CHAPTER 11: Reducing Challenging Behavior Behavior Management: Principles and Practices of Positive Behavior Supports Third Edition John J. Wheeler David D. Richey

Objectives List and describe the factors that influence challenging behavior Discuss alternatives for prevention including the concept of capacity building through school-wide PBS Identify and describe the range of possible interventions for reducing challenging behavior

How Challenging Behavior is Perceived Traditionally schools have responded to challenging behavior using rapid suppression methods relying on punishment to extinguish these responses This approach is clearly reactive and does nothing to teach replacement skills and or prevent these behaviors from occurring

Alternatives for the Prevention of Challenging Behavior School-wide Positive Behavior Supports represents a pro-active and constructive approach for addressing student behavior School-wide PBS can transform the culture and climate of a school through investing in practices that work

Continuum of Intervention Alternatives Conduct a functional behavior assessment Identify plausible antecedent and consequence variables that influence the behavior Develop a Behavior Support Plan aimed at teaching replacement behaviors and modifying the environment

Continuum of Intervention Alternatives continued… Should the intervention fail then consider a behavior reduction strategy that is least intrusive and ethically-based

Traditional Methods Used in Behavior Reduction Differential Reinforcement Extinction Response-Cost Punishment

Differential Reinforcement A positive reduction procedure (Cooper et al., 20070 as reinforcement is used to decrease and or eliminate challenging behavior

Differential Reinforcement Four types of differential reinforcement: DRA (Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior) DRI (Differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior) DRO (Differential reinforcement of other behavior) DRL (Differential reinforcement of lower rates of behavior)

Extinction Extinction occurs when a previously reinforced behavior is no longer reinforced Extinction will over time be effective in terms of reducing and or eliminating some behaviors

Possible Drawbacks to Extinction Increased rates of behavior or behavioral escalation will most often ensue Development of novel behaviors may also develop as part of the escalation process Aggression may be possible resulting from frustration Time required to produce the desired effects

Response-Cost Procedures A behavior reduction procedure that withdraws reinforcement from the learner These programs are often viewed in the context of levels and have been used extensively within programs serving students with Emotional/behavior Disorders

Possible Drawbacks to Response-Cost Programs Can create a sense of desperation on the part of the learner thus fostering: Increased levels of challenging behavior Performance problems Collateral behaviors Aggression and a willingness to seek revenge Often very detrimental to all concerned

Time-Out Time-out is a procedure commonly used to remove a child from access to reinforcement for a period of time following the occurrence of problem behavior

Possible Drawbacks to Time-Out Can be overly relied upon to solve behavioral challenges Instructional time is lost Represents a negative contingency Is incorrectly administered thus putting the child at-risk Can have collateral effects on other behaviors in terms of suppression (Sulzer-Azaroff & Mayer, 1991).

Time-Out continued… Exclusionary Time-Out The student being taken out of the room or area where the behavior occurred and placed in another area

Time-Out continued… Non-Exclusionary Time-Out The student remains in the classroom but is denied access to reinforcement