1. Kimberly Dwyer-Moore, MS, BCBA Innovations Program Manager
DIFFICULT CHILDHOOD BEHAVIORS BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR SCHOOL SETTINGS
Kimberly Dwyer-Moore, MS, BCBA
Innovations Program Manager
Our Lady of Peace
Children’s Peace Center

2. Presentation Objectives
Understand roots of challenging behavior
Identify skill deficits vs. performance deficits
Identify antecedents and consequences
Understand possible functions of challenging behaviors
Begin to develop interventions based on function rather than form

3. Common Challenging Behaviors
What are some common challenging behaviors that you have experienced in school setting?
Whining, Arguing when told “No”
Refusal or acting out behaviors when asked to complete a task
Verbally disruptive behaviors in the classroom
Tantrum after losing a game
Teasing/bullying
Taking toys from peers
Somatic complaints of illness

4. What is Behavior? Behavior is not a property or attribute of a person
Body movement that results in a change in the environment (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007)
Behavior is not a property or attribute of a person
Behavior occurs in the environment
Most important behaviors are learned through contact with the environment

5. Roots of Challenging Behavior
Behavior is the product of two kinds of variables: biological and environmental.
Biological variables include anatomical structures, normal physiological processes (digestion, respiration, neurological changes resulting from experience), and anomalies in anatomy and physiology due to injury or disease.
Environmental variables include any changes in the environment (a rise in temperature, the availability of food, comments by other people, cultural customs).

6. Roots of Challenging Behavior
Behavioral Deficits
Skill Deficit: Child does not perform the behavior because he/she does not know how to do it
Performance Deficits: Necessary skills are present but the child does not perform the behavior or does not perform the behavior in the appropriate settings
Behavioral Excesses
Behavior is too frequent

7. Understanding Challenging Behavior
Most important behaviors are learned through interactions between the Behavior Environment

8. Understanding Challenging Behavior
Learned behavior is selected by its consequences
If a behavior is successful (meets its goal), it will happen again
If a behavior is successful for a period of time, it does not have to be successful every time to keep occurring

9. Understanding Challenging Behavior
Learned behavior is selected by its consequences
If a behavior is not ever successful it will stop occurring
If a child never gets the candy bar when he whines he will eventually stop whining in the grocery store
These facts are true for both desirable (wanted) and undesirable (unwanted) behavior

10. Understanding Challenging Behavior
Consequences
The change in the environment that results from a behavior
If the consequence keeps the behavior going the behavior has been reinforced and the particular consequence was the reinforcer
If the behavior stops occurring, the consequence was a punishment for the behavior

11. Identifying Motivation
“Why is my child acting out?”
Requires us to look at the conditions in the environment
Once we identify the conditions we can change them!

12. Learning the ABC’s Antecedents Consequences
Events that precede and set the occasion for the behavior
A B
Telephone Rings Answer the phone
Consequences
Events that occur after the behavior and determine the future frequency of the behavior
A B C
Telephone Answer the phone Telemarketer
Rings

13. Learning the ABC’s Antecedents Behavior Consequences
Instructions, tasks, context (what is currently going on in the environment), prompts
Yelling, walking away, throwing items, crying,
Reprimands, praise, access to privileges, arguments, ignoring
Identifying the ABC’s will help to identify where things are going wrong?
To change behavior we must change the antecedents and consequences paired with the behavior
Antecedents set the stage
Consequences determine the future

14. Understanding Challenging Behavior
So, why is this important to know?
If the child does not learn a new way to access reinforcement from the environment he/she will continue the behavior
Thus, we cannot effectively treat unwanted behavior until we identify the consequences that are keeping the behavior going

15. Treating behavior by Form
Treating a behavior by what it looks like (form)
When we describe behavior by what it looks like, we develop treatments based on what the behavior looks like
A crying child is hugged
A yelling child is reprimanded
A whining child is ignored
An aggressive child is given medication
These treatments might work some of the time, but we will never know why
Worse, when the treatment doesn’t work we will never know why

16. Treating Behavior by Function
Treating behavior by its outcome (function)
When we describe a behavior by its outcome we develop treatments based on the behavior’s function

17. Treatment Functions of learned behavior
Attention (social positive reinforcement)
When a problem behavior occurs it often results in immediate attention from others
Attempts to soothe, distract, counsel, or reprimand
These reactions can serve to keep the behavior going, even by accident

