1. FOSTERING SOCIAL CONNECTIONSBy
Frank LoCurto, MS, BCBA, LBA
Mamaroneck U.F.S.D.

2. Tonight’s Objectives Go Through a Quick “Behavior 101”
Develop a better understanding of why “social connections” can be difficult for your child to make and maintain
Generate Goals to form a plan and monitor progress
Offer Strategies to support your child to learn skills that will make him / her more prepared and successful in these situations
Provide your child with “tools” and “systems” that can be used across a variety of social opportunities
Increase your child’s motivation to continue to grow and learn.

3. What is Considered a “Social Connection?”
A “Social Connection” is something that allows us to experience the great opportunities the world has to offer!
These connections help us to feel confident and motivated, resulting in our kids making the most out their time in the big-wide world!

4. Before We Get To Connected, Let’s Go Over The Fundamentals of Behavior
There are 4 basic functions of behavior:
1. To Escape or Avoid
2. To Gain Access to Something
3. To Gain Attention
4. To Provide some type of Stimulation or Remove a Level of Pain or Discomfort
Behavior = Communication For Our Kids!

5. Figuring Out The Function
It is important to look at the events surrounding challenging behavior
Antecedents (A) – What happens before
Behavior (B) – The actual behavior
Consequences (C) What happens after
Looking at behavior this way will help you identify patterns and key factors as to why your child may be struggling in certain situations.
Once we are able to understand more about “Why” our kids struggle, we can then develop a plan to increase success.

6. The Principles of Behavior!
If the consequence that follows a behavior results in the outcome that person wants, the likelihood of that behavior happening again, and probably more frequently, is real good (Reinforcement)
If the consequence that follows a behavior does not result in a desired outcome, the behavior is likely to decrease (Extinction)

7. Looking At It is As Easy As….. A-B-C
Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Antecedent = Jimmy is in a social setting that is way too noisy
Behavior = Jimmy knocks items off the shelf
Consequence = Jimmy’s parents remove him from the store
What is likely to happen next time???
Antecedent = Jimmy is in a social setting that is way too noisy. He has a card that says, “It’s too loud in here.”
Behavior = Jimmy gives the card to his parents
Consequence = Jimmy’s parents remove him from the store
What is likely to happen next time???

8. Why is The World Sometimes Scary For Our Kids???
Unfamiliarity with the Place
Unfamiliarity with People in the Place
Too Much New Stuff to take in at once
Different Routine
Unmotivated
Unable to Effectively Communicate Needs in Setting
We may be Asking Too Much from our kids, which results in Crossing their Thresholds
Difficulty Generalizing Skills Across Environments
These are tough situations for your child, and ones he / she is likely to try too avoid.
Let’s Work Together to make the Big-Wide World Smaller for Our Kids and begin to Make and Foster Social Connections!!!!

9. First, Let’s Organize Our Thinking Into Sequential Steps To Form a Plan
1. Gather Information to help determine where to start
2. Form Goals that are attainable and break each goal down into smaller steps. This will help you to monitor progress and not go too fast
3. Don’t Overwhelm, slow and steady wins the race (Familiarize, Desensitize and Organize)
4. Develop and Introduce strategies, along with “Tools” For Your Child To Use To Increase Success
5. Keep the motivation high throughout the process
6. Brace for “Bumps in the Road.” Even tough moments can be teachable opportunities if we are prepared to address them with a consistent plan

10. Step 1. Gather Information
Determine 1-2 settings that offer opportunities for your child to practice and develop skills in.
Have a discussion with each other (your child, family members, school staff, etc..) about how your child typically does in these situations and what are valuable skills to work on.
Questions might Include:
- How does my child typically do when there?
- How long is my child able to stay and how much support does he / she need?
- Is my child able to use the skills he / she has in this setting?
- Where does my child struggle most when here?
- What skills would be important for my child to learn to participate as best as he / she could in this setting?
* Gathering this information will guide you to make better decisions on where to start, formulating goals and teaching skills to foster success.

11. Step 2. Generate Goals to Guide You and Your Child
It is easy to quickly become overwhelmed and try to work on too much
Use the information you have gathered to determine a few generalizable skills to work on across 2-3 areas of functioning (Ex. Independence, Functional Communication, Social Engagement)
Develop a small set of goals and benchmarks, or steps toward these goals
Let’s go through an example………..

12. Step 2. Generate Goals to Guide You and Your Child
Independence Goal: Mary will reference her reminder checklist when she forgets one or multiple steps of a routine out in the community.
Step 1: Mary will work with an adult on putting together a reminder checklist
Step 2: Mary will create this checklist independently and remember to bring it with her when she goes on a community trip.
Step 3: Mary will check her reminder checklist, with minimal assistance, when she forgets a step of a routine.

13. Step 2. Generate Goals to Guide You and Your Child
Let’s Generate a Goal and Steps Together:
Goal: _____________________
Step 1: ___________________
Step 2: ___________________
Step 3: ___________________

14. Step 3(a): Connect Through Familiarization
1. Make unfamiliar places more familiar for your child.
Take pictures of the settings you will be visiting frequently with your child, along with some of the activities they will be engaging in.
Create books about these places and the things to do when there. (There are great Apps to create these books and add narration)
Review these books with your child before going to a new setting, and while working on your child’s goals.

15. Step 3(b): Connect Through Desensitization
Often times, we push the thresholds of our kids by requiring too much, too soon.
When assessing your child’s performance in a specific environment, it is important to identify early signs of stress or behavior change.
It is critical not to exceed this threshold whenever possible.
Ideally, it is more productive to set an attainable criteria, and provide frequent reinforcement for appropriate behavior, rather than negative consequences for behaviors which occur as a result of a child’s limits being pushed.

