1. Overview of Promoting Social Emotional Competence (PBS for young children/students)
Cristine Deaver, MS, BCBA, LABA
Behavior Analyst
Most of the materials can be found at:

2. Learning Objectives
Rationale for using addressing behavior in young children
Components of the training materials
Training module information

3. Rationale

4. Some Sobering Facts 4

5. An estimated 9 to 13% of American children and adolescents between ages 9 to 17 have serious diagnosable emotional or behavioral health disorders resulting in substantial to extreme impairment.
(Friedman, 2002) 5

6. Students with SED miss more days of school than do students in all other disability categories (U.S. Department of Education 1994)
More than half of students with SED drop out of grades 9-12, the highest rate for all disability categories. (U.S. Department of Education, 2002)
Of those students with SED who drop out of school, 73% are arrested within five years of leaving school (Jay & Padilla, 1987) 6

7. Children who are identified as hard to manage at ages 3 and 4 have a high probability (50:50) of continuing to have difficulties into adolescence (Campbell & Ewing, 1990; Egeland et al., 1990; Fischer, Rolf, Hasazi, & Cummings, 1984). 7

8. It begins
early... 8

9. Early appearing aggressive behaviors are the best predictor of juvenile gang membership
and violence.
(Reid, 1993) 9

10. When aggressive and antisocial behavior has persisted to age 9, further intervention has a poor chance of success.
(Dodge, 1993) 10

11. Of the young children who show early signs of challenging behavior, it has been estimated that fewer than 10% receive services for these difficulties.
(Kazdin & Kendall, 1998) 11

12. Preschool children are three times more likely to be “expelled” than children in grades K-12
(Gilliam, 2005) 12

13. There are evidence based practices that are effective in changing this developmental trajectory…the problem is not what to do, but rests in where and how we can support children and help families access services. 13

14. Treatment most likely to be recommended:
Pediatricians first line of defense for children with emotional and behavioral problems.
Treatment most likely to be recommended:
supportive counseling,
prescriptions or
referrals.
These treatments do not take into consideration the environmental influences that may contribute to and possibly exacerbate the problems.
Most frequent behaviors: child discipline, incontinence, sleep disorders, habit disorders, and symptoms of ADHD.
Behavior interventions look at the environmental variables and have few (if any) side effects.
(Friman & Piazza, 2011)

15. ND Study on PBS in Preschools and Head Start (Green, 2010)
Based on a questionnaire sent to preschool and Head Start teacher:
The majority of items on the questionnaire were implemented sometimes, most of the time, or always.

16. Results
Item
Always Implemented
Rules with 3 – 5 positively stated posted
54%
Posted classroom routine/schedule
69%
Written description of behavioral expectations
24%
Use transitional signal
60%
Provide warning of transition
50%
Pre-Correction
52%
Acknowledge system
32%
4 to 1 positive to negative ratio
Verbal praise
System approach
42%
Leadership team that informs behavioral expectations and data collection
26%
Preventative approach
Individualized behavioral process
Teach social skills
66%
Function or purpose of behavior
33%
Examine context of behavior
40%
Data collection
39%
Use data to develop behavior programming
35%
Continuum of procedures for problem behaviors
Use natural environments and routines to reinforce behavior
97%
Evidence based practices

17. Results
Trend toward inconsistent implementation of elements
Up to 50% of young children with challenging behaviors go on to receive special education supports for disabilities related to the behaviors (Duda, Dunlap, Fox, Lentini & Clark, 2004)
Most of the time, sometimes and rarely are not enough support for young children with or at risk for challenging behaviors or disabilities

18. Evidence Based Practice

19. What Does “Evidence Based Practice” Mean?
Levels of evidence or levels of confidence that the practice will have the desired outcome:
Peer-reviewed published research findings
Published synthesis of research
Multi-authored position papers
Government reports
Consensus/values
Opinion, etc.
High
Low 19

20. Effective Practices Changing adult behavior and expectations
Promoting overall high program quality
Promoting social skills, preventing & addressing challenging behavior (pyramid model)
Using empirically validated interventions which include:
Comprehensive strategies e.g., adaptations to environment and activities, learning class rules, role-playing alternative behaviors, arranging for peer models & reinforcing desirable behaviors
Individualizing approaches
Positive programming, e.g., Positive Behavior Support (PBS)
Team-based and multidisciplinary approaches
Using data-based strategies and decision making 20

21. What Positive Social Emotional Outcomes Can Be Expected from Evidence Based Practices?
Decrease in:
Withdrawal, aggression, noncompliance, and disruption
Teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, and special education placement
Increase in:
Positive peer relationships including understanding of friendship, cooperation, and sharing
Self-control, self-monitoring, self-correction, and improved social emotional health
Academic success 21

