a review of functional assessment and behavior intervention processes with emphasis on students who present defiant behavior

1. Assessment and treatment of Challenging Behaviors Using Positive Approaches “Breaking Down the Walls of Defiance” Presented by Steven Vitto, M.A., BTC. CTCII Muskegon Area Intermediate School District

8. A functional assessment doesn’t leave treatment selection to chance Ms. Jones gambles Jenny’s Education on a hunch Let’s see what I can do to get Jenny to behave!!

14. Shane: Avoid Activity

15. What is the function of Tracy’s behavior?

29. Control

32. Initial Line of Inquiry

33. An Initial Line of Inquiry Strengths of student: What the student does well. Student’s strengths, gifts, & talents . Perceived Function Actual Consequences Behavior Problem Fast Triggers (Antecedents) Slow Triggers (Setting Events)

34. An Initial Line of Inquiry Strengths of student: What the student does well. Student’s strengths, gifts, & talents. An observable and measurable description of the behavior(s) of concern. Perceived Function Actual Consequences Behavior Problem Fast Triggers (Antecedents) Slow Triggers (Setting Events)

35. An Initial Line of Inquiry Strengths of student: What the student does well. Student’s strengths, gifts, & talents. An observable and measurable description of the behavior(s) of concern. Events with a discrete onset and offset, that occur immediately before the challenging behavior (e.g., task demand, teacher direction, social interaction) Perceived Function Actual Consequences Behavior Problem Fast Triggers (Antecedents) Slow Triggers (Setting Events)

36. An Initial Line of Inquiry Strengths of student: What the student does well. Student’s strengths, gifts, & talents. An observable and measurable description of the behavior(s) of concern. Events with a discrete onset and offset, that occur immediately before the challenging behavior (e.g., task demand, teacher direction, social interaction). “Make it Happen” Events that may occur before and/or during the targeted response that causes the student to respond to a “typical” situation in an “atypical” way. Specific conditions, events, or activities that make the problem behavior worse? (missed meds, academic failure, conflicts at home, lack of sleep, missed meals, poor interactions with peers/teacher(s), school/classroom behavioral expectations unclear… Perceived Function Actual Consequences Behavior Problem Fast Triggers (Antecedents) Slow Triggers (Setting Events)

37. An Initial Line of Inquiry Strengths of student: What the student does well. Student’s strengths, gifts, & talents. Those events that occur after the behavior (e.g., peer attention, escape task) or as a result of the behavior (e.g., time out, suspension, detention, …) What usually happens after the behavior occurs? (e.g., teacher’s reaction, other students’ reactions, power struggle …) An observable and measurable description of the behavior(s) of concern. Events with a discrete onset and offset, that occur immediately before the challenging behavior (e.g., task demand, teacher direction, social interaction) Events that may occur before and/or during the targeted response that causes the student to respond to a “typical” situation in an “atypical” way. Specific conditions, events, or activities that make the problem behavior worse? (missed medication, history of academic failure, conflict at home, missed meals, lack of sleep, history of problems with peers… Perceived Function Actual Consequences Behavior Problem Fast Triggers (Antecedents) Slow Triggers (Setting Events)

38. An Initial Line of Inquiry Strengths of student: What the student does well. Student’s strengths, gifts, & talents. Obtain Escape or Avoid Those events that occur after the behavior (e.g., peer attention, escape task) or as a result of the behavior (e.g., time out, suspension, detention, …) What usually happens after the behavior occurs? (e.g., teacher’s reaction, other students’ reactions, power struggle …) An observable and measurable description of the behavior(s) of concern. Events with a discrete onset and offset, that occur immediately before the challenging behavior (e.g., task demand, teacher direction, social interaction) Events that may occur before and/or during the targeted response that causes the student to respond to a “typical” situation in an “atypical” way. Specific conditions, events, or activities that make the problem behavior worse? (missed medication, history of academic failure, conflict at home, missed meals, lack of sleep, history of problems with peers… Perceived Function Actual Consequences Behavior Problem Fast Triggers (Antecedents) Slow Triggers (Setting Events)

39. An Initial Line of Inquiry Strengths of student: What the student does well. Student’s strengths, gifts, & talents. Obtain Escape or Avoid Those events that occur after the behavior (e.g., peer attention, escape task) or as a result of the behavior (e.g., time out, suspension, detention, …) What usually happens after the behavior occurs? (e.g., teacher’s reaction, other students’ reactions, power struggle …) An observable and measurable description of the behavior(s) of concern. Events with a discrete onset and offset, that occur immediately before the challenging behavior (e.g., task demand, teacher direction, social interaction) Events that may occur before and/or during the targeted response that causes the student to respond to a “typical” situation in an “atypical” way. Specific conditions, events, or activities that make the problem behavior worse? (missed medication, history of academic failure, conflict at home, missed meals, lack of sleep, history of problems with peers… Perceived Function Actual Consequences Behavior Problem Fast Triggers (Antecedents) Slow Triggers (Setting Events)

