The days of naps and snack time may be gone, but the positive reinforcement that was employed by teachers and parents should not be left in the sandbox.

More often than not, these practices are left behind and replaced with a less productive system: negative reinforcement.

In fact, it teaches children and teens that in order to avoid negative consequences they have to perform their tasks diligently. This avoidance tactic often unintentionally exasperates children and teens.
“My parents usually tell me that I wasn’t doing well enough in school despite me having A’s and B’s,” college student Elizabeth Greenough, said. “I felt like I couldn’t do anything right because my parents were critical of everything I did.”

Research indicates that negative reinforcement can affect their child’s motivation and mental health.

“I honestly think that their criticism of me promoted a lot of insecurity and depression,” Greenough said.
According to doctoral candidate of Sollars and Associates, Derek Zuhlke, negative reinforcement promotes negative self-worth and low self-esteem. It is likely that adolescents who are frequently subjected to negative reinforcement are at a higher risk of suffering from and being diagnosed with psychological disorders.
In contrast, Zuhlke finds that positive reinforcement reaps a bountiful amount of benefits.

Benefits that can come from positive reinforcement include increased positive behavior, increased performance and the capability of dealing with more stress in a work environment.

“Positive reinforcement allows children to feel capable of accepting themselves regardless of failure,” Zulhke said. “When children are able to accept themselves, they are able to achieve their goals with confidence.”

Despite the influence of peers, it is actually parents, according to Zuhlke, that affect a child’s socio-emotional development.

It is important to realize that employing positive reinforcement does not mean that a child will be spoiled. In fact, positive reinforcement often promotes good behavior in children because they continue to crave positive behavior from their parents.

“Positive reinforcement helps children realize that they can accept themselves regardless of their success or failure,” Zuhlke said.