Abstract:

Dysfunctional behaviors in childhood constitute a heterogeneous set of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral difficulties shaped by the interaction between individual vulnerabilities and environmental conditions. In educational contexts, externalizing behaviors—particularly Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD)—are among the most frequent and disruptive, influencing learning, peer relations, and classroom climate. This study adopts an ecological-developmental perspective and distinguishes between internal entropy (children’s behavioral disorganization and dysregulation) and external entropy (structural and relational disorder in family and school environments). The underlying hypothesis is that dysfunctional behaviors arise from dynamic interactions between these two dimensions.

Objectives:
The research aims to:
(1) analyze how parents’ and teachers’ emotional states, attitudes, and behavioral styles influence the manifestation of children’s problematic behaviors;
(2) assess the impact of family and school entropy on behavioral, attentional, and oppositional outcomes; and
(3) verify whether the combination of internal and external entropy amplifies the likelihood of dysfunctional patterns.

Methodology:
The study involved more than 60 primary school children (grades 1, 3, and 5). Parents completed entropy questionnaires and the SDAG scale (Scala per l’Individuazione dei Disturbi dell’Attenzione e della Goffaggine), while teachers completed the SDAI (Scala per l’Individuazione dei Disturbi dell’Attività e dell’Impulsività) and SCOD scales (Scala di Conflittualità, Oppositività e Disattenzione). Additional variables—child gender, school grade, and parents’ education and occupation—were included to explore their associations with behavioral deficits and environmental entropy.

Results:
Findings show significant correlations between both family and school entropy and children’s behavioral difficulties. High levels of domestic disorganization, inconsistent parenting, emotional tension, and chaotic routines are strongly associated with impulsivity, oppositionality, and attention deficits. Likewise, classrooms with low structural order, inconsistent rules, and teacher emotional dysregulation appear to intensify externalizing behaviors.

Conclusions:
The study indicates that elevated personal entropy in parents and teachers represents a relevant risk factor for the development of dysfunctional behaviors in children. These results highlight the need for inclusive and capability-oriented educational strategies that intervene not only on individual vulnerabilities but also on modifiable environmental dimensions, promoting orderly, emotionally regulated, and pedagogically coherent contexts for healthy development.

Keywords:

Dysfunctional Behaviors, Externalizing Behaviors, SCOD–SDAG–SDAI Scales, Entropy, Inclusive Education.