22. The Triangle and Pyramid Approach

23. An Evidence Based Framework: The Pyramid Approach
PROMOTION
PREVENTION
INTERVENTION 23

24. Teaching Pyramid Building Positive Relationships
Intensive Individualized Interventions
Children with persistent challenges
Positive Behavior Support
Social Emotional Teaching Strategies
Social Skills Curricula
Children at-risk
High quality
Education
Designing High Quality and Supportive Environments
All children
Building Positive Relationships 24

25. Critical Elements Leadership Team; administrative support Staff buy-in
Family involvement
Program-wide expectations
Strategies to teach and acknowledge expectations
Implementation
Procedures to respond to problem behaviors
Staff development and support
Data-based decision making and monitoring of outcomes

26. Training Materials
Consist of 6 two- to three-hour training modules focused on developing and implementing effective research- based interventions for professionals working with young students with challenging behaviors and their families.
The training is designed to build the capacity of professionals working with young children to understand and implement quality early intervention practices.

27. The modules reflect a commitment to the following:
Interventions and supports should be developmentally appropriate and child-centered;
Early intervention services and supports must be delivered with consideration of the unique and diverse cultures of children;
Professionals should seek to understand and implement evidence-based practices;
Behavior intervention should use positive practices;
A collaborative, problem solving approach should be used to ensure that all people involved are actively involved in the development and implementation of support strategies that will promote the development of the child.

28. Guiding principles
Supporting the social and emotional development to prevent challenging behaviors;
Individualizing interventions to meet the unique interests, strengths, and needs;
Promoting skill building with enough intensity to affect change;
Implementing strategies in the context of naturally occurring routines and environments;
Ensuring fidelity of use through a systematic change process; and
Modifying strategies to meet the cultural and linguistic diversity of families and children.

29. Topics Social and Communication Development
Promoting Children's Success: Building Relationships and Creating Supportive Environments
Social-Emotional Teaching Strategies
Determining the Meaning of Challenging Behavior
Developing a Behavior Support Plan
Leadership Strategies for Supporting Children’s Social and Emotional Development and Addressing Challenging Behavior

31. The foundation of this model is grounded in the context of positive, supportive relationships between teachers and children.
To ensure that the majority of children will engage in appropriate social behavior and flourish in their emotional development.

32. It is important to note that research indicates that the first two levels of the Teaching Pyramid are absolutely essential for all children but that some children will need additional focused and systematic strategies to support their social and emotional development.

33. The third level provides information on the implementation of effective social emotional teaching strategies.
These strategies are used to teach important skills, such as expressing emotions appropriately, solving problems, and building friendships.
The third level emphasizes the need for systematic ways to support children in developing competence in emotional literacy, problem solving, impulse control, and friendship skills.
As many as 30% of the children will need this level of intervention (i.e., social and emotional teaching strategies) to develop these critical skills.
In situations where a disproportionate number of children are from high risk environments, a greater percentage of children will need focused instruction to develop social competence.

34. The fourth level is designed for those children who continue to exhibit significant challenging behaviors when the other levels of the model are in place.
Small number of children who have challenging behavior that is unresponsive to the foundational levels of the pyramid.
They may have developmental delays, be exposed to multiple risk factors (e.g., poverty, single parent homes, inadequate health care), or may have been exposed to other events or influences that have impacted their social development.

35. The last training module
provides training on the administrative supports and processes that are necessary to adopt and sustain the practices described in the other modules, and
reflect a commitment to promoting social emotional development in all children.

36. Social and Communication Development

37. Social and Communication Development
This module focuses on:
Identify major milestones of communication and language development
Identify a variety of forms of non-symbolic and symbolic communication
Describe the reasons or functions that children communicate even before using words
Describe how the adult and the activity support social and communication skills in young children
Describe how to promote children’s social competence with peers

38. Children can use challenging behaviors at any of these stages of language development.
A developmental framework for the acquisition of communication and language can help us understand children’s use of challenging behaviors.

39. Link Between Behavior and Communication
Challenging behavior can be a form of communication.
Supporting the child begins by determining what communicative function behavior serves.

40. Promoting Children's Success: Building Relationships and Creating Supportive Environments

41. Promoting Children’s Success: Building Relationship and Creating Supportive Environments
Addresses strategies for preventing challenging behaviors.
Positive relationships with children serve as the foundation for addressing social emotional needs.
When children understand routines and expectations for their behavior, and when they are engaged in meaningful activities, they are less likely to engage in challenging behaviors.
Expectations and routines have to be taught using a range of teaching strategies.

