Deviant behavior is persistent human actions that differ from generally accepted norms in society. This concept has been studied by sociologists for quite some time.
Group of deviant teenagers
Emile Durkheim published his work entitled “Suicide”; he laid the foundation for the science that today is called deviantology.
Definition of the concept
Deviant behavior is a violation of social norms that has become permanent. Accordingly, deviant teenagers are children who regularly behave contrary to society. There are several approaches to interpreting this concept:
- Sociology. Deviant behavior is actions that are considered harmful in a particular society. Caused by a violation of the ability to assimilate and reproduce social norms.
- Medicine. In this approach, deviant behavior is caused by mental illness or borderline mental disorder.
- Psychology. Here, deviant actions are provoked by psychological phenomena, for example, the inability to find a competent way out of a conflict situation.
It is necessary to consider deviant forms of behavior of children and adolescents comprehensively, based on all these approaches.
Important! This is not always a negative thing. It can be constructive. To change broken or harmful social norms, you need to break them. If a leader does something like this, it is considered normal. Society allows a person with a high level of trust to violate social rules, but within the framework of people’s values.
Two teenagers breaking social norms
If an ordinary person violates social norms, then this can be punishable by law. After some time, his activities may be assessed positively. For example, dissidents were condemned during the Soviet era. Now in many countries they are considered heroes.
Children's aggression under control
It is important for parents and experienced teachers to teach their child to accurately assess their internal state and control their own harmful emotions, and respond in a timely manner to signals received from the body. By correctly defining such a message, the child will be able to independently manage his own emotions and prevent possible conflicts. When raising aggressive children, all educational work of parents and experienced teachers is carried out in three important areas:
- periodic counseling and training of problem children in positive behavior and optimal ways of expressing emerging anger;
- qualified assistance in mastering an effective technique that allows you to control yourself during bright outbursts of causeless anger;
- instilling in children a sense of empathy and sympathy for loved ones.
Behavioral styles of parents with an aggressive child
Such a comprehensive correction of harmful behavior leads to optimal results only with systematic active work with a problem child. Inattention to children's personal problems can only worsen the conflict situation. Parents in such a situation need to show a little patience, understanding, and constantly practice the skills of constructive communication with others. All this will help relieve severe aggression in your son or daughter.
Causes of deviance
Fear of school in children and adolescents
All causes of childhood deviance are divided into three groups:
- Biological. This includes mental illness, accentuation, and psychopathy. These are organic features of the brain that lead to changes in the perception of the world around us and, as a result, actions.
- Psychological. For example, deviant behavior can be provoked by personal characteristics: nonconformism, aggressiveness, ambition, greed and others. This also includes socio-psychological reasons: characteristics of upbringing, influence of friends, etc.
- Sociological. Social changes that give rise to deviant behavior. They can be both short and long.
Deviant teenager smoking
If we generalize all these groups, the reasons for deviant behavior in adolescents are as follows:
- Improper upbringing;
- Conflict between self-esteem and level of aspiration - when a person has high ambitions, but does not believe that he can achieve what he wants;
- Development in a dysfunctional family;
- Wrong company;
- Bad habits;
- Poverty.
Main theories of immoral behavior
Various theoretical materials have been developed by many scientists, where deviant behavior is considered from different aspects, individual features of its formation and influence on it are identified for the purpose of positive correction.
Deviant behavior - theories that have a biological basis of justification are allocated to a separate group. Scientists believed that some individuals are negative from birth, have congenital personality defects that push them into social violations. Prominent representatives of such theories suggested that there is a concept of a congenital criminal. The reason for putting forward this theory was the long-term observation of persistent criminals in local correctional institutions. According to the famous person of that time, C. Lombroso, many of those studied were inborn criminals, similar to our primitive ancestors, who were driven exclusively by simple animal instincts.
Psychology of deviant behavior according to Mendelevich
Many attempts have been made to objectively assess the influence of heredity on immoral behavior in people. But such theories did not find support among leading sociologists. For example, a spider is born with one program - to weave a web. But there are no people who have the ability to kill or break into other people's homes. Some genetic properties of the nervous system may play a role here - excessive temper, inability to restrain one’s negative emotions, because committing a malicious crime is impulsive.
Enikeev's theory of deviance
Such theories, which have a biological basis, show their low effectiveness when the offender consciously commits an unlawful act.
Socio-psychological basis of non-standard behavior
The most important role in explaining the reasons for immoral behavior is given to the theory of deregulation. Adherents of these theories believe that designated social rules and generally accepted norms regulate the behavior of each individual; all people know what is expected of them. During acute crises, wars, and fundamental social changes, accumulated life experience does not have the same influence. Many people, under pressure from circumstances, begin to feel disorganized and confused. Many accepted values and norms are losing their former strength. At this moment, people begin to lose their personal guidelines and consciously abandon generally accepted values. All these conditions, one way or another, lead to immoral behavior.
Labeling is a reason for worsening deviance
The economic crisis and increased unemployment are causing a sharp increase in crime.
