Behavioral Skills Development in Foster Care Jodi Polaha, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Licensed Psychologist Munroe-Meyer Institute University of Nebraska Medical Center

Overview 8:30-8:45Overview 8:45-9:45What are behavioral skills? Three essentials for teaching them. 9:45-10:00* Break 10:00-10:45Increasing skills. 10:45-10:55* Break 10:55 – 12:00Decreasing problem behaviors. 12:00 – 12:30Conclusions/Questions

Why are we here?

Why are you a foster parent?

Why are we here? Why are you a foster parent? Why do we need to talk about behavior management?

Why are we here? Good behavior management program can:  Improve self-esteem  Allow for more time to learn  Allow for more time to have fun  Increase safety  Decrease caregiver burn-out  Teach children behavioral skills they’ll use their whole lives!

Developing Behavioral Skills What are behavioral skills?

Developing Behavioral Skills What are behavioral skills?  Behaviors that society expects.

Developing Behavioral Skills What are behavioral skills?  Behaviors that society expects.  Behaviors that we need to have mastered in order to learn any other skill we pursue.

Developing Behavioral Skills What are behavioral skills?  Behaviors that society expects.  Behaviors that we need to have mastered in order to learn any other skill we pursue.  Behavioral skills are the key to success!

Developing Behavioral Skills Birth to age 1:  Independent sleep  Self-quieting

Developing Behavioral Skills Toddler Years:  Self-quieting  Independent play

Developing Behavioral Skills Preschool Years:  Beginning anger management  Following one-step instructions  Following simple long-term and short-term rules  Waiting one’s turn  Sharing and parallel play

Developing Behavioral Skills Elementary Years:  Advanced anger management  Following increasingly complex instructions  Following multiple and complex long-term and short-term rules  Cooperation in group activities

Developing Behavioral Skills Adolescent Years:  Responsibility for long-term objectives.  Problem-solving.  Increased emotional management.  Perspective taking.

The Three Essentials (for teaching behavioral skills)

Three Essentials 1. Predictability

Three Essentials 1. Predictability  In your daily structure  In the consequences you provide

Three Essentials 1. Predictability 2. Practice

Three Essentials 1. Predictability 2. Practice  Break the new skill down to make it easy at first  Give lots of opportunities to try it (over and over)  Provide predictable feedback for success vs. failure

Three Essentials 1. Predictability 2. Practice 3. “Big Difference”

Creating a “Big Difference” Your consequence for demonstrating a skill appropriately should be VERY DIFFERENT than your consequence for demonstrating a problem behavior.

Creating a “Big Difference” Mom’s Reaction none BIG BABY LEARNS TO GAG

Creating a “Big Difference” Mom’s Reaction none BIG BABY LEARNS NOTHING

Creating a “Big Difference” Mom’s Reaction none BIG BABY LEARNS TO STOP GAGGING

Encouraging Behavioral Skills

Problem:  Not enough of a reaction for using the skill appropriately.

Creating a “Big Difference” Mom’s Reaction none BIG BABY LEARNS NOTHING

WHAT ARE YOU DOING WHEN YOU SEE THE SKILL? Your Reaction none BIG

Encouraging Behavioral Skills 1. Frequent, brief, “bursts” of attention for AVERAGE behavior.

Encouraging Behavioral Skills 1. Frequent, brief, “bursts” of attention for AVERAGE behavior. 2. BIG REACTION for demonstrating the skill.

Encouraging Behavioral Skills 1. Frequent, brief, “bursts” of attention for AVERAGE behavior. 2. BIG REACTION for demonstrating the skill. 3. Play the Child’s Game

Encouraging Behavioral Skills The Child’s Game: A relationship-building activity that makes children want to earn your POSITIVE attention.

Encouraging Behavioral Skills DO  Describe  Praise  Touch

Encouraging Behavioral Skills DO  Describe  Praise  Touch DON’T  Command/direct  Reprimand  Question

Decreasing Problem Behavior

Problem: Too much reaction for problem behaviors.

NO BIG DIFFERENCE! Your Reaction none BIG

BIG DIFFERENCE! Your Reaction none BIG

Decreasing Problem Behavior Use a consequence with less talk

Decreasing Problem Behavior Why not talk?  Child may not understand

Decreasing Problem Behavior Why not talk?  Child may not understand  Understanding doesn’t mean the child will change behavior, anyway.

Decreasing Problem Behavior Why not talk?  Child may not understand  Understanding doesn’t mean the child will change behavior, anyway.  Experience is a better teacher.

Decreasing Problem Behavior Why not talk?  Child may not understand  Understanding doesn’t mean the child will change behavior, anyway.  Experience is a better teacher.  Child needs to learn to perform the skill independently.