42. This is the Universal Foundation
Well planned and responsive learning environments
High quality interactions and instruction
Effective behavior management strategies
Environmental arrangement
Predictability
Visual cues

43. Key Social Emotional Skills Need as They Enter School
Children
Need as They Enter School
Confidence
Capacity to develop good relationships with peers and adults
Concentration and persistence on challenging tasks
Ability to effectively communicate emotions
Ability to listen to instructions and be attentive
Ability to solve social problems
What do children do when they don’t have each of these skills? 43

44. We must focus on TEACHING the skills!
When children do not have these skills, they often exhibit challenging behaviors
We must focus on TEACHING the skills! 44

45. “If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach.”
“If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach.”
“If a child doesn’t know how to multiply, we teach.”
“If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach.”
“If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we… …teach? …punish?”
“Why can’t we finish the last sentence as automatically as we do the others?”
(Herner, 1998)
The attitude shift to get faculty on board w/ teaching behavioral skills can be challenging. The next few slides will cover some of the rationale for teaching, and provide some ammunition for common objections.

46. Some Basic Assumptions
Challenging behavior usually has a message.
Children often use challenging behavior when they don’t have the social or communication skills they need to engage in more appropriate interactions.
Behavior that persists over time is usually working for the child.
We need to focus on teaching children what to do in place of the challenging behavior. 46

47. Promote Children’s Success
Create an environment where EVERY child feels good about coming to school.
Design an environment that promotes child engagement.
Focus on teaching children what To Do!
Teach expectations and routines.
Teach skills that children can use in place of challenging behaviors. 47

48. Major Messages
The first and most important thing that we can do is to build positive relationships with every child and family.
Focus on prevention and teaching appropriate skills.
Promoting social emotional development is not easy. There are no quick fixes to challenging behavior.
It requires a comprehensive approach that includes building relationships, evaluating our own classrooms and behaviors, and TEACHING. 48

49. Social-Emotional Teaching Strategies

50. Social Emotional Teaching Strategies
This module focuses on effective strategies for teaching problem solving, communication of emotions and building friendships.
Identifying teachable moments
Facilitating the development of friendship skills
Teaching problem solving
Teaching children to recognize and express emotions
Teaching anger management

51. Teaching Social Emotional Skills
Why
When
What
How 51

52. What Is Social Emotional Development?
A sense of confidence and competence
Ability to develop good relationships with peers and adults/make friends/get along with others
Ability to persist at tasks
Ability to follow directions
Ability to identify, understand, and communicate own feelings/emotions
Ability to constructively manage strong emotions
Development of empathy 52

53. What happens when children don’t have these skills?…53

54. Identifying Teachable Moments54

55. Stages of Learning Acquisition – new skill or concept
Fluency – the ability to immediately use the skill or concept without a prompt
Maintenance – continuing to use the skill or concept over time
Generalization – applying the skill or concept to new situations, people, activities, ideas, and settings 55

56. Friendship Skills
Think about children who are well liked and friendly…
What do you notice about their behavior that makes it easier for them to make friends? 56

57. Friendship Skills Gives suggestions (play organizers)
Shares toys and other materials
Takes turns (reciprocity)
Is helpful
Gives compliments
Understands how and when to give an apology
Begins to empathize 57

58. Sharing Child has materials
Rationale
Describe skill
Child has materials
Offers or responds to request from peer for materials
Demonstrate
Right way
Wrong way
Practice
Promote 58

59. Taking Turns “You take a turn, I take a turn”
Rationale
Describe skill
“You take a turn, I take a turn”
Might ask for a turn with a toy
Might initiate turn taking games
Demonstrate
Right way
Wrong way
Practice
Promote 59

60. Giving Compliments Right way Wrong way Rationale Describe skill
Verbal – say things like:
“Good job _____!”
“I like the way you _____!”
Physical – Do things like:
Hug
Pat on the shoulder
High Five
Demonstrate
Right way
Wrong way
Practice
Promote 60

61. Knowing How and When to Give Apologies
Rationale
Describe skill
Children might say, “I’m sorry I hit you when you took my ball.”
“I didn’t mean to push you.”
Demonstrate skill
Right way
Wrong way
Practice
Promote 61

62. Setting the Stage for Friendship
Inclusive setting
Cooperative use toys
Embed opportunities
Social interaction goals and objectives
Atmosphere of friendship 62

63. Strategies for Developing Friendship Skills
Modeling
Modeling with video
Modeling with puppets
Preparing peer partners
Buddy system
Priming
Direct modeling
Reinforcement 63

64. Activities to Support the Development of Friendship Skills
Friendship Can
Planting Seeds of Friendship
Friendship Tree/Compliment Tree
Books about Friendships
Friendship Quilt
Friendship Journal
Music/Songs 64

65. Activity Embedding Friendship Opportunities into Daily Routines and Activities
Arrival
Circle Time
Center Time
Small Group
Outside
Snack
Story Time
Good-bye Circle
Transitions 65

