot be trusted, then it is necessary to monitor his actions and not allow anything to interfere with mutual understanding. Control can be complete or partial. Sometimes it is better to show attention unobtrusively, so as not to irritate your opponent.
Help from a specialist. In some cases, consultation with a professional psychologist may be required. There are problems that are difficult to deal with on your own. When we quickly begin to look for a way out of a situation, it’s nice if there is a competent specialist nearby who can give timely advice. There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it.
Useful things. A person who is prone to deviant behavior must be assigned activities that require physical labor. This could be cleaning the house, taking out the garbage, ironing clothes, or doing laundry. It would seem, why is this necessary? How can such actions affect the improvement of the situation? It turns out that this is possible. The fact is that physical labor sometimes takes a lot of effort and requires great concentration. By expending energy, a person calms down. There is no strength left to commit terrible and uncontrollable acts.
New hobbies. If a person has a business that inspires him and really likes, it will be easier to come to an agreement with him. There is no shame in offering something interesting and sharing your accumulated experience. It is especially valuable when parents find common hobbies with their child. You can play football, draw, sculpt, write poetry, read literature, or any other type of creativity. The main thing is that positive emotions are present, a feeling of some community and unity arises.
Sports activities. Without a doubt, movement helps improve physical and mental health. There will be more energy that can be directed in a peaceful direction. Exercising releases positive energy and contributes to the creation of useful fatigue. It doesn't matter what sport you choose. The main thing is that it brings joy and helps fight negative habits.