Individualized and Personalized QPIs

Shawn Milligan

SpEd 478/578:Educational Interventions E/BD

MSUM Summer 2009

Preventing an Emotional Crisis

2 Strategies

Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training

A research-based program developed by the Crisis Prevention Institute “A holistic behavior management system based on the philosophy of providing

the best Care, Welfare, Safety, and Security for staff and those in their care.” The program focuses on preventing disruptive behavior by communicating with

individuals respectfully and with concern for their well-being. “Teaches individuals how to respond effectively to the warning signs that

someone is beginning to lose control, but also addresses how staff can deal with their own stress, anxieties, and emotions when confronted with challenging situations. “

It is used to train teachers and those working in other human service fields throughout the United States and world.

I have been through the training several times in both Minnesota and Nevada. I am required to update it yearly.

More information and program research may be found at www.CrisisPrevention.com

Become Involved by Extending an Open Door Invitation

Encourage collaboration with families As Long tells us about Werner and Smith’s research on relationships “Studies

have shown that the most resilient youth all had at least one person in their lives that was absolutely crazy about them.”

Naomie Karp in her article in Long states “Families are sources of wisdom and knowledge about their children…”

If we know students do better when they have support then why not join together with the family to learn and work as one in the best interest of the student.

At the beginning of each school year and when I get a new student, I send out an introduction newsletter with various information, including my home phone number and the best time to reach me. I invite parents and students to call me if they need. I also extend them an open invitation to the classroom at anytime.

Many of my colleagues will are not willing to do this and that is okay, but for me I have done this for 16 years now and found it has been a wonderful communication tool and support device. It shows them that I care enough to invest extra time and energy in their family and allows them access to me when they have a question, need to vent, or let me know that a bad day may be coming.

Common Disorders with Intervention Strategies

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Persistent patterns of negativistic, hostile or defiant behavior directed primarily toward adults

Occurs in about 4% of children and adolescents Often proceeds a later diagnosis of conduct disorder

Symptoms: Persistent temper tantrums Arguing with adults Refusing to comply with reasonable adult requests Annoying others Vindictiveness

Oppositional Defiant DisorderIntervention Strategies

Offer choices for completing tasks Reinforce the student's collaborative or prosocial efforts Use "I need you to" rather than "You need to" statements Allow the student time to demonstrate compliance Reward appropriate behaviors at multiple intervals during the day Allow the student to fix problems rather than to affix blame Address the student's distortions or lies apart from other students. With the

student, examine how things would be different if the lie were true. Involve the student in reciprocal activities that encourage feelings of belonging

and support self-worth Designate a time and place for working through conflicts Help the student identify underlying feelings of anger and anxiety and plan for

appropriate resolution of these feelings. Employ active listening skills Negate any face-off with the child when and if possible

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Demonstration of excessive worry about events or activities to the

extent that it is difficult to control responses

Clinically significant impairment in social or academic functioning occurs

4% percent of children and a bit higher in adolescents

Symptoms: Restlessness Fatigue Concentration Problems Irritability Muscle tension Sleep disturbance

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Intervention Strategies

Self talk to help monitor internal anxiety and give student a sense of control

Identify a safe place at school for the student to go Develop and practice relaxation techniques Encourage small group interactions Provide assistance with peer interactions Provide alternative activities to distract from physical

symptoms Allow extra time when needed Reward efforts Encourage the student to develop interventions

The Eating Disorders of Anorexia and Bulimia

Anorexia is an eating disorder during which a person (usually a teenage girl) becomes so obsessed with their weight and shape that they starve themselves down to nothing.

Bulimia is an eating disorder where people consume large amounts of food in a short time (usually less than 2 hours). These food-binges often occur in secret and involve high calorie, high carbohydrate foods that can be eaten quickly, like ice cream, doughnuts, candy, popcorn, and cookies. After these binge episodes, most bulimics (80-90 per cent) 'purge' their bodies of the excess calories by vomiting, abuse of laxatives or diuretics.

According to US estimates from The National Institute of Mental Health, between 5 and 10 % of girls and women (i.e. 5-10 million people) and 1 million boys and men suffer from eating disorders, including anorexia, and bulimia.

Anorexia symptoms include: refusal to eat throwing away food inaccurately thinking one is fat – distorted body image fear of becoming fat absence of menstrual cycle extreme weight loss malnutrition and failing health

Bulimia symptoms include: making oneself throw up, or taking laxatives to lose weight

Anorexia and Bulimia Intervention Strategies

Intervention Strategies for anorexia:

Allow the student to eat in a more comfortable setting where people aren’t directly watching them

Have the student eat/snack while doing another activity to keep their mind off of eating Provide alternative activities when focus on food interferes with academics Allow the student to complete academics in settings where food is not present Identify student-acceptable comments teachers can employ during eating (break vs.

lunch, you look so skinny, that color looks good on you versus you look good in that dress, I ate so much at lunch, pig out, etc)

Identify alternative foods/snacks available for the student if he/she resists eating

Intervention Strategies for bulimia:

Allow the student to complete academics in settings where food is not present Minimize opportunities for bulimic behaviors by having the student go to the bathroom

before he/she eats, and remain in class after eating for sufficient time to digest food

Works Cited

American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.) Washington D.C: Author.

Crisis Prevention Institute (2009). Nonviolent crisis intervention training. Uploaded July 22, 2009. http:// www.CrisisPrevention.com

Forness,S., Walker,H.,Kavale,K. Psychiatric disorders and treatments: a primer for teachers. Long, N.J., Morse, W.C., Frank, A.F., & Newman, R.G. (2007). Conflict in the classroom: Positive staff support for troubled students (6th ed.). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.

Karp, Naomie. Collaboration with families: from myth to reality. Long, N.J., Morse, W.C., Frank, A.F., & Newman, R.G. (2007). Conflict in the classroom: Positive staff support for troubled students (6th ed.). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.

Long, N.J., Morse, W.C., Frank, A.F., & Newman, R.G. (2007). Conflict in the classroom: Positive staff support for troubled students (6th ed.). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.

Massachusetts General Hospital, School of Psychiatry, Madi Research Center. (2009).

Uploaded July 22, 2009. http://www.schoolpsychiatry.org