2. -Walter Barbee
If you’ve told a child a thousand times, and he still does not
understand, then it is not that child who is the slow learner.
3. What is behavior
management?
Behavior
management
is not an
attitude
adjustment
Systematic method of increasing or
decreasing behaviors
Teaching appropriate behaviors and
coping skills (discipline means “to
teach”)
What are behaviors? You can see them,
hear them and measure them if needed
4. Children with special needs at increased risk of
inappropriate behaviors because:
They are not at the developmental level of same age
peers or siblings
Adults or children may not know what to expect
Motor planning difficulties, sensory concerns
Cognitive delay, processing delay
Difficult understanding abstract concepts such as
time, waiting
Difficulty expressing wants, needs, feelings
Anxiety
Not understanding the perspectives and motives of
others
As parents we may feel guilty and over-protect
5. Prioritizing behaviors to address
How harmful is this behavior to your child or
other children/adults?
How does this behavior interfere with your
child’s development and learning?
How does this behavior interfere with your
child’s participation in family or peer activities?
How does this behavior interfere with positive
social relationships/acceptance?
7. We teach….
If a child does not know how to read, we teach.
If a child does not know how to swim, we
teach.
If a child does not know how to multiply, we
teach.
If a child does not know how to drive, we
teach.
If a child does not know how to
behavior….we……..teach? ……..punish?
8. Punishment vs
reinforcement…what is going on?
Operant conditioning (BF Skinner)
Reinforce- to strengthen the probability of the
behavior
Punish- to decrease the probability of behavior
POSITIVE STIMULUS NEGATIVE STIMULUS
PRESENTED Positive Reinforcement
(winning lottery)
Positive
Punishment
(speeding ticket, yelling,
spanking)
TAKEN AWAY Negative
Punishment
(Taking away cell phone
when teen breaks
curfew)
Negative Reinforcement
(putting anti-itch ointment
on bug bite)
9.
10. Universal Preventative
Practices
Review routines
IF-THEN/earning
Routines are clear, consistent (calendars, visual
schedules, visual timers for transitions)
Review Physical Arrangements (tv, computer,
homework area, calm-down area, etc)
Define and teach expectations and skills
Positive house rules (use respectful language, pick up after
yourself, put toys away before you get new toys…..respect
others, yourself and property)
Plan systematic responses
To appropriate behaviors
To inappropriate/challenging behaviors
11. What kind of “boss” are you?
Worst Supervisor Best Supervisor
12. What kind of “boss” are you?
Makes
unreasonable
demands for my
level
Keeps changing his
mind
Has unclear
expectations
Never says Thanks
or Good job
Keeps things fair
Sticks to the plan and
keeps me informed
Rewards all
successes, big and
small
Shows respect and
compassion
Takes responsibility
as the boss
Worst Supervisor Best Supervisor
13. Special time
Improves the positivity of the parent-child
relationship
15 minutes daily, child directed interaction with a
specific skill-building activity
No questions, no criticisms, no commands
P –praise, labeled
R –reflect important comments from your child
I -imitate what you child is doing that you like
D –describe what your child is doing (sports
announcer)
E –be enthusiastic!
14. Increasing appropriate behavior:
Attention, Praise and Rewards
CATCH KIDS BEING GOOD!
ROUTINES
VISUAL CUES/SUPPORTS TO KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT AND DO
Positive attention
Make positive attention specific
Give positive attention right away
Use powerful rewards that are not usually accessed
Avoid criticism
Tell your child WHAT TO DO, not what NOT to do
(Bottom on the seat please. Hands to your sides.)
May use visual aides, photos or video models. TELL-SHOW-DO
Carry out promises, so make a request only if you have time to wait and
follow through
Praise frequently
Set them up for success with tasks you know they can do.
Plan ahead to eliminate or decrease triggers (hunger, fatigue, crowds)
15.
