Externalising behaviours

Externalising behaviours

Externalising behaviours refers to the grouping of behaviour problems that are manifested in children’s outward behaviour and negatively acting on the external environment.

Externalised behaviour is often used as synonymous to antisocial. It is because professionals use externalising behaviours to discuss a less severe form of aggressive or antisocial behaviour. However, externalising behaviours include hyperactivity, yet many hyperactive children are not unfriendly. Therefore distinction needs to be drawn.

Externalising disorders consist of disruptive, hyperactive, aggressive behaviours, Delinquency, under- controlled and anti-social behaviours.

Aggression is one component of conduct disorder; it consists of physical or verbal behaviours that harm or threaten to harm others, including children, adults, and animals. aggression may be either appropriate and self-protective or destructive to the self and others

Internalising behaviours: refers to problems that more centrally affect child’s internal psychological environment rather than the external world. This includes: anxious, withdrawn, inhibited and depressed, neurotic and over- controlled behaviours.

Depression is a psychiatric mood disorder characterised by extreme sadness and loss of interest in usually enjoyable activities. Anxiety: most common mental disorder in children. Stress can be described as a “state of apprehension without cause” Anxiety disorders result when anxiety is consistent and negatively interferes with school, social interactions, activities or family functioning — five primary types: separation anxiety, social anxiety disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, PTSD, OCD. Familiarity is considered one of the most highly implicated factors in the development of depression and anxiety Negative life events in the social environment, particularly violence, poverty, abuse, bereavement/loss of loved ones, or parental separation.

Externalising behaviours are a strong predictor of delinquent adolescent behaviour, and later criminal and or violent behaviour in adulthood, which includes hyperactive children as well, although outcomes for hyperactive children are entirely various while internalising children are more likely to grow up and become depressed or anxious adults. There is a comorbidity of internalising and externalising behaviour. Externalising children suffer from anxiety, and internalising children may exhibit conduct disorder.