1. Long’s Conflict Cycle: At the intersection of basic needs (Maslow) and Effective Schools Research
Tier III PBIS professional development for Special Educators, Paraprofessionals,
and Related Service Providers
Dr. Chris James Anderson
Southwest Minnesota State University
School of Education

2. Introductions
Are you or have you been a Special Educator, Paraprofessional, and Related Service Provider?
Did you feel as though you were effectively trained BEFORE needing to handle chronic, intense problematic student behaviors?
Teachers: Do (did) you work with paraprofessionals and related service providers?
In your opinion, was there a need for further professional development for paraprofessionals or related service providers to handle chronic intense problematic student behaviors?

3. What is a Paraprofessional?
Paraprofessionals are appropriately trained personnel who may be used to assist in the provision of special education and related services to children with disabilities (IDEA, 2004). IDEA 2004 does not specifically define what paraprofessionals do.

4. Paraprofessional Prerequisites
NCLB (2001) outlined requirements that instructional paraprofessionals must meet.
Instructional paraprofessionals must possess specific skills and knowledge in reading, writing, mathematics and instruction to be considered qualified to assist in instruction.
Minimum Prerequisites (NCLB)
Complete at least two years of college
Study at an institution of higher education
Meet a rigorous standard of quality.
That can be demonstrated through a formal state or local academic assessment

5. Professional Development:
The Conflict Cycle and Escalating Student Behavior

6. Session Outcomes
To learn the concepts of the conflict cycle (Long, 1996)
Refect upon how to apply these concepts to all students
including those with chronic and intense problematic behaviors

7. CONFLICT CYCLE (Nicholas J. Long, 1998)
STUDENT’S SELF-CONCEPT
IRRATIONAL BELIEFS

8. The Sequence of the Conflict Cycle
Self-Concept as a Setting Event
A Stressful Event Occurs
The Event Activates Irrational Beliefs
Negative Thoughts Trigger Feelings
Negative Feelings Drive Inappropriate Behavior
Behavior Incite Staff
Staff Pick Up Student’s Negative Feelings and Frequently Mirror Student Behavior
Staff Behavior Increases Student Stress and Escalates Cycle
Student’s Self-Fulfilling Prophesy is Reinforced

9. Student's Self-Concept as a Setting Event
Self-concept develops from feedback
Received from significant adults and peers in life
regarding the kind of person he is
Learns a specific way of thinking
Makes certain self-assumptions
Develops certain self-beliefs
These can be positive or negative
“I can’t do anything right” vs. “I’m good at things”
“I have to be in control of everything to survive” vs. “I can let things happen”
“I’m unlucky” vs. “I’m lucky”
A child’s self-concept develops from the on-going feedback he gets from significant adults and peers in life regarding the kind of person he is
Over time, the child learns a specific way of thinking about him or herself
He begins to make certain assumptions and develop certain beliefs about himself
These can be positive or negative
“I can’t do anything right” vs. “I’m good at things”
“I have to be in control of everything to survive” vs. “I can let things happen”
“I’m unlucky” vs. “I’m lucky”

10. Student's Self-Concept
Develops a personal set of beliefs about people
What they are going to or how they will react toward him
“Teachers care about me” vs. “Teachers don’t care.”
“Teachers want to help me” vs. “Teachers want to punish me.”
Beliefs of self and others merge
By elementary age
become a major motivational force in the child’s life
Results in a characteristic way of perceiving, feeling, thinking, and behaving
in all current and future situations
Can form foundation of his self-concept or character
Become a setting event for dealing with situations
The child also develops a personal set of beliefs about the people in his world and what they are going to do to him. For example, “Teachers care about me” vs. “Teachers don’t care.” or “Teachers want to help me” vs. “Teachers want to punish me.” By elementary age these beliefs about self and others merge and become a major motivational force in the child’s life. They result in a characteristic way of perceiving, feeling, thinking, and behaving in all current and future situations. It can become the foundation of his self-concept or character. They become a setting event for dealing with situations.

11. Irrational Beliefs and Problem Behavior
Theory based on cognitive behavior principles
Problems result from faulty thinking
about events rather than the events themselves.
At the core of faulty thinking are
Rigid and absolute beliefs
musts, have to, and oughts
Their derivatives
awful thoughts
Beliefs are considered “irrational”
Anti-empirical, illogical, and self-defeating
The theory is based on cognitive behavior principles. Problems result from faulty thinking about events rather than the events themselves.
At the core of faulty thinking are rigid and absolute beliefs (e.g., musts, have to, and oughts) and their derivatives (e.g., awful beliefs).
The beliefs are considered “irrational” because they are anti-empirical, illogical, and self-defeating.

