Finally, when children feel totally defeated, they will become discouraged. They act disabled or inadequate to perform any task, such as their chores or school work. Parent's attempts at correction usually end up with passive responses on the child's part or they receive no reaction at all. This diagnostic question recognizes that children are not aware of their motivations for misbehavior. It also recognizes that all misbehavior, even attention-getting, stems from discouragement.
Children lack the courage to behave in positive, constructive ways.
They are simply trying to figure out where they belong in their family. And when their attempts to feel significant are not met with positive responses, they become even more discouraged and try a new or more intense misbehavior. What motive they choose may also depend on their interpretation of the situation. But why they choose a particular motive is not as important as understanding that parents can do to modify their child's misbehavior so that they can get what they feel they need in an appropriate rather than inappropriate manner. Click here to support international family planning.