Child Psychology & Behavior Problems
Developmental changes in childhood take place in a child’s mental, emotional and physical experience. Child psychologists specialize in understanding the many factors that influence a child’s course of development and resulting behaviors. By understanding the causes of behavior problems, psychologists can provide insight into how they develop and how to redirect a child’s course of development toward healthier behaviors and attitudes.
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Child Psychology
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Child psychologists specialize in the study of childhood development, specifically in areas related to emotions and behavior, according to the Encyclopedia of Child & Adolescence. As childhood involves continuous learning and changes in physical and mental abilities, psychologists work with issues that arise within the course of development. Clinical settings provide an environment where practitioners can observe a child’s behavior and provide constructive solutions for redirecting behavior problems. Longitudinal studies involving long-term observations of groups of children make up another area of child psychology.
Function
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Mental and emotional development in children and adolescents occurs at different rates for each individual. According to the Encyclopedia of Child & Adolescence, the development of language, social skills and temperament all play a role in shaping a child’s individual personality. Environmental influences, such as family, school and peers, also affect a child’s overall outlook and attitude. Child psychologists attempt to understand how a child’s physical development affects how his personality develops and vice versa. By understanding these relationships, psychologists can attempt to address the areas that cause behavior problems to occur.
Assessment
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An assessment is a type of interview that involves identifying key issues related to why a child or adolescent behaves the way he does, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Child psychologists gather information regarding current behavior problems, past behavior problems, a child’s developmental level or “mental age,” family environment and any medical conditions. Information gathered during the assessment can be used to form a bond, or rapport with the child, which creates an atmosphere of trust and encourages him to express his thoughts and feelings freely.
Psychotherapy
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Child psychologists use psychotherapy as a means to promote change in a child’s behavior. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, psychotherapy provides a setting where children can explore problematic issues or concerns through talking, playing or drawing depending on the developmental age of the child. With younger children, play and drawing activities act as a bridge between the psychologist and the child and open the channels of communication. In some cases, a psychologist may work with a child and her family in an attempt to address behavior problems that originate within family interactions and behaviors, according to the Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies.
Effects
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Child psychology methods attempt to provide emotional support and constructive solutions when dealing with behavior problems in children, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Psychologists typically work with children and adolescents for specified lengths of time that can vary from weeks to months depending on the problems involved. Based on information gathered during the assessment, practitioners identify one or more goals to work on with the child. Goals may involve replacing a destructive emotional behavior with a more healthy, constructive response. Children and adolescents affected by psychological disorders may be referred to a physician or psychiatrist for further evaluation and/or medication treatment.
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