"Positive parenting" to correct children's deviant behavior

To overcome the current situation of deviant behavior among young people, it is necessary to apply many synchronous solutions such as improving the quality of family education by communicating about the method of "active parenting".

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Thanh Nam believes that it is necessary to improve the quality of family education by communicating the method of "active parenting". (Photo: NVCC)

The current state of deviant behavior among young people today

Deviant behavior is understood as behavior that goes against the norms and regulations of the community. It can be divided into two types: deviant behavior and unconventional behavior.

Deviant behavior refers to a deviation from what is considered normal and correct. People who commit this behavior do not intend to change the value of the norm but simply violate the norm for personal purposes.

In contrast, nonconformist behavior is performed with the aim of changing the norms that the individual actually rejects. They want to replace the old norm with a new norm, which they believe to be more correct. Therefore, while deviant people often deliberately conceal their behavior, nonconformists openly demonstrate the value of the new norm.

In our country at present, along with certain social progress achieved thanks to the comprehensive renovation process, social evils such as drug trafficking and addiction, prostitution, smuggling, corruption, criminal offenses, etc. have also arisen.

Although there have been many measures to manage the above situation, in reality, social evils are increasingly occurring on a wider and more sophisticated scale. Many social studies proposing highly effective management directions and solutions seem to be still scarce.

There are many reasons leading to deviant behavior among young people.

First of all, we can mention the personality characteristics of the individual. Research on criminal personality characteristics over many years shows that they have a history of violating social norms since childhood. In-depth psychological analysis, these individuals have not reached the stage of logical intellectual reasoning equivalent to adulthood. Therefore, they basically lack awareness of the consequences of their actions, especially insensitivity, the inability to put themselves in the shoes of others to feel the consequences of their actions. Although they may cause serious consequences, in their minds these people always justify that others aggravate it.

Second is the impact of violence and deviant behavior on the media and the Internet. The current social media and media environment is also filled with violence and pornography. Exposure to violent and pornographic scenes in movies and social media can have a huge impact on children's behavior.

Violent and pornographic video games are also a problem that leads to violence. Video games increase the level of thinking and feeling violent and reduce understanding and sympathy for others. In particular, if children are attracted and drawn into violent games, it can have potentially harmful effects. For children in their teens, their bodies develop rapidly, while their psychology is still very immature, in transition, and they do not have much experience in behavior, they are easily attracted, learn from and follow the temptations of violent games.

Many children are attracted to and passionate about playing violent games and when influenced by these images, they can become more aggressive, easily becoming perpetrators or victims of violent acts in real life. Some children who are addicted to games also suffer serious mental consequences. Children participate less in social activities, less in communication with people, leading to isolation and feeling lonely, without friends.

It can be said that exposure to many violent scenes in movies, the Internet and video games for a long time leads to the paralysis of the code of conduct (morality) and reason. Viewers lose their self-control reflexes, making violent behavior happen more often and more easily.

Young people today also tend to abuse alcohol and other addictive substances more. Many deviant social behaviors are performed under the influence of common addictive substances including alcohol, drugs or other illegal substances.

Alcohol also increases sensitivity to what is perceived as insulting or disrespectful and contributes to uncontrolled violent behavior. Currently in Vietnam, there is no age limit for purchasing alcohol. In fact, addiction also pushes teenagers deeper into financial pressure and into many other deviant behaviors.

Positive discipline creates an environment that encourages and actively supports students. (Illustration: Internet)

Family education plays an important role

It can be said that family education plays an extremely important role. Parents of children who violate norms often use violence to educate their children. They also often violate other norms in daily life such as swearing, violating traffic laws...

Parents' violent and norm-violating behavior in daily life has made children accept that violence is normal between people. Parents' violent and norm-violating behavior is internalized into children's behavioral patterns.

Due to violent and unethical behavior, children are not accepted by their peers, leading to a lack of an environment to practice skills such as the ability to identify and interpret problems objectively; flexible problem-solving skills; and the ability to recognize other people's emotions.

"Increase coordination among parties to manage harmful content on the media, social networks and the Internet. There should be courses on safe living skills on the Internet in schools, preventing bullying and harassment in cyberspace and through technological means."

Children will continue to attribute hostile behavior to others and act in a revengeful manner. Entering puberty, facing physiological changes and psychological instability, children need the care, guidance and supervision of adults.

Parents should pay more attention and spend more time with their children at this time, but the reality is that this is the time when parents are most lax in managing their children. Especially for parents whose children have many behavioral problems and academic failures. Because they are too tired after many years of harsh management without results, parents at this point often give up and let their children do whatever they want.

Many parents avoid situations where they have to confront or talk to their children so that they can relax and not be bothered by their children’s misbehavior. But this behavior makes children hate their family, school, and classmates who always look down on them. They will continue to behave in a way that violates the norm.

Behavioral guidance for young people

The question is, what solutions are needed to help reorient the behavior and thinking of young people, in order to reduce the deviation? In my opinion, to overcome the current deviation in behavior among young people, many synchronous solutions need to be applied.

First , improve the quality of family education by communicating positive parenting methods. Similarly, teachers also need to learn effective classroom management skills and positive discipline strategies.

Second, there needs to be sanctions to bring education back to its rightful place. For example, there needs to be specific actions to restore the position of Civic Education, Life Values ​​Education, and Life Skills in the general education program to impact negative personal psychological factors.

Third, there must be strict control and punishment for those who store, transport, and trade in prohibited substances. Regulations need to be put in place soon to manage young people's access to alcoholic substances.

Fourth, it is necessary to pay attention to developing a community mental health care system consisting of doctors, clinical psychologists, psychological consultants and social workers. Develop professional codes and identify positions for psychologists in hospitals, schools and organizations to promptly screen, detect and intervene in individuals with mental health problems.

Fifth, strengthen coordination among parties to manage harmful content on media, social networks and the Internet. There should be courses on safe living skills on the Internet in schools, preventing bullying and harassment in cyberspace and through technological means.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/lam-cha-me-tich-cuc-de-dieu-chinh-hanh-vi-lech-chuan-cua-tre-290254.html