Transcript Understanding Behavior

UNDERSTANDING
BEHAVIOR
Presented by:
Kelly Wilson
University of Colorado at Denver
Pyramid Plus Team
Funded by the Colorado Department
of Human Services
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Division of Child Care
Division for Developmental Disabilities, Early
Intervention Program (Part C)
Division of Behavioral Health
“IF AT FIRST THE IDEA IS NOT
ABSURD, THEN THERE IS NO
HOPE FOR IT.”
- Albert
― Albert Einstein
Einstein
Research Facts
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Best time to intervene is when NO problem behavior is
occurring (Carr et al., 1004,pp.15)
One way to EFFECTIVELY support individuals with
problem behavior is to build skills through effective
teaching (Carr et al., 2002; Horner, Albin, Sprague, &
Todd, 2000)
Efficacy data indicate PBS intervention strategies
were effective for all problem behavior examined
with as much as 80% reductions in challenging
behavior (Carr et al., 1999)
PBS was more effective when a functional assessment
was used to design behavioral interventions and
strategies (Carr et al., 1999)
Hot Button Activity
Examining Our Own Attitudes
• What behaviors are difficult or
push your buttons?
• How do these behaviors make you
feel?
• How does this impact your relationship with a
child and his/her family?
H.O. 1.1
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“They’re doing it to me again.”
“I’ve tried everything.”
“She needs to be somewhere else.”
“He does it all the time.”
“What do you expect?”
Looking for love in all the wrong places.
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Acknowledging the behaviors that upset you.
Acknowledging the behaviors that please you.
Collecting data on when, where, with whom the
behaviors occur.
Celebrating any change for the better.
Becoming a resource to others.
Looking for love in all the right places.
Positive Behavior Support
The ABC’s of Behavior
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Behavior
A specific action that a person does that can
be observed
Antecedent
Setting for the behavior, the “trigger”, could
be a change in the physical surroundings,
social circumstances, or behavior of others
Consequence
What happens immediately after the behavior
BEHAVIOR
A specific action that a person does that can
be observed.
Behavior
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Behavior is predictable; it does not occur in a
vacuum.
Behavior is changeable; we need to understand the
functions, predictors, and consequences of behavior.
Behavior intervention has two primary goals: to
reduce inappropriate behavior and to increase
appropriate behavior.
Some Basic Assumptions
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Challenging behavior is most often related to some skill
deficit (e.g., language, social).
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Behavior that persists over time is working for the
child.
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When we have positive relationships with children,
supportive classroom environments, and focus on
teaching social and communication skills, we reduce
the likelihood of challenging behavior
I Behave Because…
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I want something
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Attention
Tangible
Self-Reinforcing
I want to get away from something
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Escape
Avoid
Delay
Three Means…
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Make the problem behavior irrelevant: decrease or
eliminate the need to engage in the behavior.
Make the problem behavior inefficient: provide the
student with a replacement behavior that serves the
same function.
Make the problem behavior ineffective: do not
allow the child to obtain what he or she wants
through inappropriate behavior.
Crone & Horner (2003)
Old Way
New Way
• General intervention for
all behavior problems
• Intervention matched to
purpose of the behavior
• Intervention is reactive
• Intervention is proactive
• Focus on behavior
reduction
• Focus on teaching new
skills
• Quick Fix
• Long term interventions
14
PREVENT/ANTECENDENTS
Children are less likely to engage in
challenging behavior when they…
 Understand
the routine
 Understand
the expectations for their behavior
 Are
engaged in meaningful activities
Prevention Strategies
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Providing choices
Transition Supports
Environmental Supports
Curricular Modifications
Adult Verbal Behavior
Classroom Management
Opportunities for Pro-Social Behavior
Peer Modeling
Behavior
Teach Appropriate Skills
“The definition of Insanity is doing the same thing
over and over and then expecting different
results.”
- Benjamin Franklin
MOST IMPORTANT
QUESTION TO ASK
YOURSELF:
What is the function of this
behavior????
Form and Function
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Form = what the behavior looks like
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Function = what happens after the
behavior
Teaching Interventions
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Functional replacement
Specific academic skills
Problem-solving skills
General coping skills
Specific social skills
Teacher pleasing behaviors
Learning skills strategies
Self management
Delayed gratification
Increased engaged time
REINFORCEMENT/CONSEQUENCES
Consequences Impact on Behavior
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If the Consequence is PLEASANT
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The Behavior will occur MORE OFTEN
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If the Consequence is NOT PLEASANT
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The Behavior will occur LESS OFTEN
Responding
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Appropriate Behavior
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Compliments
Praise
Commenting
Inappropriate Behavior
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Ignore
Redirect
Reinforcement Interventions
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Reinforce functional behavior
Reinforce pro-social behavior
Increase non-contingent reinforcement
Discontinue reinforcement of problem
behavior
Group contingencies
Increase ratio of + to – responses
Home to school reinforcement
Closing Thought:
“THE WAY ONE VIEWS A PROBLEM
WILL DETERMINE IN LARGE MEASURE
THE STRATEGIES USED TO SOLVE THE
PROBLEM.”
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