What's Causing your Teen's Problem Behavior?

It’s a question all parents wonder as they watch their child act in ways that are clearly not beneficial: What’s causing them to act this way?

We typically solve problems by starting at the source. We identify what is causing the problem, and then we work from there in order to find a solution. This works for anything, like a leaky faucet, a weak wifi signal, and even problem behaviors!

As parents, we know that something is wrong when our teens lash out, act up, or isolate. The tough part is figuring out what they are struggling with and how to solve it. And when the issue at hand is procrastination, anxiety, self-harming, or other problem behaviors, many parents at a loss for where to begin.

This is where DBT comes into play. DBT skills like Behavioral Chain Analysis can help you and your teen identify and prevent problem behaviors before they get out of control. With the uncertainty of the school year just around the corner, now is a great time to get a handle on negative patterns of behavior so that they don’t escalate in the weeks to come.

Think of behavioral chain analysis as a problem solving tool for behaviors; it helps teens determine what they could do differently when dealing with problematic behavior. By mapping out the chain on paper and analyzing every step of the way, teens can find points in which they could act differently and then change the outcome.

Here’s your teen’s guide to identifying and preventing negative behaviors:

1. Determine the problem behavior.
   Describe the problem in detail, using specific information. What exactly did you say, do, or think? You should give enough details so that someone who didn’t know anything about it could understand and picture the moment in their mind.

2. Consider the triggers.
   What caused the problem behavior in the first place? What was happening the moment that the problem started, or right before it started? Think about what was going on in your environment that may have caused this to happen. What were you thinking, feeling, or doing at the time? Be a detective, putting the information together about your external environment and internal factors in order to figure out the exact events that triggered it.

3. Identify your vulnerabilities.
   What factors (both internal and external) make you vulnerable? What makes you more susceptible to acting on problem behavior? Some examples of vulnerabilities are intense emotions, illness, problems eating or sleeping, feeling hungry, feeling very tired, stressful environments, feeling anxious or overwhelmed, drugs and alcohol, or having a similar negative experience in the past.
 

4. Find the links that led up to the problem behavior.
   Think about what events link your triggers to your problem behavior. Consider every step along the way, even small moments, and describe them in detail. What specific thought, feeling, body sensation, action, or event occurred after the triggering event? What happened after that, and after that? Break it down into as many differentiated steps as you can. Like a detective, consider every bit of information when mapping out the links; even the smallest moments could be useful clues.

5. What are the consequences of the problem behavior?
   Consider short term and long term consequences. How did you feel immediately after the problem behavior? How did others react? How did your behavior affect the environment?
 Be as specific as you can.

6. Brainstorm solutions to prevent the problem behavior.
   Now you that you have mapped out the behavioral chain and gathered your evidence, you can find solutions to prevent the behavior. Look back at the chain and determine areas where you could have done something differently in order to avoid the problem behavior. Maybe you could have used a coping skill, left the room for a different environment, or taken a more mindful approach. Also, think about what you could do to prevent the chain from starting in the first place. How can you make yourself less vulnerable to your triggers? Can you change your internal or external environment so you’re less likely to fall into negative patterns of behavior?

Then, you can make a plan for the next time your triggers arise. Now that you better understand the chain that causes the problem behavior, you can develop concrete strategies to proactively deal with it before it gets the best of you.

Is your teen not so eager to complete a behavioral chain? Consider that your teen will get as much out of a behavioral chain as they put into it. Encourage your teen to complete a behavioral chain so that they don’t have to suffer the consequences of negative pattern behavior anymore. Give them the incentive that it will make their life easier.

Let’s say that they suffer from procrastination. Maybe they play video games or go on their phone instead of doing their summer assignments because the amount of work is overwhelming. Tell your teen that they won’t feel as stressed about getting the work done if they complete a behavioral chain. It will help them figure out why they procrastinate and what they can do to get things done effectively. Most importantly, it will take a huge emotional weight off of their back to not suffer from the problem behavior anymore. You can offer to work through it together, so that don’t feel intimidated doing it on their own.

Don’t let your teen’s problem behavior be a mystery any longer! Use behavioral chain analysis to find areas where your teen could utilize coping skills or act differently in order to change the outcome. Together, you can come up with a healthy, effective plan for the next time your teen encounters triggering events.