Transcript Taking the “Challenging” out of Challenging Behavior

Understanding Why Children
Engage in Challenging Behavior
Developing Positive Effective Strategies
Amy McCart, Ph.D.
Learning Disabilities of Kansas Conference
November 7, 2008
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Understanding Positive Behavior Support
How does behavior work?
Understanding the functions (or reasons) for
problem behavior
Developing effective intervention strategies
using the Behavior Analysis and Intervention
Summary (BAIS)
Parent tools (Keys and Home)
PBS involves comprehensive multicomponent support that focuses on:
Preventing problem behavior
Using of research-validated practices
Teaching new skills
Enhancing quality of life
Assessing the reasons for problem behavior and
redesigning environments and challenging contexts
 Embedding intervention into natural routines
 Person-centered support
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There’s so much more than what you see on the surface
▪ Behavior – observable response
▪ Antecedents – what happens before the behavior (can
function to trigger behavior)
▪ Consequences – what happens after (can reduce or
increase the likelihood of behavior through the
principles of reinforcement and punishment)
Conditions or circumstances that increase the
likelihood of problem behavior
Setting events “set the stage…”
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Can be due to social, environmental or
physiological factors
May or may not immediately proceed the
behavior
Examples may include: lack of sleep,
sickness, medication changes, stressful
experiences, cultural issues, history and
family experiences
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Example
History
Medical Conditions
Context
Can
increase the
Can increase
the
Likelihood of Behavior
likelihood of behavior
Antecedent
Triggers
Consequence
Can decrease the
Can decrease
the
likelihood
of Behavior
Likelihood of Behavior
Sleep
Medications
Bad Morning
Determining Function
Problem behavior occurs to accomplish the
following
Escape
Obtain
Activities
Items
Activities
Items
Attention
Attention
Physiological
Stimulation
Physiological
Stimulation
Sugai & Horner, 2001
Be (or find) an objective observer
Interview others in the child’s life
Behavior Analysis and Intervention
Summary (BAIS)
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Let’s use the BAIS: Behavior Analysis and
Intervention Summary to develop an
effective multi-component intervention to
address the example provided earlier
With an example from your experience identify
the following:
 How behavior works?
 How to determine the function (or reason) for
problem behavior
 Develop effective intervention strategies
using the Behavior Analysis and
Intervention Summary (BAIS)
McCart, A. & Bannerman Juracek, D., 2002
McCart, A. & Bannerman Juracek, D., 2002
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Layers of Support
Includes choice
Touches on individual, group and class-wide
Includes lots of positive components
Immediate elements of reinforcement
Consistent
Considers context
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Effective teachers recognize that the only
behavior they can directly control is their
own
First thing to do when you encounter a
student with problem behavior is NOT to
focus on changing his/her behavior but
focus on changing your own teaching
behaviors
Utah SIGNAL Project
Utah State University
An easier way to address problem behavior systematically
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Describe problem behavior
Figure out why it occurs (that is, the reason
for (or “function” of) the problem behavior
Choose some positive intervention strategies
using the questions on the back as a guide
Behavior
Why?
Ticket
to
Success
Strategies
Strategies
Can I change the environment, or routine or
schedule to change this behavior?
Can I reward or acknowledge a positive
behavior instead?
Can I teach a new skill to replace this
behavior?
Can I think of more than one way to address
this behavior in a positive way?
What can I do to prevent this behavior in the
future?
Harmony in The Home
Key Settings and Core Behavioral Strategies for the Home
Focus Child: _______________________
Date: _________________
Home Setting: ________________________
1) Sketch out a diagram of how a problematic home setting (room, area, floor of the
house, outside area) is set up on the back of this page. What changes can be made
to make is less problematic environmentally (increase visual supervision, support
active engagement in activities, etc.)
2) Record a typical daily schedule, include transition times as specific activities.
3) Decide what your clearly defined behavioral expectations will be for your home.
What do they look like and not look like in this specific environment.
4) Select a motivation system for your home or this specific environment, using a
layered positive based motivation system; try not to rely on one system.
5) Establish clear steps to deal with behavioral concerns when necessary.
6) Write down 3 or 4 back up activities that will be available to your child, if a
planned activity is not working. Have all needed supplies and materials for these
back up activities available.
7) Select specific ways to handle transitions in your home. Specifically, how will
your child know it is time to change activities and how will they go about moving
from one activity to another?
8) How will you ensure consistency with your child in other environments in your
home or at restaurants, in a vehicle, etc.?
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Weaving Intervention into the Fabric of Everyday
Life: An approach to family assessment (Bernheimer
& Keogh, 1995)
Contextual Fit for Behavioral Support Plans (Koegel,
Koegel, & Dunlap, 1996)
Positive Behavior Support with Families (Lucyshyn,
Dunlap, & Albin, 2002)
Parenting with Positive Behavior Support: A practical
guide to resolving your child’s difficult behavior
(Hieneman, Childs & Sergay, 2006)
Developing Cross-Culture Competence (Lynch &
Hanson, 2004)
Center for Evidence Based Practice
www.challengingbehavior.org
 Online academy PBS module
www.onlineacademy.org
 OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive
Behavioral Interventions & Supports
www.pbis.org
 Kansas Institute on Positive Behavior Support
www.kipbs.org
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Don’t forget APBS in March 2009
Amy McCart, Ph.D.
University of Kansas
PBS Research & Consultation, LLC.
[email protected]