A Process to Empower and Change the Behavior of an Aggressive Child: Luna's Story

Gila Cohen Zilka*
Department for Teaching Social Science and Communication, Bar-Ilan University and Achva Academic College, Israel.
Periodicity:February - April'2020
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jpsy.13.4.17064

Abstract

Aggressive behavior of children can take place in face-to-face encounters and in a wide range of encounters through social media, which exacerbating the difficulty experienced by those around the aggressive children. It is important to cultivate and empower emotional social skills in aggressive children. In this study, we present the story of Luna, a 14-yearold girl who was assessed as an aggressive child. The aim of this qualitative and narrative study was to document the process that Luna experienced while developing non-aggressiveways of coping. Fifty meetings between Luna and her mentor were captured on video. After each meeting, a narrative analysis of the video was performed, documented the encounter, and an interview was conducted with the mentor to achieve in-depth understanding. Luna has learned techniques for building alternative behaviors for those who have led to problematic situations, and will develop different scenarios and solutions to the situations she encounters. She learned to observe the behavior she chose and the sequence of events following that behavior; to delay her response to events, to plan her actions before choosing a response; to express her desires clearly; to share with others; to ask for help; to strive to choose words that explain, describe, and bring closer, rather than words that create distance.

Keywords

Relationship, Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Well-being, The Elements Way, Mentors, Empowerment, Youth, Behavior, Dialog.

How to Cite this Article?

Zilka, G. C. (2020). A Process to Empower and Change the Behavior of an Aggressive Child: Luna's Story. i-manager's Journal on Educational Psychology, 13(4), 44-57. https://doi.org/10.26634/jpsy.13.4.17064

