What is maladaptive behaviour?

Question

Please give an easy to understand definition or explanation.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Non-adaptive behaviors would be:

behaviors which do not result in a good outcome. For instance yelling at a guy who tries to grab you on the street is adaptive behavior. However when a person uses that same behavior in several contexts that do not fit, such as yelling at your teacher at school or yelling at your parents instead of talking, we would say that the behavior has become mal-adaptive.

Hope that helps

ganldoc

Answer 2

A maladaptive behavior is a behavior or trait that is not adaptive — it is counterproductive to the individual. Maladaptivity is frequently used as an indicator of abnormality or mental dysfunction, since its assessment is relatively free from subjectivity.  The individual has the inability to reach goals or adapt to the demands of life and it

interferes, disrupts social group functioning.