There are times when social fragmentation is not associated with any crisis or inflation; it can be traced in the mass migration of the local population, all of which leads to a disruption of established social ties. Crime rates are always higher where there is mass migration of people.
Prerequisites and causes of deviance
Harry Becker's theory of labeling is also interesting - it is the identified ability of influential social groups to label certain social and national minorities as immoral. Among these are gypsies who do not have a specific shelter, tramps, people without a specific place of residence, drug addicts, and chronic alcoholics.
Antisocial behavior most often occurs in adolescents
If an individual has a certain stigma of a deviant, then he begins to behave in accordance with his own idea of such behavior.
Such an imposed label always makes life difficult for such a person; it is much more difficult for him to find a job he likes, establish personal relationships, and be fulfilled in life. People often see themselves the way others think of them and act in accordance with their personal ideas. Such individuals need help to rehabilitate themselves in the eyes of others and to find a worthy place in life.
Qualities of deviant teenagers
Signs of deviant behavior in adolescents
Signs of depression in teenagers and its causes - how to help get out of it
For a teenager’s action to be considered deviant, violation of social norms must be regular. Harm must also be caused either to oneself or to others. If an action does not cause real harm to someone, but the teenager suffers from it, this is also a sign of deviation.
In addition, such behavior must correspond to the teenager’s personality and not run counter to his value system. Signs of deviant behavior in adolescents are not always visible to the naked eye. Unless he uses drugs, fights with bruises, or does other things that cause changes in appearance.
Preschoolers under 5 years of age have not yet sufficiently mastered social rules for their behavior to be interpreted as non-normative. Children of primary school classes, difficult minor youth can already be considered deviant if they meet the described characteristics.
Structure of deviant behavior of adolescents
Delusions of grandeur - what does it mean in people?
Deviant behavior manifests itself on several levels:
- Social stereotypes. For example, when deviant children join a youth subculture, shave their heads or violate social stereotypes about how a person should dress. They do not cause real harm, but they cause condemnation in society, which causes harm to themselves.
- Moral, religious norms. If society condemns the love of money, and deviant teenagers strive to earn it by sacrificing school, this violates moral standards. In general, this is an example of positive deviation, because almost all millionaires and billionaires earned their first money in adolescence. An example of negative deviation is deception, humiliation of another person, and other violations of unspoken rules or religious norms.
- Minor offenses. The term “delinquent behavior” is often used. This is usually a violation of administrative legal norms.
- Criminal behavior. Violent offenses that result in significant negative consequences for other people.
Categories of deviant behavior
It is impossible to create a unified classification of deviant behavior. The reason for this is that this phenomenon is studied by different sciences, each of which has its own definitions. The creation of a unified classification is also complicated by the diversity of forms of human behavior. There is no single correct understanding of the word “norm”. No one can be called completely normal.
Deviant teenagers try cigarettes
For example, sociology identifies the following categories of classification of deviant behavior:
- Scale. According to this criterion, deviant behavior is divided into individual and mass.
- Modality of consequences. Deviations from social norms can be positive or negative.
- Subject of behavior. An ordinary person, a specific group, social institutions and conventional groups can violate social norms (for example, female alcoholism).
- The object of deviant behavior can be economic, domestic, property and other types of relationships.
- In terms of duration, deviant behavior can be permanent or short-term.
The biggest classification feature is the type of norm being violated. This includes alcoholism, terrorism, robbery and other types of deviant behavior.
Prevention of deviant behavior in adolescents
Prevention is primary and secondary. The first is aimed at preventing non-normative forms of behavior in adolescent children, and the second is aimed at preventing relapses. In order for a child to behave correctly from a social point of view, it is necessary:
- Raising a child correctly. You can’t press him too hard, but you also shouldn’t condone him. It is necessary to clearly define the boundaries beyond which he cannot cross, and within their framework, provide the teenager with complete freedom. This means that a person of preschool age or older should not feel like a victim or a boss. Practice shows that the majority of deviant teenagers were brought up in families with the dictatorship of their parents or where they are too weak before the will of their child.
- Conduct educational lectures. It is advisable to invite an expert who will explain in detail the consequences of violating social norms and teach children to solve their problems in a socially acceptable way. Such lectures can be held both at school and at home.
- Specialized training that teaches socially acceptable forms of behavior. They can tell you how to correctly express emotions, achieve your goals, so as not to affect the interests of other people.
- Organization of leisure time. Most socially unacceptable forms of behavior are practiced by teenagers when they have nothing better to do. Therefore, it is recommended to enroll your child in developmental clubs. It is also important to avoid excesses here. Excessive workload of a child leads to neuroses, which can subsequently develop into deviant behavior. The choice of clubs should be based on the interests of the child. Circles teach you how to realize yourself in a socially acceptable way.
- Methods of social work with dysfunctional families. The social worker's job is to ensure that the child's needs are met. Then he will not try to do it on the side, perhaps in bad companies.
Important! Secondary prevention is carried out at the institutional and local levels.
