Behavioural Disorders: Definitions and Characteristics

DEFINITIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

Students who are behaviourally disordered include those with conduct disorders, anxiety and withdrawal, socialized aggression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and childhood psychoses. 

All categories of behavioural disorders are difficult to define.  In fact, a universally agreed upon definition is still unavailable..  However, educators agree that all students in this category of exceptionality have common characteristics including but not limited to:

• All types of behavioural disorders are CHRONIC
• All behaviours EXTEND FAR BEYOND THE NORM
• Regardless of the specific characteristics, all children in this category RESPOND in SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE ways to their environments
• The behaviours exhibited INTERFERE with expected AGE APPROPRIATE FUNCTIONING
• The behaviours exhibited VIOLATE both SOCIAL and CULTURAL EXPECTATIONS
• Children with behavioural disorders also experience LOW levels of ESTEEM, have problematic INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS and often POOR SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT