Externalizing Internalizing Behavior Analysis

¶ … Challenging Behaviors

Shouting No

Isolation from other students

Pulling hair

Wadding up paper

Spitting

Screaming

Throwing pencils

Drawing on desk

Complains of stomach ache

Scratching self

How Behaviors Are Currently Addressed

Confronting child

Introduce child to other peers

Reprimanding

Taking away paper

Scolding

Putting in corner

Taking away pencils

Not allowing child access to markers or pens

Calling parents

Keeping child busy

Category (Internalizing or Externalizing)

Externalizing

Internalizing

Externalizing

Externalizing

Externalizing

Externalizing

Internalizing

Internalizing

Internalizing

Internalizing

Recommended Modification

Pull aside and talk

Introduce group work

Explain about boundaries

Provide art tools

Introduce a hands-on lesson

Provide visual aids

Perform a reading group lesson

Give an art class

Call for a counselor

10. Call parent-teacher meeting

Reflection

Externalizing behaviors like fighting, non-compliance, talking out are all externalizing behaviors (Cicchetti, 2015). While externalizing behaviors are easy to identify, internalizing behaviors are sometimes hard to identify unless a student talks about his or her feelings. For example, when a student feels sad and anxious, he or she may scratch themselves in frustration. Early interventions can help students feel more at ease with other students and get a handle on their school work. The first step is being aware of such behaviors. A child may feel depressed and display somatic/physical complaints (Columbus & Shohov, 2001). My personal experience was with a little girl who experienced stomach aches each time she had to speak or read aloud in class.

She was always a very anxious little girl. I had to call her parents and get her referred to a child psychologist. She needed to deal with her anxiety by confronting whatever it was that was bothering her. Her parents later told me she was afraid of being picked on for her stutter. She received speech lessons from a speech pathologist and gradually got better at speaking in public. Had I not noticed what was going on, she would have continued to have stress from speaking in public and not have the adequate tools with which to deal with her problem.

Externalizing challenging behaviors are easy to identify, but harder to deal with. One reason I noticed children tend to act out more is because they are frustrated with the curriculum. By using visual aids and art projects in the curriculum, children will learn more and will find an outlet for their feelings. Art is a wonderful way to inspire creativity and learning in a child. Sometimes, it just takes a hands-on approach with learning to provide the kind of skills needed to learn something. Not all children can learn from just reading and writing.