Importance Of Behavior Modification In Children

Behavior Modification in Children and Adolescents Children and Adolescents acting out in behavior is happening more frequently in today’s society, most parents turn to Behavior Modifications it enforces and recognizes good and bad behavior in many different circumstances, whether it is used on preschool children or high school children, which good behavior is rewarded with positive reinforcement and bad behavior is giving negative feedback (Wendy 1). Behavior Modification in children and adolescents can cause children to have negative behavioral problems. Behavior modification is based on the perception that children and/or adolescent behavior can be influenced and changed to become acceptable (Bartlett, Holditch, Belyea 1). Children and Adolescents behavior can be controlled through reinforcements and consequences on negative behavior but also with positive behavior, although the consequences would be different behavior modification will not work for all children(). Punishments and reinforcements is also known as the process of operant conditioning, most children and/or adolescents behaviors are learned through the process of being shaped , the wanted behavior of a child comes with reinforcing the targeted behavior(). The
field of behavior modification has generated many research studies that provides evidence that positive and negative reinforcements and shaping really works to modify behaviors(). Behavior Modification also known as instrumental conditioning occurs when reinforcement and punishments are used immediately after the behavior is shown.
However, when the reinforcer discontinues the punishments it can decrease these targeted behaviors(). Studies have shown that reinforcing socially acceptable behaviors will result in the continuation of them while punishing behaviors will result to the discontinuation of them(). The rein where forcement must be systematic and consistent. It is important to condition behaviors to different settings, the negative or positive reinforcement must be given immediately following the behavior if not the child or adolescent may be unclear about what behavior is being reinforced or
punished(). Behavior Modification has a natural effect on children and adolescents a study by Robert Sherman in 1973 showed that if followed by rewards will decrease if followed by punishments. The researchers found that the behavior in the classroom and noticed some disruptive children but would praise the children for any good behaviors and pay no attention to the bad(). The reason of this study was to stop disruptive children from acting out and maybe even to find out the causes of why the act the way they act(). A fifth or more adolescents report in problem behaviors such as skipping school, shoplifting, and fighting some adolescents would sat they have multiple reasons to act act out but its all about the attention (). There are different types of research done to modify behavior modification like this one done by Lowits and Suib in 1978(), where they had an eight year old girl and they were able to reduce thumb sucking. They met with the child five days and for at least an hour each day, and what they would do was for every minute she went without sucking her thumb they gave her a penny. The young girl that they tested eliminated thumb-sucking and the presentation of the reinforcer; pennies. This process was aimed at eliminating a behavior by presenting a desirable reward for every response but the behavior that was not targeted(). This is an example of behavior modification through the use of positive reinforcement(). The young girl only decreased behavior when the positive reinforcement was use. Another example of behavior modification would be the study that James K.Luiselli conducted on an 8-year old boy who had Pervasive Developmental Disorder. The child had problems getting potty trained(). This study was performed in the classroom of the child’s elementary school. The researcher had an assistant who escorted the child to the restroom at scheduled times throughout the day. The researcher first recorded the child's behavior before reinforcing him. He would refuse to go to the restroom(). He also continued to urinate in his diaper. After recording these behaviors, Luiselli began the targeted behavior phase. This phase consisted of singing fun songs to get him to go to the restroom(). This helped make the behavior more enjoyable for him. the child was also given a drink of water out of his favorite water bottle for every successful restroom trip. This was a very positive reinforcement for the child because it was exciting for him to drink out of his favorite water bottle. Luiselli documented the results of his study and noticed that after three weeks of positive reinforcement the child, had a one hundred percent success rate at becoming potty trained. This experiment has evidence that using positive reinforcement when trying to get to a targeted behavior will eventually work.