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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

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

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

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

9. 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)

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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).

16. 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

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