“Butter fingers”. Interdisciplinary approach to students with behavior disorders

Abstract

Behaviour disorders (BDs) have a high prevalence in children, are characterized by a high heterogeneity in terms of their aetiology and clinical manifestations and have an important impact on their socialization groups (family, school) as well as on the child.
BDs require an intensive, transversal and interdisciplinary approach and a co-responsibility of functions among the different intervention resources is necessary. In this line, a training program for teachers has been promoted in Granollers where the methodology used is the "case construction" trying to create a "shared view" between clinical and pedagogical aspects and the horizontal transmission of knowledge between the two areas. We present the case of an 8-year-old boy diagnosed with severe BD associated with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, from the point of view of his teacher and reflections are made from the educational and mental health fields. Important components with "therapeutic power" are identified and developed in the BD intervention: the teacher-student relationship, where the teacher represents a positive attachment figure; the creation of a coordinated multidisciplinary team that allows for a proximity approach focused on the needs of the child; the need for functional understanding of behaviour in emotional terms; the use of universal intervention measures from which all students benefit and facilitate the inclusion of the child; the need for "care" and accompaniment to the teacher. In addition, specific intervention, classroom and group management strategies are offered.