12. Examples of Irrational Beliefs and Problem Behavior
Irrational Beliefs or Cognitive Distortions
“I must be good at everything”
“Everybody ought to like me.”
Not getting 100 on that math test is the worse thing in the world.”
If they become a characteristic way of perceiving the world
leads to mental health problems
behavior disorders
Examples of irrational beliefs or cognitive distortions include: “I must be good at everything.” “Everybody ought to like me.” Not getting 100 on that math test is the worse thing in the world.” If theses beliefs become a characteristic way of perceiving the world, they can lead to mental health problems and behavior disorders.

13. Irrational Beliefs and Troubled Children
Abused, neglected and rejected children
Seek to explain why it has occurred
Children who have experienced failure in school
Seek to explain why that has occurred
These searches don’t take place in reality
but rather in their belief system
Distinction between rational vs. irrational beliefs is vague
because troubled children have been abused, rejected, neglected at some point in their past
because low achieving children have failed to achieve in school at some point in their past
Children who have been abused, neglected and rejected have to explain to themselves why this has occurred. Children who have experienced failure in school also have to explain why that has occurred. The search doesn’t take place in reality but rather in their belief system.
The distinction between rational and irrational beliefs is vague for these children. It’s vague because of the abuse, rejection, and neglect suffered at some point in their past has blurred reality, preventing them from seeing things through “normal” lenses. It’s vague because low achieving children have failed to achieve in school at some point in their past

14. How are irrational beliefs formed?
One answer is overgeneralization.
My parents have rejected me: FACT
I can’t count on them to take care of me: FACT
Therefore I can’t count on adults in the future to either accept me or take care of me: IRRATIONAL
How are irrational beliefs formed? One answer is overgeneralization. For instance, troubled children consider the following: My parents have rejected me: FACT! I can’t count on them to take care of me: FACT! Therefore I can’t count on adults in the future to either accept me or take care of me: IRRATIONAL BELIEF but this belief needs to be disproved before healing can occur.

15. Why do troubled children maintain their irrational beliefs?
Critical to the lives of children relying on them
Pathology is a form of adjustment
brings order and stability
Makes life manageable and predictable
they know in advance what is going to happen
Self-fulfilling prophecy
Protects from feelings of helplessness
Why do troubled children maintain their irrational beliefs? Irrational beliefs (IB) are critical to the lives of these children because it forms some type of grounding. Pathology is a form of adjustment. These IB bring order and stability to what has been a chaotic life. IB make life manageable and predictable for these children because they are able to know in advance what is going to happen to them (self-fulfilling prophecy is an unknown to them). IB protect children from the dreaded feeling of helplessness.

16. How do troubled children maintain their irrational beliefs?
Project their IB on others
engaging in chronic and absurd power struggles
validate the student’s IB
Results in a self-fulfilling prophecy
Some teachers didn’t care me
therefore no teacher will ever care
now your behavior proves that you don’t care
How do troubled children maintain their irrational beliefs? Troubled children project their IB on others by engaging them in chronic and absurd power struggles, seeking to validate the student’s IB. The process results in a self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, the student relying on IB believe: some teachers didn’t care about me therefore no teacher will ever care about me. Now your behavior proves that you don’t care about me!

17. 2. A Stressful Event Occurs
Stress defined:
an incident threatening a student’s well being
state of comfort and/or
triggers a student’s irrational beliefs
10% of life brings actual stressful situations
90% is variable
by the way stress is handled or perceived
Stress is not usually from an event
but rather what we think about the event
Stress is defined as an incident which threatens a student’s well being or state of comfort and/or triggers a student’s irrational beliefs. 10% of life consists of actual stressful situations. The other 90% is determined by the way you think about the stressful situation. Therefore, it’s not the event that causes the stress but rather what we think about the event that matters.

