Dibs: In Search of Self-analysis and Reflection

Identifying information

Dibs was a four year old boy, who was still in kindergarten in a private school. His family was nuclear, which consisted of his dad, his mum and his sister, and his father was a known scientist. The socioeconomic status of his family was not bad, since his dad had a good job, and his parents were also socially outgoing, thus making them to easily relate with other people (Axline, 1967). Dibs’ sister was however anti-social, and she was regarded as, a spoilt brat, due to her unwelcoming behaviour. Dibs had been in the private school for a period of two years.

Pressing Problems   

            Dibs condition can be described as being an introvert, due to the way the boy used to behave. While at school, Dibs did not relate with any children, and would always stay away from them. In addition, he was also aggressive, and at some point he would end up injuring other students. For instance, he scratched one of his classmates (Axline, 1967). At times Dibs was silent, and he mostly preferred to crawl while other children either did group work or did their individual work. He preferred to be at school rather than going home, and would really complain when his mother came to pick him up from school. In as much as he wanted to spend time alone, he liked books and would always look into books as if he knew how to read. However, sometimes he would become very violent particularly when his mother or the chauffeur came to pick him up from school. While alone, Dibs exhibited a unique behaviour, whereby he would closely observe things, and when he saw someone looking at him, he would hide under the table or start crawling.

            Dibs behaviours did not last for long, and this majorly depended on whoever was around him. When Miss A, was around, Dibs was very silent and at ease, and would therefore do things while relaxed. Whenever he was around anyone else, Dibs would not do anything at all, and would therefore remain quiet or start crawling (Axline, 1967). When it came to going home, he would sometimes scream and act violently towards his mother, and he would even hit her with the fist, while sometimes he would only cry for a moment then he would go quiet. The intensity of his behaviour was not predictable, because he would change his behaviour from time to time. Nonetheless, the issue of crawling always lasted for long, as long as other people were around, thus making him to remain alone.

            The condition which Dibs might be suffering from may be autism spectrum disorder. This is basically because Dibs exhibits symptoms which are closely related to that of autism spectrum disorder. For instance, the way Debs remains silent and does not want to relate with other children, hence crawling and hiding under the table (Axline, 1967). In addition, Debs also becomes interested in somethings particularly when alone, and this is also a symptom of autism spectrum disorder.       

            In order to asses Dibs condition, teachers should pay a close attention to what makes Dibs aggressive, silent, and naughty. Secondly, paediatrician should also look into the factors either in school or at home, which affect the way Dibs behaves. Thirdly, Dibs parents should keep him away from things which might affect his character (Axline, 1967). This may include watching war movies, playing violent games, and being too close to his sister, who is very naughty. If the above procedures are followed, then Dibs is likely to change his behaviour, and he is also likely to easily interact with other students without any problems whatsoever. In addition, the factors which affect his behaviour will also be established, thus keeping him away from them, hence improving his behaviour.     

Risk and Protective Factors      

When it comes to Dibs condition, the risk factors are more as compared to protective factors.

Some of the risk factors include:

Poor social relationships with other children.

Lack of concentration in class work.

Poor understanding and cooperation particularly in group work.

Childhood emotional problems.

Low self-esteem

Favourable attitudes towards drugs and alcohol.      

School violence.

Low commitment to classwork

Low positive mood (Bekhet & Matel, 2017).

Difficulty in school transition

Discrimination especially from the society

Isolation

Peer rejection from his own peers. 

 

Protective Factors

High academic achievement

High concentration ability, particularly when alone.

Optimistic outlook on life

Focused and determined.

 

The above risk and protective factors clearly explain the condition which Dibs is suffering from, and how it might affect his life. Looking at the risk factors, Dibs is more likely to suffer if the condition is not taken care of on time (Bekhet & Matel, 2017). Due to his behaviour of distancing himself from other children, it may be very hard for him to understand how to relate with other people, as he grows up. Moreover, due to his temperamental behaviour, Dibs is likely to become violent, particularly towards other children, making them to bully him or even distance themselves from him as he grows up.

Lack of cooperation in classwork is a very critical issue, which affects Dibs’ as a student. As a student, Dibs will be required to participate in group works and individual work, thus if he is not able to pay attention to group work, then he might not benefit from what other students would be discussing (Bekhet & Matel, 2017). This might lead to poor performance in class work, hence the child may not pass well in his studies. However, due to the characters which Dibs exhibits while looking at a book, it is evident that he may be interested in reading, a factor which may help him in improving his performance, thus he may be able to perform better at school.

When looking at the protective factors, Dibs is likely to concentrate particularly when he is alone, or when surrounded by a person whom he is used to. This can therefore help him in paying attention in class, particularly if he close to the teacher (Bekhet & Matel, 2017). On the other hand, if he is not close to the teacher then he may not pay attention. In addition, he may become focused, since he pays attention to certain things when alone, and this may translate to reading when alone. Furthermore, he might be optimistic, due to having less interaction with other children, and not caring so much about the things which may not be of importance as other kids would do.          

Personal Reaction

            Dibs book clearly explains what some children pass through, and how some parents may not realize if the child is not okay. When looking at Dibs’ condition, it is very hard to know if he is actually affected by a serious condition. The book therefore allows parents to observe the reaction of their children, hence providing the necessary care to them while young.       

Reference

Axline, V. M. (1967). Dibs in search of self. New York: Ballantine Books.

Bekhet, A. K., & Matel-Anderson, D. (2017). Risk and Protective Factors in the Lives of Caregivers of Persons With Autism: Caregivers' Perspectives. Perspectives In Psychiatric Care, (3), 199. doi:10.1111/ppc.12158