understanding challenging behaviours georgina robinson popard

Understanding Understanding Challenging Challenging BehavioursBehaviours

Georgina RobinsonGeorgina RobinsonPOPARDPOPARD

Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes

1. Identify the differences between Traditional Behaviour Management and Positive Behaviour Support

Learning Outcomes…2Learning Outcomes…2

2. Identify the steps involved in a functional behavior assessment

Learning Outcomes…3Learning Outcomes…3

3. Understand the relationship between a functional behavior assessment and a positive behavior support plan

Part One:Part One:

UnderstandingUnderstanding

ChallengingChallenging

BehavioursBehaviours

Traditional Behaviour Traditional Behaviour ManagementManagement

versusversus

Positive Positive Behavioural Behavioural

SupportSupport

Past versus Current Past versus Current Understanding of Understanding of

BehaviorBehavior::Traditional New/Current

Decrease in problem behaviours

Increase in skills and adaptations

Emphasis on consequences

Emphasis on antecedents or setting

events

Form of behaviour most important

Functions or “messages” of behaviour most

important

Separate instructional & behavioural plans

Integrated instructional &

behavioural plans

Traditional Behaviour Traditional Behaviour Management Management vs.vs.

Positive Behaviour Positive Behaviour SupportSupport

What is Traditional Behaviour Management?What is Traditional Behaviour Management?Views the problem as within the child. Does not

address how the environment impacts the child’s behaviour

Focus is on reducing behavior through reactive plans (punishment focus), don’t teach the child what to do only what not to do.

Philosophy of expecting positive behavior regardless of the environment

ADHD? BEHAVIOR DISORDER?

OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER?

DISRUPTIVE, RUDE AND AGGRESSIVE

How can I stop him from doing that?What should I do when he does that?

I don’t know how to deal with this!I can’t control this child!Can a child like this change?

Positive Behaviour Positive Behaviour SupportSupport

What is Positive Behaviour Support?What is Positive Behaviour Support?

“Process for understanding the purpose of challenging behaviours and developing a plan that promotes the development of new skills while reducing the individual’s need to engage in challenging behaviour.”

Dunlap, Vaughn, & O’Neill, 1998

Why is he doing this?What is he trying to communicate?

I wonder what sets off the behavior?Let’s look at the activities and the schedule?

What is the function of this behavior? Does he want attention? Does he want to avoid something? Does he get something when he does this?

I can help the teacher understand what’s going on…She’ll be able to handle this.

Step One:Step One:

The Functional The Functional Behavioral AssessmentBehavioral Assessment

The Six Phases of a The Six Phases of a Functional Behaviour Functional Behaviour

AssessmentAssessmentPHASE 1: Collecting Historical and Background

DataPHASE 2: Determining the Target BehaviourPHASE 3: Conducting Direct ObservationsPHASE 4: Generating a HypothesisPHASE 5: Verifying the HypothesisPHASE 6: Determining the Function of the

BehaviourSource: “Functional Behavioral Assessment: An Interactive Training Module”

(2000) Liaupsin, C.J., T.M. Scott et al.

Phase 1: Phase 1: Collecting Historical and Collecting Historical and Background InformationBackground Information

Two methods for collecting the student’s historical and background information include:

Records or File Review Structured Interviews


Record or File Reviews Include:Diagnostic/medical recordsPsychological reportsReports from other specialists (OT, PT,

and Speech Language Pathologists)Developmental ProfilesBehavior or Educational Support Plans Incident Reports


Structured Interviews may examine:Further historical information;Settings, events and persons where the

behaviour occurs;Settings, events and persons where the

behaviour DOES NOT occur;Potential ReinforcersWhat the Problem Behaviour Looks Like.

Phase 2:Phase 2:Determining the Determining the Target BehaviourTarget Behaviour

Defining the target Challenging Behaviour consists of two parts:

A General Category of BehaviourSpecific Descriptors

Based upon the work of:Liaupsin, C.J., T.M. Scott et al. (2000)


Statement of Target Behavior: ExamplesStatement of Target Behavior: ExamplesGeneral Category + Specific Descriptors

Physical Aggression: pushing, pinching, hitting;

Verbal Aggression: loud voice, swearing, insulting comments to peers and adults

Disruptions: vocalizations (e.g. “eeee…” or other repetitive noises); singing; interrupting the teacher


Statement of Target Behavior…2Statement of Target Behavior…2

Unclear definitions include: Terms that are judgmental (e.g. intimidating,

rude, annoying etc.); Statements that are too general (e.g.

physical aggression); Terms that are not observable or measurable

(e.g. always, never)


