UNDERSTANDING WHY PROBLEM BEHAVIORS OCCUR

Presented by Phillip Tse

Introduction

Children may display disruptive behavior because of physical pain or discomfort.

Children display disruptive behavior because the child often can not, or does not use necessary language to express frustration or desires. To gain attention Escape/Avoid Work To get tangibles Self-stimulatory behavior

Possible solutions

Break down the activity into steps or provide a simpler task for the child.

Replace the problem behavior with a functional, appropriate behavior.

Implement a functional assessment, which focuses on why the child is behaving a certain way as well as providing information for parents/teachers to implement strategies that will decrease the behavior.

Please remember

Each child has unique and individual patterns of responding and interacting.

Motivating factors in problem behaviors Positive consequence

The teacher refusing to give the attention, cookies, toys, or free play but eventually caves in.

Escaping or avoiding a situation The task may be irrelevant and/or difficult.

Self-stimulatory behavior Not having enough appropriate

environmental interactions.

Recording problem behaviors Provide a new behavior that will make

the greatest impact on the child’s life. Find possible reinforcements that will

help decrease the disruptive behavior. Record data on recording sheet.

Preliminary Exercise

List specific behaviors of concern. Bite others—grabs arms with both hands

and quickly bites lower arm one time. Tantrum—for at least 15 minutes, he cries

while laying on floor, kicking and refusing to get up.

Setting and Antecedent of the Behavior/BEFORE When the behavior occurs, first mark the

specific situation or event that occurred immediately before the problem behavior.

Result or Consequence of the Behavior/AFTER What the child experienced immediately

after the behavior. Removed from the area. Given attention Given something

Recording Sheet Example 1

Date: ____________Name: ___________Definition of Behavior: _______________________Date Tim

eAntecedent

Behavior

Consequence

Function of Behavior

Recording Sheet Example 2

Before

Told to do something

Change of activity

Moved

Alone

Interrupted

Told “No”

Notes:

Recording Sheet Example 2

After

Given attention

Given something

Lost something

Removed from area

Ignored

Punished

Request withdrawn

Recording Sheet Example 2

Why

Get out of…

Transition…

To obtain…

Attention

Avoid (person/place)

Other: Specify

Investigating the function of the behavior Look for consistencies or patterns

Time: when it occurs Place: where it occurs Does the behavior occur when a specific

situation is presented to the child? Is the child usually given something in

response to the behavior?

Preparing for an intervention Fading the problem behavior by

eliminating the troubling stimuli A child tantrums to escape from work.

Possible solution: Provide the child to work on simple tasks while praising for his attempt.

Provide a series of easy tasks with more difficult task interspersed periodically.

Preparing for an intervention Understanding the function of the behavior followed by giving the

child a more appropriate way of meeting that function.

Function Appropriate behavior

Attention Tap hand once, give eye contact, using verbalization

Escape/Avoidance Manding for break/help, making curricular accommodations or instructional modifications

Obtaining tangibles Manding/requesting appropriately (verbal, sign, picture exchange, etc)

Common concerns

The length of time required to teach a functionally equivalent behavior varies across individuals.

Replacement behavior should be easy and as effective as the undesired behavior.

Assess specifically in what situations the desired behavior does occur.

Reassess whether there are multiple cues for the same behavior.