Child behaviour refers to the observable actions, reactions, and patterns of conduct of children as they develop, encompassing emotional expression, social interaction, self-regulation, and responses to caregivers and environment. It is studied to understand normal development and to identify difficulties that may s…
Child behaviour refers to the observable actions, reactions, and patterns of conduct of children as they develop, encompassing emotional expression, social interaction, self-regulation, and responses to caregivers and environment. It is studied to understand normal development and to identify difficulties that may signal or predict later emotional and psychological problems. Behaviour in childhood is shaped by the interaction of temperament, family relationships, and external influences, and research in this area examines how caregiving shapes outcomes, for example how maternal behaviour affects a child's attachment-related cortisol stress response, and how dysfunctional attitudes and rumination relate to depressive, eating, and aggressive symptoms across childhood and adolescence. Therapeutic work draws on these findings, as in rumination-focused cognitive-behavioural therapy delivered to children and examined alongside caregiver-child interaction, while contemporary studies also consider environmental influences such as the impact of computer use on child health. Significance lies in the recognition that early behavioural patterns and the caregiving context have lasting consequences for mental well-being, social competence, and adjustment. Principal sub-areas include temperament and self-regulation, attachment and the caregiver-child relationship, the emergence of internalising and externalising problems, behavioural assessment, and child-focused behavioural and cognitive-behavioural intervention.
7 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 7 articles above have been cited 36 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Child Behavior, linking to each citing work.