Understanding Behavior Autism Response Team Teri Marks & Queenie Nichols Oswego SETRC
It Takes Everyone’s Understanding Teachers & Aides Speech & OT & PT Psychologists Cafeteria Staff Bus Drivers Office Staff Hall & Recess Monitors Custodians
Seek First to Understand Communication Speech Social Skills Physical Issues Actual Behaviors
Keys to Understanding Behavior Behavior that persists is working for the individual With rare exceptions, the single event is of little or no consequence-it’s the pattern that counts When confronted with disturbing behavior we tend to conclude that individuals either can’t or won’t do otherwise ~NOT TRUE~
Acting Up vs. Acting Out Acting Up Impulsive Carried away Understand Rational Responds to reminders, directives, prompts, warnings or cues Acting Our Intense Emotional Feelings Stress or frustration Must recognize and interpret communication through the behaviors. Address emotion first.
Observe, Measure, Observe Observe Assess Understand Plan Observe Assess Understand Plan
Functions of Behavior Attention Power Control Avoidance “It feels good” Revenge Frustration Stress Don’t know anything else W H Y ???
Functional Replacement Behaviors Serve a Function Determine the Function What would you rather see? Teach the Replacement
Target & Replacement Behavior Identify One Target Behavior Suggest a Possible Function Get & Avoid Identify One Replacement Behavior
Reducing Misbehaviors Find appropriate behavior that interferes with the misbehavior Assure that know how to do the replacement behavior Identify “triggers Don’t use a question format Quiet voice Time for compliance Non emotional More “do” than “don’t” Reinforce compliance quickly and often
General Principals when managing behavior of students on the spectrum Behavior must be taught Goal is to prevent problems vs. reacting to them Determine acceptable levels Determine the communicative intent Behavior will persist if it meets a need Be consistent Behaviors often get worse before they get better
Who would you rather learn from?