18. Four Types of Stress Developmental: Results from life cycle issues
separation, learning, achievement, belonging, independence, physical development, etc.
Psychological:
Results from conscious or inadvertent depreciation, ridicule, or being made fun of, etc.
Reality:
Results from things that shouldn’t but do go wrong
Physical:
Results from deprivation of basic biological and physical issues
nutrition, sleep deprivation, over-stimulation, physical injuries, etc.
There are four types of stress: Developmental: The stress that results from life cycle issues we all face; separation, learning, achievement, belonging, independence, physical development, etc. Psychological: The stress that results when someone is consciously or inadvertently depreciated or ridiculed or made fun of, etc… Reality: The stress that results from things that shouldn’t go wrong, but do go wrong each day that make life difficult. Physical: The stress that results from deprivation of basic biological and physical issues like nutrition, sleep deprivation, overstimulated, physical injuries, etc.

19. 3. The Event Activates Irrational Beliefs
Stressor activates irrational belief system
Example:
Student is asked to make a correction
IB that teachers always pick on me is activated
Stage 3: The Event Activates the student’s Irrational Beliefs. One of the stressor’s activate the student’s irrational belief system. Foe example, the student is asked to make a corrections on a paper. The IB that teachers always pick on me is activated…

20. 4. Negative Thoughts Trigger Feelings
“We feel the way we think”
Dave Burns
Feelings are vital to life but…
are not always an accurate assessment
anger, shame, frustration get activated
by negative thoughts
4. Negative Thoughts Trigger Feelings. In this stage the troubled student is really a prisoner of his or her own mind. Dave Burns notes “We feel the way we think.” Feelings are vital to life but feelings are not always an accurate assessment of the situations. The feelings of anger, shame, frustration get activated

21. Three Ways Feelings are Managed
Act the feelings out
A clear relationship between feelings and behavior
If you have an itch you scratch it
Angry – hit, scratch, yell
Depressed – withdraw, detach
Scared – run, hide, cry
Let’s discuss the Three Ways Feelings are Managed by troubled children (and adults). Act the feelings out
A clear relationship between feelings and behavior. It is a healthy reaction when you have an itch you scratch it. Troubled children feel angry – hit, scratch, yell. They feel depressed and withdraw, detach. Get scared – run, hide, cry.

22. Three Ways to Manage Feelings
2. Defend and deny the feeling
Can’t acknowledge feelings are legitimate, reasonable and part of life
Some feelings make you feel vulnerable and weak
Defense Mechanisms may reduce level of anxiety, BUT
deny the real problem,
use up energy and create a new problem
hat had nothing to do with the original problem
Defend and deny the feeling. Can’t acknowledge that feelings are legitimate, reasonable and part of life. Some feelings make you feel vulnerable and weak. Defense Mechanisms may reduce level of anxiety, but deny the real problem, use up energy and create a new problem in the environment that had nothing to do with the original problem

23. Three Ways to Manage Feelings
3. Accepting the Feeling
Healthy to feel things
but not to act on them in certain ways
Difference between having feelings and being had by your feelings
Latter flood you and control your behavior
When behavior is dominated by emotions
behavior and actions become irrational
Accepting the Feeling. It is healthy to feel things but not to act on them in certain ways. Difference between having feelings and being had by your feelings. When you are had by feelings, they flood you and control your behavior
When behavior is dominated by emotions the ensuing behavior and actions are usually not rational.

24. 5. Negative Feelings Drive Inappropriate Student Behavior
Behavior Can be Studied Three Ways
Automatic Reflex
Learned/Socialized Habit
Personal Choice
Four Categories
Difficulty with Staff
Difficulty with Peers
Difficulty with Learning
Difficulty with Rules
Stage 5. Negative Feelings Drive Inappropriate Student Behavior. Behavior Can be Studied in three Ways: Automatic Reflex, Learned/Socialized Habit, Personal Choice. And in Four Categories: Difficulty with Staff , Difficulty with Peers, Difficulty with Learning, Difficulty with Rules.

25. Problem Behavior What are we saying? The student responds
to his or her feelings
by acting out the behavior
in maladaptive ways
When we discuss problem behaviors, what do we mean: We are saying the student responds to their feelings by acting out the behavior in maladaptive ways

26. 6. Student Behavior Incites Staff and Activates Their Feelings
A Child in Stress
creates in others his feelings
if staff is not trained and do what comes naturally
They will mirror that child’s behavior
Independent of their usual personality
functions like a producer of a play
Casting staff into roles
hostile adult, detached adult, etc
understands every action has an equal and similar reaction
Stage 6: The Student’s Behavior Incites Staff and Activates Their Feelings. A child in stress will attempt to create in others his feelings. If staff is not appropriately trained and do what comes naturally them, they will mirror that child’s behavior, independent of your personality. Troubled children function like a producer of a play –They can cast you into the role of a hostile adult, detached adult, etc…For every action there is an equal and similar reaction.