References

[1]. Bauer, M. W., & Gaskell, G. (2000). Qualitative Researching with Text, Image and Sound. SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781849209731
[2]. Beaudoin, H., & Roberge, G. (2015). Student perceptions of school climate and lived bullying behaviours. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 321-330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01. 667
[3]. Birch, S. H., & Ladd, G. W. (1997). The teacher-child relationship and children's early school adjustment. Journal of School Psychology, 35(1), 61-79. https://doi.org/10. 1016/S0022-4405(96)00029-5
[4]. Blanton, M. L. (2018). Empowering Children to Think Algebraically. https://maths4maryams.org/mathed/wpcontent/ uploads/2018/09/WikiLetter-7.pdf
[5]. Bordin, E. S. (1979). The generalizability of the psychoanalytic concept of the working alliance. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 16(3), 252- 260. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0085885
[6]. Campbell, A. F., & Symonds, J. G. (2011.) Therapist perspectives on the therapeutic alliance with children and adolescents. Counselling Psychology Quarter, 24(3), 195- 209. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515070.2011.620734
[7]. Chase, S. E. (2005). Narrative inquiry: Multiple lenses, approaches, voices. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative research (pp. 651–679). Sage Publications Ltd.
[8]. Chenail, R. J. (2012). Conducting qualitative data analysis: Qualitative data analysis as a metaphoric process. The Qualitative Report, 17(1), 248-253. https:// nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol17/iss1/13
[9]. Clandinin, D. J., & Rosiek, J. (2007). Mapping a landscape of narrative inquiry: borderland spaces and tensions. In D. J. Clandinin (Ed.), Handbook of narrative inquiry: Mapping a methodology (pp. 35–75). Sage Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452226552.n2
[10]. Daloz, A. L. (1987). Effective Teaching and Mentoring. San Francisco & London: Jossey Bass.
[11]. Elias, M. J., & Arnold, H. (2006). The educator's guide to emotional intelligence and academic achievement: Social-emotional learning in the classroom. Corwin Press.
[12]. Freeman, S., & Kochan, F. (2019). Exploring mentoring across gender, race, and generation in higher education: An ethnographic study. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 8(1), 2-18. https://doi.org/ 10.1108/IJMCE-05-2018-0027
[13]. Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2005). Can instructional and emotional support in the first‐grade classroom make a difference for children at risk of school failure? Child Development, 76(5), 949-967. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.14 67-8624.2005.00889.x
[14]. Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2001). Early teacherchild relationships and the trajectories of children's school outcomes through eighth grades. Child Development, 72, 625–638. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00301
[15]. Hamre, B. K., Pianta, R. C., Downer, J. T., & Mashburn, A. J. (2008). Teachers' perceptions of conflict with young students: Looking beyond problem behaviors. Social Development, 17(1), 115-136. https://doi.org/10.1111/j. 1467-9507.2007.00418.x
[16]. Huppert, F., Baylis, N., & Keverne, B. (2005).The Science of Well-Being. Oxford University Press.
[17]. Husaj, S. (2016). Social Emotional Learning (SEL). European Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 1(3), 168- 171. https://doi.org/10.26417/ejms.v1i3.p168-171
[18]. Judge, T. A., & Bono, J. E. (2000). Five-factor model of personality and transformational leadership. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(5), 751-765, https://doi.org/10. 1037/0021-9010.89.5.901
[19]. Kagan, R. (1982). The Evolving Self: Problems and Process in Human Development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
[20]. Lereya, S. T., Copeland, W. E., Costello, E. J., & Wolke, D. (2015). Adult mental health consequences of peer bullying and maltreatment in childhood: Two cohorts in two countries. Lancet Psychol, 2, 524–531. https://doi.org/10. 1016/S2215-0366(15)00165-0
[21]. Lewin, K., & Gold, M. (1999). The Complete Social Scientist: A Kurt Lewin Reader. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
[22]. Machado, C., Madalena, A. E., Leite, C., Bertazzi, R., & Rossi, P. (2015). School bullying: A systematic review of contextual-level risk factors in observational studies. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 22, 65–76. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.04.006
[23]. McAdams, D. P., Josselson, R. E., & Lieblich, A. E. (2001). Turns in the Road: Narrative Studies of Lives in Transition. American Psychological Association.
[24]. Morrison, J., & Browning, A. (2018). Engagement and assessment within Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for children and young people presenting with anxiety: Principles and practice. Journal of Applied Psychology and Social Science, 4(1), 64-82.
[25]. Myers, S. S., & Pianta, R. C. (2008). Developmental commentary: Individual and contextual influences on student–teacher relationships and children's early problem behaviors. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 37(3), 600-608. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374 410802148160
[26]. Norcoss, J. C. (2002). Psychotherapy relationships that work. New York,: Oxford University Press.
[27]. Olweus, D. (2001). Peer harassment: A critical analysis and some important issues. In J. Juvonen & S. Graham (Eds), Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized (pp. 3-20). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
[28]. Papworth, M., Marrinan, T., Martin, B., Keegan, D., & Chaddock, A. (2013). Low Intensity Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy: A Practitioner's Guide. London: Sage.
[29]. Patterson, G. R. (1979). A performance theory for coercive family interaction. In R. B. Cairns (Ed.), The analysis of social inter actions: Methods, issues, and illustrations (pp.119-162). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
[30]. Pianta, R. C., Belsky, J., Vandergrift, N., Houts, R., & Morrison, F. J. (2008). Classroom effects on children's achievement trajectories in elementary school. American Educational Research Journal, 45(2), 365-397. https://doi. org/10.3102%2F0002831207308230
[31]. Pianta, R. C., Hamre, B., & Stuhlman, M. (2002). Relationships between teachers and children. In W. M. Reynolds & G. E. Miller (Eds.), Comprehensive handbook of psychology: Educational psychology (pp. 199-234). New York: Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/0471264385.wei0710
[32]. Popper, M., Mayseless, O., & Castlnovo, O. (2000). Transformational leadership and attachment. The Leadership Quarterly, 11(2), 267-289.
[33]. Riessman, C. K., & Speedy, J. (2007). Narrative inquiry in the psychotherapy professions: A critical review. In D. J. Clandinin (Ed.), Handbook of narrative inquiry: Mapping a methodology (pp. 426–456). Sage Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452226552.n17
[34]. Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., La Paro, K. M., Downer, J. T., & Pianta, R. C. (2005). The contribution of classroom setting and quality of instruction to children's behavior in kindergarten classrooms. The Elementary School Journal, 105(4), 377-394. https://doi.org/10.1086/429948
[35]. Romi, S., Savicki, V., Grupper, E., & Casp, R. (2007). Occupational burnout among child welfare workers: A work-setting. International Journal of Child & Family Welfare, 3(4), 93-109.
[36]. Smith, B., & Sparkes, A. C. (2009). Narrative inquiry in sport and exercise psychology: What can it mean, and why might we do it? Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2008.01.004
[37]. Vakani, F. S. (2017). Coaching and mentoring in higher education: A step-by-step guide to exemplary practice. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education,(6)1(,78-79. https://doi.org/10. 1108/IJMCE-12-2016-0076
[38]. Winnicott, D. W. (1965). The maturational process and the facilitating environment. New York: International University Press.
[39]. Zilka, G. C. (2015). Social competence of children at risk: Similarities and differences among the various assessors. Children and Adolescents at Risk in Israel: The Voice of Young People and Issues Faced by Child and Youth Care Workers, 2, 113-185.
[40]. Zilka, G. C. (2014). Empowering Educators and Mentors in the Social Media Age–The Three Element Way. Butan-Galim. (Hebrew) Tel Aviv: Bitan-Galim.
[41]. Zilka, G. C. (2017). The elements way: Empowering parents, educators, and mentors in the age of new media. Issues in Informing Science & Information Technology, 14, 101–119.
[42]. Zilka, G. C. (2018). Working with immigrant children and adolescents at risk: Mentors' use of the elements way. Psychology, 8(7), 308-321. https://doi.org/10.17265/2159- 5542/2018.07.003
[43]. Zins, J. E. (2004). Building Academic Success on Social and Emotional Learning: What Does the Research Say?. Teachers College Press. https://doi.org/10.1080/1057 3560600992837
If you have access to this article please login to view the article or kindly login to purchase the article

Purchase Instant Access

Single Article

North Americas,UK,
Middle East,Europe
India Rest of world
USD EUR INR USD-ROW
Pdf 35 35 200 20
Online 35 35 200 15
Pdf & Online 35 35 400 25

Options for accessing this content:
  • If you would like institutional access to this content, please recommend the title to your librarian.
    Library Recommendation Form
  • If you already have i-manager's user account: Login above and proceed to purchase the article.
  • New Users: Please register, then proceed to purchase the article.