1. The Making of a Problem Behavior: How We Contribute
Chapter 2 of
Teaching Alternative Behavior Schoolwide (TABS)
For further information, contact
PENT Forum 2004, GRM

2. Factors Within the Community that Contribute to Antisocial Behavior
A community tends to support antisocial behavior when:
It contains a number of antisocial networks
Opportunities exist for similar antisocial peers to interact. This often results in an acceleration of antisocial behaviors
There is too little for children and youth to do after school and during the summer
There is little done for children regarding screening aggressive acts out of the media
There is a larger community climate that emphasizes punishment over searching for the causes of the behavior

3. Home and School Factors Contributing to Antisocial Behavior
Coercive Punitive Environment
Inconsistent Application of Consequences
Rules Unclear and Inconsistent
Little or no Acknowledgement of Appropriate Behavior
Misuse of Behavior Management Procedures
Rejection

4. Additional Factors Contributing to Antisocial Behavior
Home:
Low Monitoring of Child
Low Affection
Personal Problems
School:
Little Individualization in Teaching Social Skills
Mismatch of Instructional Materials

5. Thus, it should come as no surprise that a recent Federal publication stated:
“Studies indicate that approximately four of every five disruptive students can be traced to some dysfunction in the way schools are organized, staff members trained, or schools are run.” (U.S. Department of Education, 2000).

6. Teacher Impact on Students
“I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climates. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous.” (Epachin et al., 1994).

7. Problem behaviors, rather than being located within the student, are often due to a mismatch between the characteristics of the learner and those of the instructional environment or the broader home/school context. The emphasis moves from a reliance on suspensions, expulsions, and /or punishment to prevention; on constructing repertoires by teaching students how to behave rather than how not to behave.

8. Positive vs. Punitive Interventions
Punitive Procedures
Positive Classroom Management Strategies
Rapidly Stops Behavior
Slowly Stops Behavior
Provides Immediate Relief (reinforcement) to the teacher
Provides no immediate relief to the teacher
Teaches the student and peers what not to do
Teaches the student and peers what to do
Decreases positive self-statements (self-concept)
Increases positive self-statements (self-concept)
Decreases positive attitudes toward school and schoolwork
Increases positive attitude toward school and schoolwork

9. Positive vs. Punitive Interventions
Punitive Procedures
Positive Classroom Management Strategies
Causes withdrawal (non-task, tardy, truancy, dropping out)
Promotes enhanced participation
Causes aggression (against property and others
Decrease likelihood of aggression
Teaches students to respond in a punitive manner
Teaches students to recognize the positive
Can harm student-teacher relationship
Can enhance student-teacher relationship