Statement of Target Behaviour…3Statement of Target Behaviour…3

Group Activity

Write a

Statement of Target Behaviour

for a Student of Choice

Phase 2:Phase 2:Determining the Determining the Target BehaviorTarget Behavior

Statement Statement of Target of Target

BehaviourBehaviour…4…4

Phase 3:Phase 3:Conducting Direct Conducting Direct

ObservationsObservationsDirect Observations may help

to:Describe the behaviour; Identify antecedents of the behavior Identify consequences of the behaviorSuggest functions of the behavior;Suggest further questions

Functional Behavioral Functional Behavioral AssessmentAssessment

1. What do the problem behaviors look like? (Behavior)

2. What appears to set off the problem behavior? (antecedent or trigger)

3. What function does the behavior serve? (consequence or function)

4. What are the setting events for the behavior? (setting events)

What happens BEFORE the What happens BEFORE the behavior occurs?behavior occurs?

Setting EventsConditions, events, or sensations that

increase the probability that a problem will occur (sick, tired, drugs, diet.)

Antecedents or triggersElicit a specific condition or lead directly

to the occurrence of the behaviour (e.g., teacher asks student to come to circle)

Possible Setting Events Possible Setting Events or Antecedentsor Antecedents

Curriculum/Instructional: Unpredictable schedule or changes in

routine; Difficult tasks (too easy or too hard); Curriculum is not meaningful; Little or no reinforcement in the setting; Slow pace of instruction; Lack of choice-making: Lack of task variation; High rate errors.

A Closer Look at PossibleA Closer Look at Possible“Setting Events”…2“Setting Events”…2

Environment: Uncomfortable temperature (hot or

cold); Inappropriate lighting; Noisy environment; Number of people present; Inadequate space around the child; Uncomfortable seating;Arrangement of toys and materials

A Closer Look at A Closer Look at PossiblePossible

“Setting Events”…3“Setting Events”…3Biological/Medical/Personal Variables: Sickness; Allergies; Medications (effects and side effects);Fatigue; Hunger/Thirst Mood (e.g. angry, anxious)Time of day

A Closer Look at A Closer Look at PossiblePossible

“Setting Events”…4“Setting Events”…4Social: Presence of staff & amount of staff attention; Presence of peers & amount of peer

attention; Presence of particular staff (preferred and

non-preferred; Changes in staff; Disagreements with family, staff, or peers; Proximity of family, staff, or peers.

Antecedents or Antecedents or TriggersTriggers

What is happening right before the behaviour occurs? What ‘sets off’ the behaviour? What activities, classes (e.g., music,

circle, free play) and school settings What time of day or day of week Observable events (e.g. what the

teacher or peer says or does) Sensory Issues (not necessarily

observed)

CONSEQUENCE/CONSEQUENCE/OUTCOMEOUTCOME

The consequent events or reactions of others that happen directly after the behaviour occurs.

THE OUTCOMETHE OUTCOME

Looking through the lens of the child:

“What happens after I engage in the challenging behaviour? What did I gain? What did I avoid?”

Behaviour as Behaviour as FunctionalFunctional

Behaviour serves a PurposeBehaviour serves a Purpose

GET/OBTAINOr

ESCAPE/AVOID

Identifying the Identifying the functionfunction

One problem behavior can serve multiple purposesFunction is more important than form

For lasting change to occur, the intent or purpose of the behavior needs to be understood and acknowledged

Function: ObtainFunction: Obtain

Function: AvoidFunction: Avoid

Phase 4:Phase 4:Generating the Generating the

HypothesisHypothesisThe Hypothesis StatementThe Hypothesis Statement

The Person Does ….. (challenging behaviour)

When…..(trigger)

Which Results In…(outcome)

This is Most Likely to Occur When…..(setting events)

(Seip, J., C.F. Lester, & A. Krueger, 2001)

Phase 4:Phase 4:Generating the Generating the

HypothesisHypothesisThe Hypothesis Statement…ExampleThe Hypothesis Statement…Example

Joe begins to tell jokes and throw spitballs (challenging behaviour) when he is in circle time with his peers (trigger). Joe’s teacher becomes frustrated, which delights his peers and they continue to giggle (consequence), Joe gets attention from his peers (outcome).This is more likely to occur when Joe’s dad is out of town working (setting event).

Phase 5:Phase 5:Verifying the HypothesisVerifying the Hypothesis

Joe tells jokes and throws spitballs (challenging challenging behaviourbehaviour) when he is in class with his peers (triggertrigger). This happens even when participating in group Math activities (liked activityliked activity). Joe’s teacher becomes frustrated and his classmates start to giggle and pay attention to him (consequenceconsequence).

Antecedent close proximity to peersBehaviour telling jokes and throwing spitballsTEST teach in an isolated setting

teach in group setting

Phase 6:Phase 6:Determining the Determining the Function of the Function of the

BehaviourBehaviour

Does the behaviour help the person GET or OBTAIN something?