Decreasing Problem Behavior Why not talk?  Child may not understand  Understanding doesn’t mean the child will change behavior, anyway.  Experience is a better teacher.  Child needs to learn to perform the skill independently.  Talking creates too much reaction for the problem behavior!

Decreasing Problem Behavior Types of Consequences  Natural  Related  Unrelated

Decreasing Problem Behavior Types of Consequences  Natural  Related  Unrelated Time-Out (0-6) Job Card Grounding (10+)

Decreasing Problem Behavior Time Out: Advantages

Decreasing Problem Behavior Time Out: Advantages  Easy to do  Portable

Decreasing Problem Behavior Time Out: Misconceptions  Time-out is a place for “cooling-off.”

Decreasing Problem Behavior Time Out: Misconceptions  Time-out is a place for “cooling-off.”  Time-out is a place for the child to think about what s/he did wrong.

Decreasing Problem Behavior Time Out: Misconceptions  Time-out is a place for “cooling-off.”  Time-out is a place for the child to think about what s/he did wrong.  Children must sit still and be quiet in time- out.

Decreasing Problem Behavior Time Out: Misconceptions  Time-out is a place for “cooling-off.”  Time-out is a place for the child to think about what s/he did wrong.  Children must sit still and be quiet in time- out.  Children must look like they are sad for time- out to be “working.”

Decreasing Problem Behavior Time Out: Misconceptions  Time-out is a place for “cooling-off.”  Time-out is a place for the child to think about what s/he did wrong.  Children must sit still and be quiet in time-out.  Children must look like they are sad for time-out to be “working.”  Time-out is a place or a chair.

Decreasing Problem Behavior Time Out: Misconceptions  Time-out is a place for “cooling-off.”  Time-out is a place for the child to think about what s/he did wrong.  Children must sit still and be quiet in time-out.  Children must look like they are sad for time-out to be “working.”  Time-out is a place or a chair.  Time-out works all by itself.

Decreasing Problem Behavior Time Out: A Procedure  Establish chair in boring corner  Use 1-2 minute time out regardless of behavior.  Target only 1-2 behaviors at a time.  Ignore all behavior occurring in chair.  Attend to the first occasion of appropriate behavior after time-out is over.

Decreasing Problem Behavior  Job Card Grounding: A Procedure  Components  List of rules  List of odd jobs  List of rewards

Decreasing Problem Behavior Job Card Grounding Examples of Rules 1. Do your chores 2. Follow instructions 3. Tell us where you are going

Decreasing Problem Behavior Job Card Grounding Odd Job Examples 1. Dust baseboards/ceilings 2. Sweep out garage 3. Wipe down inside refrigerator

Decreasing Problem Behavior Job Card Grounding GROUNDING MEANS  No television, telephone, stereo, video games  No friends over/go to friends  No snacks, naps  No outside social activities  No toys

Decreasing Problem Behavior Job Card Grounding GROUNDING DOES NOT MEAN  Nagging  Reminding  Discussing  Explaining

Conclusion Ask yourself:  Is the structure/are the consequences predictable?  Am I providing plenty of practice at good practice times?  Is there a high contrast?

An Example: The Stop Light Program

The Stop Light Program 1. Establish classroom rules.

The Stop Light Program 1. Establish classroom rules. 1. Follow teacher’s instructions 2. No physical or verbal aggression 3. Use inside voice 4. Stay in the designated area

The Stop Light Program 1. Establish classroom rules 2. Create list of daily rewards

The Stop Light Program 1. Establish classroom rules 2. Create list of daily rewards 1. Playing with special toys. 2. Extra recess or snack. 3. “Fun” chores (clapping erasers, messenger) 4. Line leader 5. Stickers

The Stop Light Program 1. Establish classroom rules 2. Create list of daily rewards 3. Make a “stop light” with a clothespin marked with each child’s name.

The Stop Light Program 1. Establish classroom rules. 2. Create list of daily rewards. 3. Make a “stop light” with a clothespin marked with each child’s name. 4. Scan the room “every so often” at unannounced times.

The Stop Light Program 1. Establish classroom rules. 2. Create list of daily rewards. 3. Make a “stop light” with a clothespin marked with each child’s name. 4. Scan the room “every so often” at unannounced times. Praise children who are following the rules. Without comment, move pin toward yellow for those children who are not following the rules.

The Stop Light Program 1. Establish classroom rules. 2. Create list of daily rewards. 3. Make a “stop light” with a clothespin marked with each child’s name. 4. Scan the room “every so often” at unannounced times. 5. At the end of the day, put all pins on yellow and green into a reward lottery.

The Stop Light Program To make it work:  Predictable Both structure and as consequence

The Stop Light Program To make it work:  Predictable Both structure and as consequence  Provide practice Especially first few days  Use in context of “Big Difference”