Dealing with Difficult Behaviors

Today’s Presenter Debra Rosen Author and mother Debra Rosen has worked in education for over twenty-five years, giving her the unique perspective of a parent who needs to walk within the system set in place for a special needs child, as well as the insight of an administrator who has helped shape that very system. Debra has grappled with the laws and organizations, and conveys her experience to the reader with dignity and integrity, knowing it is crucial for a parent to understand their rights and options. Autism is a challenge but it is manageable.

4 Major Functions of Behavior Escape/Avoidance: The individual behaves in order to get out of doing something he/she does not want to do. Attention Seeking: The individual behaves to get focused attention from parents, teachers, siblings, peers, or other people that are around them. Seeking Access to Materials: The individual behaves in order to get a preferred item or participate in an enjoyable activity. Sensory Stimulation: The individual behaves in a specific way because it feels good to them.

ESCAPE/TASK AVOIDANCE

Attention Seeking

Any Attention is Attention Some children seek attention just for the sake of getting attention. Some children will behave badly if they are receiving attention for it…yes…even if it is negative attention such as yelling, time outs, taking away toys, etc. They are getting what they want (attention) so they will continue the behavior. To give NO attention to bad behavior is sometimes best if you want to eliminate it all together.

Seeking Access to Items

Sensory Issues

Behaviors for Sensory issues are the most difficult behaviors to break Sensory seekers get “input” that feels good for their senses so behaviors are strong and hard to break (skin touching, rocking back and forth, not eating certain textures of foods, clothing issues, heat sensitivity, sound sensitivity, light sensitivity, etc.) Start where they are most comfortable and gradually increase their tolerance to more/less input

Reinforcement and Extinction Reinforcement and Extinction are two tools used to modify or change behavior. Reinforcement: Anything that strengthens or increases the frequency of behavior. They can be positive or negative. Positive: verbal praise, token systems, preferred items Negative: learned behaviors (candy in the grocery store) Both ways…REINFORCE the behavior

Extinction Remember EVERY behavior occurs for a reason: (Task Avoidance, Seek Attention, Preferred Items, Sensory) If a certain behavior does NOT yield the desired outcome anymore then the behavior will stop or be “extinguished” thus calling it extinction.

Extinction Burst Behaviors will increase in duration (how long) and intensity (how strong) before they are eliminated. Work on ONE behavior at a time until you are successful and then move on to others Generalize success of the elimination of the behavior over 3 settings (home, store, grandma’s house, school) Generalize success across 3 different people (mom, dad, brother, teacher, etc.)

Highly Reinforce Good Behaviors To increase good behaviors, you MUST highly reinforce them. Verbal Praise, Stickers, Special Toys (if they always get the iPad it’s not special anymore), Treats, Time with mom/dad, Television, Video Games, etc Be mindful of saturation of everything they desire.

When you have EVERYTHING… WHY WORK FOR IT?

Consistency is Key The hope is they receive good attention when they are behaving in a way you desire and NO attention when they are not. If you need to leave a public area. Leave. Mean what you say and Say what you mean. Always. No more counting to 3…They learn they can misbehave until you get to 2 ½.

How to get them to listen at “1” 1. Give a directive 2. If they do not listen Go to them and say, “I’m talking to you” Walk away 3. Go back to original place and repeat directive 4. Highly reinforce them for listening.

Your Takeaway Be consistent Teach one skill at a time (work on one behavior at a time) Extinguish negative (maladaptive) behaviors Highly reinforce good (desirable) behaviors Generalize newly learned skills across different people and environments If you need to leave…leave. Mean what you say and say what you mean

You Can Do This!

THANK YOU!!! Next Support Group Meeting April 13th Topic: Secondary Transition Jennifer Braddick Coordinator –West End SELPA Vocational Team