16. Ex: behaviors to praise
Sharing toys
Talking quietly
Asking for help
Nice manners
Being flexible
Being patient
Expressing feelings
Not interrupting
Waking up on time
Getting dressed on time
Being creative
Calming down when upset
Walking softly
Starting homework
Making bed
Putting away clothes
Encouraging others
Using humor
Apologizing
Being friendly
Brushing teeth or hair
Starting a new hobby
Helping parent
Picking up after self
Telling the trying
Complying with a time limit
17. Can you praise too much?
Great expectations trap? Possible…
Don’t praise indiscriminately, talk about specific
facts
Focus on the EFFORT not the results, again
encourage
Teach your child that it’s okay to make
mistakes, not be perfect, that is part of learning
18. Rewards
Types of rewards
Verbal or social rewards (praise, hugs, high fives, games)
Physical/non-social rewards (snacks, staying up or
preferred food, tokens or points to redeem for desired
object)
Activity/sensory rewards (access to games, tv time, ipad
time, music, blowing bubbles)
For Effective rewards:
Use rewards immediately
Initially reward the behavior every time it occurs
Reward only the behaviors you want to increase
Billy, I liked the way you picked up your toys the first time I
asked! That makes mommy really happy.
19. Time-In
Positive interactions and feedback children receive
when engaging in appropriate behavior
Critical to quality of parent-child relationship
CATCH THEM BEING GOOD!
Doesn’t have to be a special occasion.
Be specific, label your praise.
Provide physical attention.
Give immediate feedback.
Avoid back-handed compliments.
Use third-handed compliments.
Plan parent-child activities that set them up for time-in.
20. Uh-oh, now what?
Ignore the behavior (extinction) if it is mild and
only used to gain attention (planned ignoring)
Redirection to another activity or appropriate
behavior is often helpful, provide choices
Removal from a situation or reinforcement
(time-out)
Try not to feed into the behavior to give
him/her what she wants, lecture/threaten,
show anger or disappointment, be physical
21. Time out
Only helpful if “time-in” encourages appropriate
behaviors and allows access to desired reinforcers
(attention, toys.) Thus, it is actually “time-out” from
positive reinforcement (no talking to, warnings, looking
at, or access to reinforcers or escape from tasks.)
Lead child away to time-out area, tell them why and
how long they will be in time-out.
Use visual timer, no more than 5 minutes, about one
minute for every year of cognitive age.
Immediately after, remind them why they went to time-
out, review how to handle the situation in the future,
and immediately begin time-in and provide positive
reinforcement for appropriate behaviors.
More at the Center for Effective Parenting, Parenting-ed.org
22. Ideas for decreasing challenging
behavior
First try to increase appropriate behaviors so
that it provides the functional equivalent for the
child. Avoid giving attention to child during
problem behavior.
During problem behavior, don’t escalate,
simply remind child about what they can DO
rather than NOT DO (“You could use your
words to ask your sister to share.”)
After the problem behavior, provide immediate
praise for appropriate behaviors.
23. Research on PBS
Effective for all ages of individuals with
disabities ages 2-50 years
Effective for diverse groups of individuals with
challenges: intellectual disability, oppositional
behaviors, autism, emotional concerns etc
PBS so far is the only comprehensive and
evidence based approach to address problem
behaviors within a variety of natural settings.
24. Positive Behavior Support
General intervention for
all behavior problems
Intervention is reactive
(decreased outside
activity, restraint,
spanking)
Focus on behavior
reduction
Quick fix
Only the family involved
Intervention matched to
purpose of behavior
Intervention is
proactive
Focus on teaching
new skills
Long term interventions
Involves family,
teachers, therapists,
admins, etc.
Old Way New Way
25. Positive Behavior Support Plans
Simply “TOOLS to help children be more successful in
participating and succeeding in everyday life.”
-A Parent
Remove the triggers to prevent problems
Be proactive-set them up for success
Eliminate the reinforcement of inappropriate behavior
Provide skill instruction to build appropriate behaviors
or communication and decrease need for child to
engage in challenging behavior
Increase reinforcement of appropriate behaviors
decrease reinforcement of challenging behaviors
26. ABC’s of Behavior
Antecedent (what happened BEFORE)
Behavior (what do you need to change)
Consequence (what happens after the
behavior)
27. Common triggers of
misbehavior
Pain, illness
GERD/Reflux
GI concerns/constipation
Thyroid concerns
Vision/hearing concerns
Sleeping difficulties (apnea)
Emotional distress-anxiety, depression
Hungry, tired
28. Example of a rapid Functional Behavior Analysis
Find at: http://csefel.uiuc.edu (Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early
Learning)
ABC Chart –Why is this behavior working?
