An inability to function socially or emotionally is as much of a learning disability as the inability to read, says acclaimed child psychologist Dr. Ross Greene.

How to Calm Explosive Student Behaviour

An inability to function socially or emotionally is just as much a learning disability as the inability to read, says acclaimed child psychologist Dr. Ross Greene.

To strive toward true understanding
Pain itself is something that is loved.
But we do indeed accuse and rightly resent those who hurt others.
Except when harm is caused by desire, not responsibility—those who avoid their duties are to blame.

Dr. Greene speaks at seminars on addressing behavioural challenges and explosive outbursts. “The tragedy of our time,” he says, “is that few recognize and treat explosive, noncompliant behaviour as evidence of a learning disability.” As a result, these youth often worsen rather than improve. Labeled as manipulative, unmotivated, or attention-seeking, they rarely receive the support they truly need. Instead, punishment, withdrawal of attention, and reliance on rewards and consequences often deepen the problem.

In the past, students with reading difficulties were viewed as lazy or unintelligent. Today, we understand their needs and provide interventions. Greene believes that in time, students who struggle with flexibility and frustration tolerance will also be seen differently—recognized as having neurological deficits rather than being willfully difficult. These students, often prone to explosive behavior, will eventually be viewed as having learning disabilities and, importantly, will receive support.

Pain itself is something that is loved.
There is no one who loves pain for its own sake, simply because it is pain...

For Greene—who lectures widely, writes extensively, and founded the Collaborative Problem Solving Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital—help cannot come soon enough. His philosophy, when applied, has had remarkable results. Among juvenile offenders in the State of Maine, for example, recidivism rates dropped significantly after his approach was implemented.

—Leo Conard