66. Catch Them Being Good!!!! 66

67. What is emotional literacy?
Emotional literacy is the ability to identify, understand, and express emotions in a healthy way. 67

68. Children with a Strong Foundation in Emotional Literacy:
tolerate frustration better
get into fewer fights
engage in less destructive behavior
are healthier
are less lonely
are less impulsive
are more focused
have greater academic achievement 68

69. Enhancing Emotional Literacy…
Direct Teaching
Indirect Teaching
Use of Songs and Games
How would you feel if…?
Checking In
Feeling Dice and Feeling Wheel
Use of Children’s Literature 69

70. Direct Teaching of Feeling Vocabulary70

71. English/
Spanish 71

72. Characteristics of Classrooms That Foster Emotional Literacy
*Books about feelings are read and are available in the story center.
Photos of people with various emotional expressions are displayed.
Teachers label their own feelings.
Teachers notice and label children’s feelings.
Activities are planned to teach and reinforce emotional literacy.
Children are reinforced for using feeling words.
Efforts occur daily. 72

73. Identifying Feelings in Self and Others
Learning words for different feelings
Empathy training
Learning to recognize how someone else is feeling
Facial cues
Body language
Tone of voice
Situational cues
Learning how to control anger, relax, and calm down 73

74. Empathy
Empathy is the identification with and understanding of another’s feelings and situation. 74

75. Teaching Empathy Model empathy “Alike” & “different” activities
Draw children’s attention to how others are feeling
Role plays and role reversals
Reinforce empathy behaviors 75

76. Relaxation Thermometer
Take 3 deep breaths…
Adapted from Incredible Years Dinosaur School 76

77. Key Concepts with Feelings
Feelings change
You can have more than one feeling about something
You can feel differently than someone else about the same thing
All feelings are valid – it is what you do with them that counts 77

78. Controlling Anger and Impulse
Recognizing that anger can interfere with problem solving
Learning how to recognize anger in oneself and others
Learning how to calm down
Understanding appropriate ways to express anger 78

79. Turtle Technique Recognize that you feel angry. “Think” Stop.
Go into shell. Take 3 deep breathes. And think calm, coping thoughts.
Come out of shell when calm and think of a solution. 79

80. Problem Solving Steps Would it be safe? Would it be right?
How would everyone feel? 80

81. Help the Child Think of a Possible Solution:
Get a teacher
Ask nicely
Ignore
Play
Say, “Please stop.”
Say, “Please.”
Share
Trade toys/item
Wait and take turns 81

82. The Solution Kit 82

83. Problem Solving Learning problem solving steps
Thinking of alternative solutions
Learning that solutions have consequences
Learning to evaluate solutions - Is it safe? Is it right? Good feelings?
What to do when a solution doesn’t work 83

84. Problem-Solving Activities
Problematize everything
“We have 6 kids at the snack table and only one apple. We have a problem. Does anyone have a solution?”
Play “What would you do if…?”
Children make their own “solution kits”
Children offer solutions to problems that occur in children’s stories 84

85. Supporting Young Children with Problem-Solving in the Moment
Anticipate problems
Seek proximity
Support
Encourage; and
Promote 85

86. Key Point: Intentionally Teach! (Teach me what to do!)
Friendship skills
Emotion words/feelings
How to recognize feelings in oneself and others
How to “calm down”
How to control anger and impulse
How to problem solve 86

87. Determining the Meaning of Challenging Behavior

88. Individualized Intensive Interventions: Determining the Meaning of Challenging Behavior
This modules focuses on the effective strategies for observing children and identifying the meaning of their behavior as a means of identifying skills that could be targeted for instruction.
Identify the function of challenging behavior
Identify behaviors and social skills to target for intervention

89. Developing a Behavior Support Plan

90. Individualized Intensive Interventions: Developing a Behavior Support Plan
This module addresses strategies for teaching new skills and arranging the environment to support appropriate behaviors and prevent challenging behavior, and Building teams to effectively support the child’s behavior across settings.
Developing a plan for supporting social emotional development and preventing challenging behavior
Using a team approach to address challenging behavior and social emotional needs

91. Leadership Strategies for Supporting Children’s Social and Emotional Development and Addressing Challenging Behavior

92. Leadership Strategies
Focus on identifying barriers to the effective use of these practices and strategies for addressing those barriers.
Identifying challenges and barriers to implementing effective practices
Identifying strategies for addressing barriers and challenges
Developing program policies and staff development plans to promote the use of effective practices
Identifying steps to collaborative planning for programs and systems that support all young children’s social emotional development

93. Cristine Deaver, MS, BCBA, LABA Behavior Analyst
Thank you!
Cristine Deaver, MS, BCBA, LABA
Behavior Analyst