Behavior Management Toolbox

Do you have a problem getting your kids to school without a fight? Is it a struggle to get your child to sit at the dinner table? Does your child have challenges transitioning from a preferred activity to another activity.

Purpose
Identify possible functions of behavior (all behavior occurs for a reason not because the child wants to annoy you!) Identify potential strategies that you can implement Understand which strategies will work best with certain functions. Know your self control plan

Before we start.
Patience and consistency is key Team effort equals more effectiveness Understanding your limits and how to handle it Behavior change takes time The Oops (human) moments!

Attempts to Remain Objective

Behavior Change Starts with YOU Parent for the lifetime of the child not just to get through the day Emotional connection Social Pressures/cultural pressures Self-Control

Be a Conditioned Reinforcer
CATCH YOUR CHILD DOING GOOD Build up/Schedule in times for just playing with your kids on their terms. Quality means more (not enough time) Game nights/ story time/ crafts, etc Buy into what your kids are doing/ get excited about their interests

Whats your Plan?

Know

your limits (What really sets you off? You should know this because your kids do!) What strategies do you use for yourself? Take time for you Grief and counseling

Identify the Behavior

Annoying habits Things I want changed Problems for others Cant stand it any more Interfering with family routines Dependency Injury and/or destruction of property

Common Problem Behaviors

Tantrums

(combination of behaviors) Property destruction Hitting, kicking, biting, etc Self-injurious behaviors

Prioritize
Take a moment to write down the problem behaviors that you deal with Then prioritize ones to address first

Start small to build up your success and momentum. Hold off on going to tackle the big behavior until you feel confident and have built some success

Common Functions of Behavior

Communication Attention Escape Sensory To obtain a desirable Lets make a deal

Your child is not engaging in the behavior to annoy you. Listen (its the best way they can get heard) Cope with Frustrations Cant express feelings It works

What Maintains Problematic Behavior

Many problem behaviors are caused by inadvertent reinforcement Negative behaviors may get attention, reaction, reprimands, etc Problem behaviors may get access to reinforcers Problem behaviors may allow one to avoid undesirable activities

All Behavior Occurs for a Reason

We

need to figure out the reason for a behavior before deciding on a strategy to change the behavior If a behavior is occurring it is because it is being reinforced!

What is Reinforcement?

Reinforcement is ANYTHING that increases a behavior Reinforcement can be getting good things (e.g. attention, food, toys) Reprimands and negative attention can sometimes be reinforcers for kids Reinforcement can be getting rid of bad things (e.g. demands, bedtimes, putting on shoes)

Reinforcement
Both good and bad Behaviors are Strengthened by Reinforcement

Changing Behavior
Behaviors occur in context To understand Why we must answer:

Who What Where When How . . . long, often, intensity

Journals and Charts

Wheres

the starting line? Baseline information Is the intervention working? Know if the plan is working

Common Methods for Measuring Behavior

how many Duration how long Intensity ABC charts

Frequency

What are the ABCs

Antecedent: Setting, context, who, where, when, triggers, signal, environment, context Behavior: focus on observable and target responses rather than making assumptions about thoughts and feelings Consequences: the events that immediately follow the behavior

ABC Examples
Antecedent
Time for bed

Behavior
Screams & drops to floor

Consequence
Parent holds & kisses child

Turned TV off

Screams & hits TV turned on dad

2 items shown Touches one of Item given What do you the items want?

Your turn
Antecedent Behavior Consequence

Antecedents
Control

behaviors The following are setting events/Triggers Internal event: health, sleep, pain, medication External Events: who, what, where, when Cognitive Ability

Antecedent Examples
Common

ones

Going to the grocery store Switching from one activity to another Bedtime Morning routine Meal time

Consequences
1. increase or maintain the likelihood of a behavior

2. decrease the likelihood of a behavior

Now what.
Analyze

antecedents and consequences and how your behavior fits in We can change behavior by:
Changing antecedents Manipulating consequences Choose strategies based on WHY the behavior is occurring not for the behavior itself.

Possible Functions
Behavior

Escape Demand

Seek Attention

Sensory Related

Lets Analyze
Antecedent
Time for bed

Behavior
Screams & drops to floor

Consequence
Parent holds & kisses child

Turned TV off

Screams & hits TV turned on dad

2 items shown Touches one of Item given What do you the items want?

Changing Antecedents

Visual Schedule Choices: closed-ended versus open Count down/ Transition cues Teaching and practicing behaviors under ideal conditions Dress rehearsal/ role plays Trigger management/ emotional thermometer Timers Social stories

Increase Appropriate Behavior

Identify what your child likes Put items in a hierarchy of likes, likes a lot, loves Which items will you be able to withhold Catch your child DOING GOOD Deliver reinforcement for the behaviors you want to see more often Token Economy Systems

Decrease Inappropriate Behavior

Planned

ignoring Time away Response cost Loss of privileges Overcorrection

Spanking
Not as effective long term Side effects:

Person delivering punishments become aversive stimulus Intensity necessary is often ethically questionable Models inappropriate behavior when mad or frustrated

Things to Be Aware of.

Pick a strategy that fits the crime Something that you will be able to

follow through with May get worse before it gets better

Stick with it!

Just

Do not warn or ask when they are engaging in the behavior

Do It

Remember
If

you continue to see the behavior after a long period of time (3 weeks), then the strategy you are using may not be appropriate.

Pitfalls
We change antecedents so that you are maneuvering around the behavior problem instead of dealing with it directly Behavior chains What are you modeling

Good Habits to Have

Focus on the good things (reinforce you the behavior you want to see) Separate child from the behavior (good kid-bad choice) Check in (how are you doing?)

Thank you for your assistance

Melanie Machado, M.S., BCBA Leigh Price, M.S., BCBA Michelle Max, B.A., BCaBA