Understanding the Motivation of Misbehavior

If you are struggling to understand why your child misbehaves, the first step is to consider the factors that could be influencing the misbehavior. The motivation behind bad behavior can come from several sources, including stress from external issues and psychological problems. Though every child acts up at some point, chronic misbehavior can indicate deeper problems.

  1. Family

    • Misbehavior can sometimes be influenced by parental problems or other similar stressors. For example, parenting styles that include yelling, verbal threats, lack of warmth or aggression have been linked to increased disruptive behavioral problems, according to a study reported in a 2010 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Child Psychology." Life changes such as divorce or a death in the family can also trigger behavior issues. Those circumstances are typically related to short-term misbehavior and are in response to stress.

    Social

    • School and peer-related issues might also contribute to misbehavior. Early peer rejection, for example, was found to be linked to later aggressive behavior, according to a study reported in the 2003 edition of the "Journal of Child Development." Misbehavior in the form of bullying can also be problematic in school or other social settings. Common motivations for this type of behavior include insecurity, being bullied in the past at home or at school, and having trouble controlling anger, hurt or other intense emotions, according to a KidsHealth article.

    Temperament

    • The temperament of your child refers to the characteristics of her personality that influences emotional regulation and reactions to stimuli. It can predispose your child to have extreme responses to certain circumstances that alter routines or are stressful. Characteristics of a difficult temperament, such as having trouble controlling emotions and behaviors, can also indicate that a child is at risk for conduct problems, according to a 2004 article published in the "Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychiatry."

    Psychological

    • Children with behavioral disorders often are stubborn, angry or aggressive.

      If your child exhibits extreme changes in behavior or seems overly aggressive, dangerous or out of control, a behavioral disorder could be to blame. Oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder fall into this category. Children with ODD commonly are stubborn, disobey rules, have extreme tempers and defy authority figures, according to a KidsHealth article. It is important to realize that these forms of misbehavior are often uncontrolled and need to be treated.

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