40. Setting Events Triggering Antecedents Maintaining Consequences Problem Behavior Testable Hypothesis ٭

41. Setting event Antecedent Response Consequence When you wake up Christmas morning and realize that Santa came, but only left you a lump of coal and you begin to cry and beat up your sister, and then your dad whips you with his new Christmas belt. You’ve been romping on your sister all year long You received a lump of coal You begin to cry and hit your sister Your dad whips your butt with his new Christmas belt What function? Obtain sensory

42. Setting event Antecedent Response Consequence The football game is coming on in 2 minutes. Your significant other asks you to wash the dishes. You happily oblige. After one minute, you have broken two glasses and one dish. Your significant other pushes you out of the way and says, “ Just let me do them.” You sigh and go watch the game . You know if you pretend you can’t do something she will do it for you The football game is coming on and your spouse asks you to wash dishes You break two dishes and a glass Your spouse takes over and washes the dishes herself What function? Avoid activity

43. When Sequoia misses her 12:30 medication & teachers make multiple task demands, she makes negative self-statements & writes profane language on her assignments. Teaching staff typically send her to the office with a discipline referral for being disrespectful. Setting event Antecedent Response Consequence Misses 12:30 medication Teachers make multiple task demands Sequoia makes negative self- statements & writes profane language Teacher sends Sequoia to office for being disrespectful What function? Avoid difficult tasks

44. From Hypothesis to Strategies when this occurs… because… Function Reduction/ Punishment Strategies Reinforcement Strategies: Alternative Behaviors: Long Term Skills: Class Behavioral Expectations Alternative/ Competing Behavior Skills: Teaching Strategies: Long Term Desired Skills: Teaching Strategies: Fast trigger strategies Slow trigger Strategies Given these circumstances Slow Triggers Fast Triggers the person does… Problem Behavior in order to… Get/Avoid

49. Competing Behavior Model alternative, functionally equivalent behavior Long-term desired behavior Setting Events/ Slow Triggers Antecedents/Fast Triggers Desired Behavior Problem Behavior Replacement Behavior Reinforcing Consequence Reinforcing Consequence

50. Competing Behavior Model Setting Event Antecedent Desired Behavior Problem Behavior Replacement Behavior Reinforcing Consequence Reinforcing Consequence Academic engagement Anger Control Self Management Request to leave class/school Verbal & Physical Aggression Profanity Limited group of friends Lack of sleep Peer negative comments about size/physique or character Adult directions/ comments provided in officious, chiding, or condescending fashion Escape current demands/ situation Personal satisfaction Passing grades

51. REPLACEMENT BEHAVIOR SWEARING ESCAPE TASK DEMANDS (WRITING) Function Behavior R

52. REPLACEMENT BEHAVIOR SWEARING ESCAPE TASK DEMANDS (WRITING) REQUEST A BREAK X Behavior Function R

53. REPLACEMENT BEHAVIOR SWEARING ESCAPE TASK DEMANDS (SPECIFICALLY WRITING) ESCAPE TASK DEMANDS (SPECIFICALLY WRITING) REQUEST A BREAK SWEARING !?!? X X EXTINCTION 1 2 R R R R

60. Behavior Mantra: “ It is easier to prevent a behavior from occurring than to deal with it after it has happened.”

61. If you’ve told a child a thousand times and she/he still doesn’t understand, then it is not the CHILD who is the slow learner! Anonymous

63. The Behavior-Instruction Connection Procedures for Academic Problems Procedures for Behavioral Problems *Assume the student has learned *Assume student refuses to cooperate the wrong way *Assume student has been taught *Assume student knows what is right (inadvertently) the wrong way and has been told often enough *Diagnose the problem *Provide more negative consequences withdraw student from normal context *Adjust presentation, use effective *Provide more negative consequences instructional strategies, provide maintain removal from normal context feedback, practice & review *Assume student has learned the skill *Assume student has learned his/her lesson Frequent Errors

70. Challenge #3

96. Establishing a Relationship Based Approach Reinforcement should be a celebration of effort

97. OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANCE DISORDER

98. “ AN ATTACHMENT FORMS BETWEEN INFANT AND PRIMARY CAREGIVER SOMETIME DURING THE INFANT’S FIRST TWO YEARS OF LIFE.”

99. Attachment is the “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings.”

100. “ The quality of our attachment acts as a foundation for our future.”

102. “ AN ATTACHMENT DISORDER OCCURS WHEN THE ATTACHMENT PERIOD IS DISRUPTED OR INADEQUATE, LEAVING THE CHILD WITH THE INABILITY TO FORM A NORMAL RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS AND CAUSING AN IMPAIRMENT IN DEVELOPMENT.”

119. Social Maladjustment and Emotional Impairment are two distinct behavioral disorders.

120. Students with conduct disorder engage in deliberate acts of self-interest to gain attention or to intimidate others. They experience no distress or self-devaluation or internalized distress.

122. Students with Emotional Impairment engage in involuntary patterns of behavior and experience internalized distress about their behaviors.

124. For the child with an Emotional Impairment, diffusing a crisis will often involve reducing anxiety. For the child with Conduct Disorder and effective response should increase anxiety Barkley, 2005

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