VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Behaviors…Everybody has them.Everybody needs them.

BUT what do we do about them?

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Cultural differences Behavior

– Self-stimulating behaviors & fixations

– Transitions– Increase in behaviors =

increase in stress– Difficulty waiting– Strong impulses– Uneven pattern– Excess anxiety ( Fear:

pervasive feeling)

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Behavior is Communication

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Video

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Behavior is: An outward form of expression

of an inward feeling or state It may be:

– A response to a place, a person or lack of people, a request

– An effort to counter or regulate an internal condition

– An attempt to keep the brain stimulated or in equilibrium

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

FORM INWARD STATE

yelling I want to get out of this game. I want your attention. I don’t want to do this task; it’s confusing. I’m bored with this activity.

hitting I want that item (i.e., her chair). I want to get out of this activity. I’ve done this 10 times today.

grabbing

I’m hungry! I want to take a turn.

rocking I need to calm myself down. I’m on overload. I need a break.

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Preventing Challenging Behavior

Environment Routines Curriculum Student-Teacher Interactions

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Brainstorm 10 ways you prevent behaviors

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

What you need to know Environment

– Structure Routine

– Procedures Curriculum

– Zone of proximal development Student-Teacher Interactions

– Praise– Effort Recognition– Classroom Supports

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Interpreting Behavior Define the context in which the

behavior occurs– What’s going on in the child’s

life?•External events • Internal events

– What happens right before the behavior?

– What happens right after the behavior?

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Internal or External Triggers? Boredom Non-preferred or

difficult activities Repeated demands Repeated mistakes Loud, harsh

corrections Tired Medication

reaction

Physical Management

Transitions New or unfamiliar

situations Sensory overload Unexpected changes Hungry Anxious about what

I will do today Sick or hurt

Janzen, J. (1996) Understanding the Nature of Autism p. 53. San Antonio, TX: Therapy Skill Builders

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Chain of events

Setting event Antecedent Behavior Consequence

 Hungry > asked to do difficult task throws task> removed from activity

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Video

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Interpreting Behavior

Identify the function of the behavior– What is the communicative intent

of the behavior?•What purpose does the serve?

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

to obtain

person, event, item, and/or sensory stimulation

Behavior has an underlying function

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Behavior has an underlying function

to escape

person, event, item, and/or sensory stimulation

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Video

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Where people get confusedPeople respond to the form of the

behavior

the way a behavior looks, what we observe happening

Instead of the function

the purpose the behavior serves

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Teaching Replacement Behavior

Teach a new behavior that serves the same purpose as the challenging behavior

Reinforce the new behavior

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Case Study

Use information in case study to determine function of the child’s behavior.

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Realize that in lieu of teaching new behavior, you may want to offer a different location where the behavior may occur

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Challenging

Hits

Rocks

Grabs Food

Replacement Behavior

Does a non-preferred activity and then a preferred task

Has time in his schedule to sit in the rocking chair and read for 5 minutes

Uses PECS to ask for snack

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Reducing Challenging Behavior Counter or modify the setting

events Alter the antecedents Alter the consequences Specify the adult’s role in a

crisis

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

How could you remove or counter these setting events?– Tired, hungry, worried, seated

between two active children How could you remove or alter

these antecedents?– Asked to do disliked task, hears

the fire alarm, asked to stop a preferred activity

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

How could the consequences be changed?

behavior consequence

function

Hits Told to stop Seeking attention

Throws work

Put in time out

Escaping task

Rocking Told to stop Seeking sensory stimulation

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Crisis Intervention

A crisis intervention plan is based on agreed upon strategies to use during the escalation, peak, and de-escalation phases of a crisis

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

3 Phases of a Crisis

Intervention (peak)

Prevention Resolution

(escalation) (de-escalation)

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Prevent Escalation

Intervene at Peak

Resolve to De-Escalate

Be Brief, Seek Privacy, Validate the Feeling Focus on What to Do Instead Be Non-Confrontational Provide Emotional First Aid Explain Why to Stop Avoid the Reinforcing Consequence  

 Give the Student Physical Space Remove the Victim or the Rest of the Class Provide Partial, Momentary Restraint  Remove the Student from the Class

Physically Intervene if trained, with permission, and documented

Get the Student Back into the Flow of the Day ASAP Encourage Self-Calming Use Restitution (if it is Calming)      

 

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Prevent Escalation

Intervene at Peak

Resolve to De-Escalate

Refer to social story

Stay calm, use few words, speak slowly

Change the visual schedule

Use visuals on the fly

Use If…Then boards

State the expectation

Use a choice board

Offer a break

 Give the Student Physical Space Remove the Victim or the Rest of the Class Provide Partial, Momentary Restraint  Physically Intervene  Remove the Student from the Class

Get the Student Back into the Flow of the Day ASAP Encourage Self-Calming Use Restitution (if it is Calming)      

 

VDOE T/TAC at VCU

Involving Families Families say they want to celebrate

the good things about their child Families say that they want to be able

to disagree openly and reach a win-win solution

They want a sense of ownership in the process by being asked to identify the behaviors and the priorities to address

They want to be reassured that they did not cause the behavior

They want a plan that is user friendly(Voorhees, 2001)