27. 7. Staff Pick Up Student’s Negative Feelings and Frequently Mirror Student Behavior
Produces a Double Struggle Psychological State
When in conflict with someone
energy goes into controlling your own counter feelings
While trying to de-escalate student’s behavior
to be more rational and reasonable
As staff’s impulses become stronger
Focus on whether to give in
end up mirroring the student’s behavior or
are they going be able to control impulses
De-escalate the student’s behavior
Stage 7. Staff Pick Up Student’s Negative Feelings and Frequently Mirror Student Behavior. This produces a Double Struggle Psychological State
When you are in a conflict with someone a good deal of your energy goes into controlling your own counter feelings. At the same time you are trying to get the student’s behavior to de-escalate to become more rational and reasonable. As your impulses become stronger and stronger the struggle centers on whether you are going to give in to those impulses and end up mirroring the student’s behavior or are we going to be able to control your impulses and use strategies to deescalate the student’s behavior.

28. Reasons Why Adults Become Counter-aggressive (Long, 1995)
As a reaction to being caught in the student’s conflict cycle.
As a reaction to the violation of our personal and professional values and beliefs.
As a reaction to being in a bad mood.
As a reaction to not meeting professional expectations.
As a reaction to feelings of rejection and helplessness.
As a reaction to prejudging a problem student in a crisis.
As a reaction to exposing our unfinished psychological business.
Review the slide

29. Programmed to Act Counter-aggressive?
Under conflict most people mirror behavior
If the child is angry, we get angry
If the adolescent withdraws, we withdraw
We become righteous, refusing to back down
Results in power struggle
logic and understanding no longer plays a part
Staff doesn’t usually initiate the conflict
they usually fuel it and keep it going
then blame the student
rather than owning their own part
Let’s examine the question, are we Programmed to Act Counter-aggressively? Under conflict most of us function similar to a thermometer. As things get hot, we show it. For example, If the child is angry, we get angry. If the adolescent withdraws, we withdraw. Worse yet, we also become righteous and refuse to back down. Then the power struggle is on and logic and understanding no longer plays a part. Has anyone noticed that staff don’t usually initiate the conflict but they usually fuel it and keep it going. They also want to blame the student and not take ownership of their own part in the escalation.

30. How do you know that you are fueling or escalating the conflict?
The use of “You” statements
“You better stop!”
“Can’t you do anything right?”
“You apologize immediately!”
“Don’t you dare use that language!”
You better start acting your age!”
How do you know that you are fueling or escalating the conflict? The use of “You” statements is usually a surefire signal. For example: “You better stop!” “Can’t you do anything right?” “You apologize immediately!” “You don’t dare use that language.” You better start acting your age.” These all reflect back to the student beliefs that fuel his or her IB.

31. 8. Staff Behavior Increases Student Stress and Escalates Cycle
If/when staff are not trained
C A B becomes another escalating stressor
begins the cycle all over again
If/when unmediated
subsequent cycles become more intense and potentially dangerous
Stage 8. Staff Behavior Increases Student Stress and Escalates Cycle. If or when staff are not trained, then their counter-aggressive behavior becomes another escalating stressor. This begins the cycle all over again. Left unmediated, the subsequent cycles become more and more intense and potentially dangerous.

32. 9. Student’s Self-Fulfilling Prophesy is Reinforced
Adults responding in counter-aggressive, hostile, withdrawn or rejecting ways
Reinforces and strengthens the student’s self-fulfilling prophesy( SFP)
The stage is set for the next interaction
For troubled students, the SFP validates the beliefs and programming
That adults will to behave in hostile ways
Stage 9. Student’s Self-Fulfilling Prophesy is Reinforced. Once the adult/staff responds in a counter-aggressive, hostile, withdrawn or rejecting way the student’s self-fulfilling prophesy( SFP) is reinforced and strengthened. The stage is set for the next interaction. Remember, the SFP is a troubled student’s way of validating their beliefs and programming adults to behave in hostile ways.

