Abstract
There are numerous reason’s to help explain why children behave the way they do. Sometimes they may be trying to selfishly get something, please an adult or are seeking praise and approval. Sometimes they may be trying to replace something that is absent from their life. Children are not adept at discussing their thoughts and feelings. Often times they communicate through their behavior. For elementary-aged students, the classroom becomes an early setting where disruptive behaviors can have them standing out from their same-aged peers. This Capstone Project will examine the possible correlation between students who disrupt their classrooms by way of seeking attention behaviors and those students who believe they do not have a nurturing relationship with their parent/caregiver(s). The belief is that these two types of students are one in the same (those who feel rejected/and those who seek attention). It makes sense that if a child is not getting their basic need for attention and nurturance; they may seek it out in a maladaptive way. If a School Counselor can first properly identify these students, and secondly, begin to deduce why they may be acting out in class. It becomes logical to devise an intervention strategy that can replace, to a degree, what these students are needing. One intervention proposal is to match these students with a mentor who will provide academic support and supportive, nurturing interactions. The predictive effect of this intervention strategy is that the student’s distress will lesson, boost their pro-social development, resulting in better peer relationships, improved academic performance, and increased harmony in the classroom.
Date of Award
12-1-2014
Document Type
Capstone Paper
Department
Counselor Education
Recommended Citation
Lecheler, Dan, "Students Seeking Attention" (2014). Counselor Education Capstones. 20.
https://openriver.winona.edu/counseloreducationcapstones/20
Unique Identifier
wsucedcap0000020
Rights
Educational use only. All copyright protections apply.