Does the behaviour help the person ESCAPE or AVOID something?

Verified by testing the hypothesis

FBA: JoeFBA: Joe

What are the setting events for

The behavior?

When dad is out of

town working

What appearsto set off

the behavior?

Surroundedby peers who

are not paying

attention to him

What do the Problem

Behaviors look

Like?

Telling jokes& throwing

Spitballs

What functiondoes thebehavior

serve?

Gets Attention

From peers

Case Study “Hands On”Case Study “Hands On”

Thomas

Functional Behavioral Functional Behavioral AssessmentAssessment

1.What do the problem behaviors look like?

2.What appears to set off the problem behavior?

3.What function does the behavior serve?

4.What are the setting events for the behavior?

What do the problem What do the problem behaviors look like?behaviors look like?

Disruptions: yelling and screamingPhysical aggression: hitting, bitingDisruptions: rolling around on the

map during nap time

What appears to set off What appears to set off the problem behavior?the problem behavior?

Clean up song, especially CDTeacher requests to clean up,

especially when he hasn’t finished setting up the train set

Teacher grabbing toys and putting them in the bucket

Hand-over hand approachTeacher threats Teacher holding and rocking

What function does the What function does the behavior serve?behavior serve?

Escape or avoid tearing down of train set

Escape or avoid aversive music and touch

Escape teacher reprimands

What are the setting What are the setting events for the behavior?events for the behavior?

Tired, difficulty getting to sleep at night at home

Coming down with illnessSensitivity to noise, touch &

proximity of adultsChanges in routine

Part Two:Part Two:

Building the Building the PlanPlan

Positive Behavior Positive Behavior Support PlanSupport Plan

1.Setting Event Strategies2.Antecedent or trigger

Strategies3.Teaching Strategies4.Consequence Strategies

Setting Event & Setting Event & Trigger StrategiesTrigger StrategiesChange the Context to MakeChange the Context to Makethe Behaviour Unnecessarythe Behaviour Unnecessary

Environmental Considerations Visual SupportsVisual Supports PhysicalPhysical TimeTime MaterialsMaterials People & social issuesPeople & social issues SensorySensory

Curricular & task adaptations Biological (e.g. hunger, thirst, sleep)

Environmental Environmental ConsiderationsConsiderations

PhysicalPhysical Room arrangement Personal work space Sound, lighting, and

other distractions Seating arrangements

VisualVisual

SupportsSupports

TimeTime Premacking

Scheduling

MaterialsMaterials Labeling/colour

coding Where is it stored? Accessible or not? Interesting to the

student Functional

Sensory IssuesSensory Issues

Visual: Lighting

Auditory: Ambient sound

Gustatory & Olfactory:

Personal care products Odours

Tactile: Clothing Place in line Touching

Vestibular: Need for movement

Proprioceptive: Positioning/postural

support

People/People/SocialSocial

How we talk Accessibility

of typical peers

# of people Attitudes

Teaching StrategiesTeaching StrategiesWhat does he need to What does he need to

learn to do?learn to do?

Communication Social Coping Relaxation Self-Monitoring

YOUR topicListen

Any

other

topic

s

Topic Meter

Class

Topic

Visual SchedulesVisual Schedules

Task TimersTask Timers(Transition Strips)(Transition Strips)

4 3 2 1

Zone meter for when to talk or

not:

Visual CuesVisual Cues

Increasing Expected Increasing Expected BehavioursBehaviours

Strategies to consider: Reinforcement Shaping Behaviours Prompting

ReinforcementReinforcement

Reinforcement can be: Positive: To increase behaviour, add pleasant stimulus after the behaviour occurs. Negative: To increase behaviour, remove unpleasant stimulus when target behaviour occurs.

ReinforcementReinforcement

DRO: Differential Reinforcement of Other Positive Behavior

DRL: Differential Reinforcement of Lower Rates of Behavior.

DRI: Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behaviors.

Decreasing Behaviours: Decreasing Behaviours: Non-Positive ApproachesNon-Positive ApproachesTime Out: Removal from reinforcement

Effective Use: Social Attention seeking behavior Over when child pulls him/herself together. (Never more than 1 minute per child’s age)Disadvantages: Not effective on escape behaviors. Does not work with children who self-stimulate. Does not teach any new behaviours. Increases anxiety and aggression

“The best emergency management procedure

is to avoid the emergency in the first place.”

Tom Willis

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing

over and over and expecting different

results.

Case Study “Hands On”Case Study “Hands On”

Thomas

Positive Behavior Positive Behavior Support PlanSupport Plan

1.Setting Event Strategies2.Antecedent or trigger

Strategies3.Teaching Strategies4.Consequence Strategies

understanding challenging behaviours georgina robinson popard

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