Deviant teenager screaming
Good laws that stipulate work with juvenile offenders and the activities of social services at the local level are also important. Parents play an important role as agents of primary socialization.
Reducing verbal aggression
It is much more difficult to prevent verbal aggression from your grown-up child, as well as to respond adequately to it. It is necessary to analyze these words and try to understand all the negative experiences of your child. There is a possibility that he is not used to expressing his emotions differently or strives to show his advantage over adults. If an angry child insults the children playing with him, then adults need to explain how to give them a good rebuff.
Most teenage aggression is caused by certain situations where there is strong emotional stress. Many children cannot stand the commanding tone, the active demonstration of the superiority of adults over children, the expression of complete power, as well as their demands to obey them unquestioningly.
The task of each parent is not to actively demonstrate their own advantage and power, but to reduce feelings of hostility and prevent conflict.
How to stop aggression in children
The most effective way is to establish feedback using simple psychological techniques. You can reveal the motives for approaching child aggression by asking the question: “Do you want to offend me?”, openly express your attitude towards the situation that has arisen, which is reflected in the phrase: “I don’t deserve such treatment.” At the moment of establishing emotional contact, you need to show personal interest, a certain firmness and goodwill towards your own children, and together analyze individual actions, and not the entire person as a whole.
Negative and critical remarks from adults will cause a storm of harmful emotions and protest, and irritation will increase. When communicating with teenagers, you should not read moral lectures; you can only warn the child about the possible consequences of such behavior, and together choose possible ways out of such a conflict situation.
The ability to listen to a child is the first step to mutual understanding
A striking example of the positive behavior of parents is the ability to listen and empathize, giving him the opportunity to freely express his point of view.
It is advisable to set aside time for communication and recommendations to your child, to communicate in a conducive atmosphere. Adults need to actively show their trusting attitude towards children’s personal tasks and recognize children’s harmful feelings. You can pause between conversations to calm down.
Correction of deviant behavior in adolescents
Methods for correcting deviant behavior in adolescents are in many ways similar to methods of prevention. Their main task is to influence the cause, to determine the motive for violating generally accepted rules. If deviant behavior was caused by mental illness, then it is necessary to treat them, collectively using psychotherapy methods. The same applies to other reasons.
Trainings
Training is a group event, a project whose goal is to develop skills for correct behavior in society. Exercises are usually done in a playful way, which promotes the acquisition of relevant abilities. Trainings alone are not enough; social support is needed to consolidate the acquired skills.
Lectures and talks
This is another form of promoting a socially acceptable lifestyle. The method is not bad, but has a number of limitations. The lecture should not be conducted in an edifying manner, nor should it be boring.
Important! Ideally, it should be carried out by a teenager. This system is called “peer to peer”. If a person of the same age teaches teenagers how to live, they are more likely to be able to inspire trust and, as a result, provoke positive changes. He sends the right messages among ordinary children like himself, speaks their language. This is a simple but effective way to overcome and prevent deviant manifestations among primary school children and adolescents.
Proper organization of free time
In general, everything here is similar to what is written above. The only thing that can be added is that a teenager must learn to organize his free time independently. Positive changes must be carried out of his own free will, so imposing a schedule that is unacceptable to the child can only aggravate the situation and cause protest.
Thus, deviant behavior of adolescents is a complex problem. Ideally, it requires a multidisciplinary approach, but in mild cases, a change in parenting style is sufficient.
The value of training in psychoprophylactic work
Often, in order to change a teenager’s attitudes towards habitual negative behavior, experienced teachers introduce various interactive trainings into their work. In this form, important social skills are actively learned. This is facilitated by active work in group trainings.
Training that builds resistance to the harmful influences of society is popular among teachers. During active training, a teenager’s life attitudes towards immoral behavior change, his skills in quickly recognizing popular advertising moves are strengthened, and the important ability to refuse when pressured by older teenagers is formed. It also provides information in a non-standard form about the harmful influence of parents and other adults who actively demonstrate their inappropriate behavior and negative habits.
Group classes with a psychologist
To restore emotional disturbances, assertiveness training is carried out. In order to prevent such violations, schoolchildren are taught to recognize their own emotions, express them in the optimal way and cope with stress. During active psychological work in groups, schoolchildren master decision-making skills, their personal self-esteem increases, and the processes of self-determination and the development of good values are actively stimulated.
Active training in the formation of constructive life skills is aimed at the ability to communicate, create friendships, and resolve conflicts in interpersonal relationships in a constructive manner. Life skills refer to all the most important social skills of an individual. Adolescents develop the ability to take on a certain share of responsibility, set realistic goals, and defend their personal position and interests. Among the vital skills are the skills of self-control, behavior of a confident person, constructive changes in oneself and the environment.
Psychological prevention of deviant behavior
Many programs for helping already formed inappropriate behavior include techniques aimed at replacing deviance with constructive behavior.
At the same time, such alternative activity options are used as interesting travel, testing oneself and one’s own capabilities through mountain hikes, risky sports, personally meaningful communication, instilling a feeling of love, and developing creative potential.