16. Step 3(b): Connect Through Desensitization
Tips for Successful Desensitization:
Once you have a general idea of your child’s limits in a setting, try to set initial criteria (Ex. Time in that setting) slightly below that limit.
Provide your child with some supports (which will be reviewed on a later slide) that he / she can use to self-monitor, cope and communicate in more appropriate ways. (Ex. “I need a break” – Card) (Ex. Self-Monitoring Chart)
Provide reinforcement for using these tools. (This also acts as a Self-Monitoring Tool for your child)
As your child’s behavior improves, systematically begin to increase the demands and / or time required while monitoring your child’s behavior closely.

17. Step 3(c): Connect Through Organization
The Mall at Chaos Town
The Village Shops in Simple Town

18. Step 3(c): Connect Through Organization
Being “On Task” is incompatible with being “Off Task.”
Setting your child up with tools to help him become more “Goal Directed” when entering a community setting will make entering that place feel more like “Simple Town,” rather than “Chaos Town.”
Let’s look at ways to increase “Goal Directed” behavior.

19. Step 3 (c): Connect Through Organization
Work with your child to establish a plan to prepare for, and actively engage, when in a community setting.
This can be done through generating a list or schedule with your child.
When creating a schedule, remember to keep it simple and at a level that your child is best able to understand.
Going in with a plan will change the mindset of your child, helping him to enter a challenging setting with a Goal in mind.
Example of a Schedule for a Trip to Target
1. We are going to target to buy a new vacuum
2. When we walk in the store it is your job to ask where the vacuums are
3. We will then go get the vacuum
4. Last, we will pay for it
5. When we leave, it’s time for ice cream!

20. Step 4(a): Connect Through The Ability to Self-Monitor and Regulate
New and unpredictable social situations can cause additional stress for our kids.
This results in more fluctuation in emotion levels.
A “tool” to better help our kids recognize small changes, rather than big ones, can be real helpful in guiding them to monitor and regulate their behavior levels.
Let’s take a look at a real good one!!!

21. Step 4 (a): Connect Through The Ability to Self-Monitor and Regulate
“The Zones of Regulation®” – Leah M. Kuypers, MA Ed. OTR / L (Selected Lessons by Michelle Garcia Winner)
Blue Zone
Green Zone
Yellow Zone
Red Zone
Low Level of Alertness
Ideal State of Alertness
Heightened State of Alertness
Extremely High State of Alertness
Sick
Bored
Student in Control
Frustration
Anxiety
Stress
Silliness
Excitement
Explosive behavior
Anger
Rage
Feeling “out of Control”

22. Step (4b) : Connect Through Providing Your Child with a “Tool Box” of Communication Strategies
Replacement Behaviors or “tools” are new behaviors that can fulfill the same function of challenging behavior, but in more appropriate ways.
Many “Tools” are communication based (Ex. I need a break, I don’t want it, I want it this way, This is hard, etc…).
When out in the community, it is important to have these “tools” readily available.
This will give you the opportunity to help your child utilize these supports early, and to communicate and better cope in these situations.
This will also allow you the opportunity to reinforce your child for using more appropriate, “Functionally Equivalent” behaviors.
Examples of Visual Supports and Communication Aids

23. Step 4: Connect Through “Tools on the Go!!”
The reality is that there will be plenty of times when you will not have the option of shortening a trip to the community to meet your child’s threshold or limits.
Preparing ahead of time will help both you and your child when faced with these situations.
Consult with your child’s school team on what coping “tools” they use with your child.
Also, having preferred items available on trips could be a saving grace to keep your child engaged when in a difficult situation.
Using a simple back pack to keep these items in works great.
Your child should be familiar with the back pack, know he / she has things in it that help, and utilize these items when needed.
This also provides you with the opportunity to reinforce your child for using a coping strategy, or “Tool,” in place of engaging in an inappropriate behavior!!

24. Step 5: Connect Through Motivation
Examples of Reinforcement Systems
It is very easy to overlook 10 good behaviors when they are shadowed by 1 bad one.
Reinforcement drives all behavior change.
When helping our kids learn new skills and develop effective strategies to connect in the world around them, providing frequent feedback through reinforcement is the most critical component to success.
Reinforcement systems help provide clear criteria and expectations for your child, along with frequent feedback on behavior.
These systems are great self-monitoring tools for both our kids and us that keep the schedule of reinforcement high!
More frequent reinforcement = More effective positive behavior change.

25. Step 6: Connect Through Effectively Supporting Your Child Through “Bumps in The Road”
True behavior change is a process and journey.
Along the way, there will be many bumps.
These bumps, and how we handle them, are just as important teaching opportunities as the many skill building strategies we discussed in the previous slides.
Consult with your school team on recommended approaches to support your child when he / she demonstrates behavioral escalations in the community. (This should include strategies and supports to use at low levels of escalation, along with reactive strategies and safe procedures to follow during more intense situations)
Review these approaches as a family to help ensure everyone is on the same page.
Working as a team will not only send a clearer message to your child, but also provide you with more confidence and poise when helping your child de-escalate.

26. Step 6: Connect Through Effectively Supporting Your Child Through “Bumps in The Road”
General Tips for preparing for the “Bumps Along The Way”:
1. Establish rules and expectations ahead of time, and have a visual support which clearly illustrates them (This will help minimize / eliminate negotiation).
2. Do your best to recognize early level escalations or behavior change and prompt your child to use coping and / or communication tools.
4. Expect escalation before de-escalation. Remain steady and consistent, utilizing a team approach.
5. True behavior change takes time; have patience and celebrate the small triumphs your child makes each and every day!