33. The Aggressive Student
Self-messages reinforce IB:
“If I don’t meet my needs, no one will.”
“All adults are hostile and will reject and punish me.”
Conditioned response/IB forces him to systematically fulfill SFP
Seeks to have staff overreact
behave in hostile ways
Therefore student doesn’t change
What thought processes drive the Aggressive Student? Self-messages such as “If I don’t meet my needs, no one will.” “All adults are hostile and will reject and punish me.” Thus, conditioned to believe adults will reject him, these IB force him to systematically go after your Achilles heal so you will overreact and behave in hostile ways. Therefore, the student doesn’t have to change. They can stay comfortable in the known regardless of how dysfunctional or harmful.

34. The Abused Student Self-messages reinforce IB:
“I deserve to be abandoned and rejected.”
“If the adults get to know me they will learn what a terrible person I am then they will reject me.”
SFP reinforces closeness means rejection
The student withdraws from closeness
The untrained adult mirrors withdrawal
Therefore student doesn’t have to change
What pattern do we see with abused children? The self-messages that reinforce their IB may include
“I deserve to be abandoned and rejected.” “If the adults get to know me they will learn what a terrible person I am and they will reject me.” For them allowing emotional or physical closeness means rejection. This the student withdraws from closeness. The untrained adult mirrors by withdrawing therefore, the student’s SFP of rejection is fulfilled and the student doesn’t have to change

35. A Prescription for Success
You’ll always counter feelings,
but you can’t act on them
or do what is comfortable
The challenge is to turn conflict cycle into a coping cycle
How do we better ensure success? The following is a Prescription for Success: Recognize you or your staff will always have the counter feelings. However, you or they can’t act on them or do what is instinctively comfortable. Your challenge for success is to turn the conflict cycle into a coping cycle!

36. Four Concepts and Skills
Understand the dynamics of the conflict cycle
Acknowledge the existence of your counter-aggressive feelings
Own them and say yes to their existence
BUT no to counter-productive reactions
Act like a thermostat rather than a thermometer
Use your feelings to access what the student might be feeling and decode y behavior
Avoid the power struggle
Eliminate You messages
Use I messages to calm or de-escalate
Focus on what the student needs not on your feelings
The following four concepts and skills provide the tools for success.
1. Understand the dynamics of the conflict cycle
2. Acknowledge the existence of your counter-aggressive feelings. Name your feelings but handle your behavior in effective manners. Any of the three messages can become a mantra when you are faced with situations that can spur counter-aggressive feelings:
I can own my feelings and say yes to their existence but no to aggressive behavior
I can act like a thermostat rather than a thermometer.
I can use my feelings to access what the student might be feeling and decode his behavior.
3. Avoid the power struggle. This means eliminating “You” messages from communication. Instead use “I” messages to calm down the situation. I feel…, when you… because…, and I would like…
4. Focus on what student needs not on my feelings

37. Reflect, share, respond…
Reflect upon this session's professional development:
What would be the impact upon the classroom climate if the Special Educator, Paraprofessional, and Related Service Provider contributed to the Conflict Cycle (Long, 1996)?
Identify and share an experience whereby a student's irrational belief system was either understood or misunderstood by the Special Educator, Paraprofessional, and Related Service Provider.
As a result of the Special Educators, Paraprofessionals, and Related Service Provider’s perception, describe whether this increased or mitigated the student's progression through the Conflict Cycle.

38. Summary
Special Educators, Paraprofessionals, and Related Service Providers work directly with students, especially students with special needs.
Special Educators, Paraprofessionals, and Related Service Providers need to understand Special Education processes and laws
Special Educators, Paraprofessionals, and Related Service Providers must have a working knowledge of instructional, planning, and collaborative strategies
Special Educators, Paraprofessionals, and Related Service Providers need specialized training including positive behavior interventions and health procedures

39. References
Amos, B. (2008) EXPLORING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PARAPROFESSIONAL AND TEACHER. Paper prepared
for The Department of Special Education and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas. Ann
Arbor, MI. Retrieved from:
Bendada, A. (2006) Paraprofessional Competencies and Professional Development Options. Paper prepared
for Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Madison, WI. Retrieved from:
Hipsky, S. (2007). The Paraprofessional Perspective. Online Submission
Martin, L. (2009) No Paraprofessional Left Behind (NPLB): The Changing Role of Paraprofessionals in an
Inclusion Classroom. Paper prepared for Northcentral University. Ann Arbor, MI. Retrieved from:
Paraeducators and IDEA 2004: Recognizing and Defining the Role of Paraeducators. Retrieved from
(2007, January) Q and A: Questions and Answers On Highly Qualified Teachers Serving Children with Disabilities.
Retrieved from