Behavioral Problem Children

What behavioral problems worry you? How serious do you think the "child bad behavior" that concerns you is? Our checklist Warning Signs of Psychological Problems in Children can help you evaluate how serious a child behavior problem might be.

Behavioral problem children exhibit a range of concerns, from the relatively benign to the more serious. Sometimes we are unsure of whether the behaviors behavioral problem children exhibit represent more serious concerns or are just a stage the child will outgrow.

Our checklist Warning Signs of Psychological Problems in Children can help you assess whether the child behaviors that concern you require further attention and support. This checklist includes behaviors that often signal emotional and behavioral concerns in children. Use this checklist to explore your concerns about behavioral problem children.

The number of items you check and their level of frequency may also help you to decide whether the support of a child psychologist can help. Depending on how many items you check and how frequently they occur, these behaviors may signal behavioral or emotional concerns that require further attention and support.

Print out this this checklist and check those behaviors that apply to a child whose behavior concerns you. Beside the behavioral descriptions you check, indicate how often this behavior occurs. For example:sometimes,frequently,almost always.

Behaviors you rate as "frequent" or "almost always" may indicate cause for concern and a need for further attention and support. If you have concerns and you feel that professional support could help find out more about how a Child Assessment can help. Or find out more about how our psychological assessments can increase understanding of behavioral problem children, and how to help.

In Young Children

• Extreme changes in mood and behavior (becomes withdrawn or aggressive and angry.
• Changes in school performance
• Difficulty in learning despite good effort and desire to learn.
• Regressive behavior such as toiletng and soiling problems, clinging dependent behaviors, whining and thumbsucking.
• Developmental delays or behind peers in acquiring age appropiate skills (talking, walking, reading, comprehension)
• Changes in sleep and eating patterns.
• Persistent nightmares and/or sleep disturbances.
• Anxious behaviors such as excessive worry, nailing biting and nervous habits, refusal to go to school or go to bed alone.
• Aggressive, hurtful and bullying behaviors toward siblings and peers.
• Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities.
• Negative complaints and perceptions about treatment by others.
• Frequent self-deprecatory remarks (e.g. "I'm stupid." or "Nobody likes me."
• Excessive fear of new situations or people.
• Frequent temper tantrums.
• Hyperactivity and difficulties sitting still, concentrating and paying attention.
• Persistent disobedience and refusal to comply with reasonable adult requests.

Preteen and Adolescent Children

• Heavy drinking and/or alcohol or substance abuse.
• Impulsive and easily frustrated.
• Has difficulty coping with problems and daily activities.
• Defiant and refuses to comply with reasonable adult requests.
• Truancy, theft and/or vandalism
• Bullies and abuses (verbally or physically) others.
• Changes in sleep and/or eating habits.
• Extreme mood swings and/or outbursts of anger.
• Deceitful, lies and can't be trusted.
• Isolated and/or picked on by peers.
• Lack of motivation and poor academic performance.

Find our more about behavioral problem children and what might contribute to the behavior problems they exhibit. Click here to learn more.

You can also learn more about children who externalize their behaviors or who act out in an angry, aggressive manner.

Or find about the child who internalizes distress and appears anxious, sad and withdrawn. Click here to learn more.

Find more articles to help with child behavior problems.

Copyright 2002 (c) Dianne S. O'Connor, Ed.D. All Rights Reserved.

Dr. O'Connor runs her practice, Assessment Based Solutions, in Toronto (Yonge & St.Clair) and and the Hamilton/Burlington/Niagara region.

She can be reached at 416-592-0838 or 905-648-8116.

You can also contact Dr. O'Connor by email.

Dr. O'Connor is the author of I Can Be Me-A Helping Book for Children of Alchoholic Parents.