18. Treatment Functions of behavior
Escape or avoid aversive stimulation (social negative reinforcement)
Many behaviors are learned because they are successful in reducing or eliminating aversive events
A child may cry or tantrum just before and during work time in school shortening his work time and reducing the number of times a teacher asks him to do work each day
Tangible reinforcement
Many behaviors result in immediate access to preferred items or other stimuli
A child may cry or tantrum until a favorite TV show is turned on
Turning on the TV show may stop the crying temporarily, but make crying more probable in the future

19. Treatment Functions of behavior Automatic reinforcement
The behavior may produce its own reinforcement
This is sometimes referred to as “self-stimulatory” behavior
Some examples (but not always)
Rocking
Hand flapping
Singing
Pica

20. Behavioral Strategies
Antecedent Based Interventions:
Interventions implemented prior to the occurrence of a challenging behavior to decrease the likelihood that the challenging behavior will occur.
Consequence Based Interventions:
Interventions implemented after the occurrence of a challenging behavior that are designed to decrease the “future” occurrence of the behavior.

21. Function Based Interventions
Behaviors maintained by ATTENTION
Antecedent Based Interventions
Provide attention more frequently
Provide attention for a more appropriate behavior
Enrich the environment to decrease motivation for accessing attention
Provide type of attention that child gets when engaging in disruptive behavior
“Catch them being good”!

22. Function Based Interventions
Behaviors maintained by ATTENTION
Consequence Based Interventions
No longer provide attention after the occurrence of the challenging behavior
Limit the amount of attention that is provided after the behavior
Remove others from the immediate environment
Move classmates away
Move the child to another environment where he/she cannot access attention
Time-out

23. Function Based Interventions
Behaviors maintained by Access to Tangibles
Antecedent Based Interventions
Provide access to the item non-contingently (freely)
Restrict access to the tangible item (deprivation)

24. Function Based Interventions
Behaviors maintained by Access to Tangibles
Consequence Based Interventions
Do not provide the tangible item after the unwanted or challenging behavior
Provide access to the item/activity contingent on an appropriate behavior
Ex. 1st chores then video games,
Move the child away from the preferred activity or remove access
Ex. Time-out

25. Function Based Interventions
Behaviors maintained by Escape/Avoidance
Antecedent Based Interventions
Decrease access to reinforcement in other areas
Increase the reinforcing value of the task/instruction
Decrease the frequency of the instruction
Decrease the difficulty, amount or duration of the task
Provide frequent assistance
Reinforce small amounts of compliance by offering breaks
Teach the child to ask for breaks or for help

26. Function Based Interventions
Behaviors maintained by Escape/Avoidance
Consequence Based Interventions
No longer allow the child to avoid or escape non-preferred activities after engaging in the challenging behavior
Provide escape and other rewards contingent on a new, more socially appropriate behavior
Ex. Requesting a break
Restrict access to preferred activities until the child completes the instruction/task

27. Function Based Interventions
Behaviors maintained by Automatic/Sensory Stimulation
Antecedent Based Interventions
Consult appropriate professionals
Rule out medical causes
Provide attention frequently and freely
Enrich the environment with engaging, preferred and appropriate activities
Create opportunities for the child to engage in these behaviors (socially appropriate situations)
Prompt the child to engage in an incompatible behavior

28. Function Based Interventions
Behaviors maintained by Automatic/Sensory Stimulation
Consequence Based Interventions
Block the occurrence of the behavior (response-blocking)
Change the consequences that occur after the behavior
Provide tangible reinforcement for low rates of the behavior in an attempt to compete

29. In a Nutshell Identify behaviors that are a problem for you!
Take an honest at the environment
Look at the ABC’s
Determine the motivation (why???)
5. Make changes for success!

30. Tips for Success Set achievable goals Clearly Communicate
Meet them where they are at!
Clearly Communicate
Expected behaviors
Consequences
Time frames
Practice skills through role-play scenarios
Instructions
Positive consequences

31. Tips for Success Manipulate the antecedents to help them learn
Shaping, prompting strategies
Consistent follow through
Be aware of YOUR limitations
Acknowledge and reinforce appropriate behaviors
Make privileges contingent
Ignore inconsequential behaviors
Avoid power struggles and arguments
Let the consequences do the talking
Steer clear of explanations
Remain calm and neutral

32. Tips for Success Create opportunities for success Practice often
Make goals achievable
Set up “real life” situations
Priming
Increase positive interactions and praise in difficult situations
Make size, amount, quality of rewards contingent on difficulty of the behavior/environment

33. Kimberly Dwyer-Moore, MS, BCBA Innovations Program Manager
DIFFICULT CHILDHOOD BEHAVIORS BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR HOME AND SCHOOL SETTINGS
Kimberly Dwyer-Moore, MS, BCBA
Innovations Program Manager
Our Lady of Peace
Children’s Peace Center