Antecedent Behavior Consequenc
e
29. What is the function of the behavior?
WHY is your
child
engaging in
the problem
behavior in
the first
place?
Typically, a child’s behaviors occurs to:
ESCAPE/AVOID demanding task,
person, situation
OBTAIN ACCESS to desired reinforcer
(object, activity, feeling)
GAIN ATTENTION (even negative) from
other people
Other communication (pain? sensory
overload?)
30. Formal PBS Process
1:Establish your team, identify goals
2: Gather information (FBA)
3: Develop hypothesis (best guess as to
function of problem behavior)
4: Design behavior support plans
5: Implement, monitor, evaluate outcomes and
refine your plan
31. Support Plan for Challenging
Behaviors
Behavior Hypothesis –what is the function or
purpose of the behavior?
Prevention Strategies- Ways to make events
and interactions that precede the problem
behavior easier for your child to manage
Replacement Skills-skills to teach throughout
the day to replace the problem behavior
Responses- what will adults do when the
problem behavior occurs
32.
33. Function of tantrums?
Antecedents
(Triggers)
Behaviors Consequences
/Responses
Walking to car from
house
Walking to car from
public place
Demand is placed on
going to next activity
-tired/late afternoon
Tantrums-cries, yells,
screams, throws self
onto ground,
sometimes throws
objects
FUNCTION:
Avoid/prolong transition
Sometimes allowed to
continue what he was
doing a bit longer
Verbal coaxing
Physically helped after
a bit of his tantrum
34. Ex: Prevention, New Skills and New
Responses
Prevention New Skills New Responses
-Give him
predictability with
mini schedule
-Count down/visual
timer to give him
time to process and
prepare for
transition
-”Going Places”
social story
-Say, “I don’t want
to.”
-Follow schedule.
-Go places with
adult and stay
(successful
transition)
-Ask “Where are we
going?” with
prompting.
To Problem Behaviors
-Praise brother and parent
-Prompt to use his words
and give him words
-Give Choices (Would you
like to walk by yourself or
hold hands? Would you like
to take the red car or the
blue car?)
To New Skill
-Give him highly desired
items to help reinforce
successful transitions
(juice, car)
-Praise for successful
transitions
35.
36. Obstacles to success
Parental optimism/pessimism about the ability to
influence their child’s behavior at age 3 was the
most significant factor in predicting which
children with a developmental disability
continued to have behavior problems at age 6
(Durand, 2001)
37. Examples of Pessimistic and Optimistic Self-Talk
My child is disabled.
Shopping with my child is a
nightmare.
That won’t work with my
child.
I tried that and it didn’t
work!
Oh no, here we go again.
She has enough to deal
with. I’m not going to push.
I’m not a good parent.
My child needs help
learning new skills.
My child is not yet ready
for shopping trips.
I’ll try it.
I’m willing to try it again.
OK, I’m ready for this.
She will learn how to
control herself.
I work very hard at being
the best parent I can be.
Pessimistic Self-Talk Optimistic Self-Talk
38. More information:
Fox and Duda, What Works Briefs: What are Children Trying to Tell Us?:
Assessing the Function of Their Behavior. Center on the Social and
Emotional Foundations for Early Learning.
Clark, Lynn. (1996.) SOS! Help for Parents: A Practical Guide for Handling
Common Everyday Behavior Problems.
Barkley and Benton. (1998.)Your Defiant Child. 8 Steps to Better Behavior.
Van Bourgondien. (1993.) Bx Mgmt in the Early Years. Preschool Issues in
Autism.
Website: Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice. http://cecp.air.org/
Durand (2007.) Positive Family Intervention: Hope and Help for Parents
with Challenging Children. Psychology in Mental Retardation and
Developmental Disabilities, 32(3), 9-13.
Rabiner, (2007.) Behavioral Treatment for ADHD: An Overview. Found at
www.helpforadd.com on 1/15/13/
http://www.apbs.org/ Association for Positive Behavioral Supports
Editor's Notes
Teaching focuses on the correct behavior while punishment forcuses on past incorrect behavior. Teaching increases positive self image, self worth and self confidence.
Positive reinforcement: the adding of a positive stimulus to increase a behavior.
Positive punishment: the adding of an aversive stimulus to decrease a behavior.
Negative reinforcement: the taking away of an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior.
Negative punishment: the taking away of a positive stimulus to decrease a behavior.