PSYCHOLOGICAL & BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS (YOUTH & TEENS)

KNR 270

Psychological Disorders

Seeing more children with more severe problems

All the disabilities discussed in Mental Illness (+ reactive attachment disorder, etc.)

Labeled earlier Discharged from institutions back home Seek recreation services in the

community as well as in special recreation services

Behavioral Disorders

Learning problems not attributed to intellectual, sensory, or health problems

Difficulty in relating appropriately to peers, siblings, parents & others

Difficulty responding to academic and social tasks

Excessive behaviors Lack of coping behaviors

Types of Negative Behavior

Noncompliance Attention getting behaviors Inappropriate physical contact Physical aggression Others

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Enduring pattern of uncooperative, defiant, hostile behavior toward authority figures

Behaviors are more frequent & intense than unaffected peers

Cause problems in social, academic, work, recreation

Often with other disabilities (e.g., AD/HD, LD, addiction, anti-social personality)

Genetic & environmental causes

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Behaviors for 6 mos. 4 or more: Losing temper Arguing with adults Actively defying or refusing to carry out rules

or requests of adults Deliberately doing things to annoy others Blaming others for own mistakes or

misbehavior Being touchy or easily annoyed by others Being angry and resentful Being spiteful or vindictive

Conduct Disorder

Pattern of repetitive behavior where rights of others or social norms are violated Childhood-onset: 1 criteria before 10

y/o Adolescent-onset: no criteria evident

prior to 10 Causes: Child abuse, brought up in

chaotic environments

Conduct Disorder

3 or more of the following criteria in the past 12 months with at least 1 criteria present in past 6 months

Conduct Disorder

Aggression to people & animals Often bullies, threatens, or intimidates

others Often initiates physical fights Has used a weapon that can cause

serious physical harm to others Has been physically cruel to people Has been physically cruel to animals Has stolen while confronting a victim Has forced someone into sexual activity

Conduct Disorder

Destruction of property Deliberately engaged in fire setting

with intention of causing serious damage

Deliberately destroyed others’ property (other than by fire setting)

Conduct Disorder

Deceitfulness or theft Has broken into someone else’s house,

building, or car Often lies to obtain goods or favors or

to avoid obligations (“cons” others) Has stolen items of nontrivial value

without confronting a victim (e.g., shoplifting, but without breaking and entering; forgery)

Conduct Disorder

Serious violations of rules Often stays out at night despite

parental prohibitions, beginning before age 13

Has run away from home overnight at lease twice while living in parental or parental surrogate home (or once without returning for a lengthy period)

Often truant from school, beginning before age 13

ADA

Must make accommodations just like we do for physical disabilities

If we don’t, we discriminate If we have a plan and we don’t

follow it, we discriminate Safety is still an issue

Abuse

Abuse: Act of commission or inflicting injury or allowing injury to result Physical: Intentional physical injury Sexual: Involves child in sexual act or situation

for sexual gratification or financial gain Emotional: Makes child to feel bad about

himself, adult ignores child’s emotional needs Almost always present with other forms of

abuse

Neglect

Act of omission Failure to act on behalf of a child Failure to provide for a child’s basic

needs Food, clothing, shelter, health care,

education, supervision

Mandatory Reporter

If you provide services to children, you are a mandatory reporter Child Abuse Hotline 800-25A-BUSE Reasonable cause of abuse/neglect If in doubt, call

You can also be reported

Prevention

Screening & background checks Education & training of staff Pledge of moral character Policies & procedures

Kids not sit on lap Don’t be alone in a room or restroom or

vehicle

Prevention

Positively stated rules & expectations Post rules Involve youth in setting rules (5) Provide clear examples

Teach expected behaviors Social skills, anger management, peer

mediation, count to 10, deep breaths, quiet space

Encourage expected behaviors Focus on increasing appropriate behaviors Give specific feedback Increase involvement & making choices

Prevention

Discourage problem behaviors Structure program Daily schedule Enforce rules Give understandable definitions of infractions Tolerate some behaviors (pick your battles) Redirect to different tasks Use nonverbal cues Give consequences related to behavior Provide empathy/listen

Prevention

Be a role model Attention is paid to what you do vs. say Use peer role models

Recognize good behaviors Normally we comment on bad For every correction, give 4 positive

comments Catch doing something good Provide opportunities for success

Prevention

Keep things active Have fun Do things they like to do Get them involved Decrease line up time Outdoor programs/adventure/challenge

courses Redirect

Give something else to do Analyze/decrease time outs

Prevention

Know your clients What sets them off What they respond to

Know yourself Stay calm Know your triggers Voice control – speak softly Take a step back Keep hands at side Sit down if possible

Prevention

Have an individualized behavior plan Behavior contracts Sticker charts Reinforcers (e.g., praise, attention, choice of

activities, tangible reward) Talk with parents/teachers

Obtain specific training Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) Talk down vs. take down

Contact a CTRS or your SRA