Title: Families and Positive Behavior Support
1Families and Positive Behavior Support
- Joshua K. Harrower, Ph. D
- California State University,
- Monterey Bay
2Positive Behavior Support
- Positive Behavior Support is a team-based process
for creating individualized support systems for
individuals. -
- Positive Behavior Support is based on
understanding the purpose of the individuals
problem behavior.
3Positive Behavior Support Process
- Step 1- Identifying setting goals
- Step 2- Gathering information
- Step 3- Developing hypotheses
- Step 4- Creating a support plan
- Step 5- Carrying out the plan / making
necessary changes
4Characteristics of PositiveBehavioral Support
- Evaluated based on a lifestyle perspective
- Understanding contexts and functions of behavior
- Proactive and longitudinal support
- Individualized, comprehensive support plans
- - Proactive
- - Educative
- - Functional
5Critical Themes in PositiveBehavioral Support
- Research based
- Consideration of real life settings or events
- Support provided within typical environments
- Respect for persons values, feelings, and beliefs
- Value of families, friends, and support providers
- Educational approach to problem behavior
- Positive changes in overall quality of life
6Process of Positive Behavior Support Facilitator
s Guide Positive Behavioral Support http//rrtcp
bs.fmhi.usf.edu Step 1 Identifying Setting
Goals
7Positive Behavior Support Step 1 Setting Goals
- Developing a support team
- Collaboration
- Identifying broad and specific goals
- Person-centered planning
- The familys role
8Behavioral Support Team
- A group of individuals who assess and develop
individualized, proactive, and continuing
supports. Tasks will include but are not limited
to - Information gathering
- Best guess about behavior
- Creation of the support plan
- Implementation of intervention
9Family Members and the Team
- Family members are a critical component of the
team - They are their childs most powerful and valuable
resource - When the family goals are incorporated in the
process, interventions are more likely to be
consistent with family values and lifestyles.
Therefore creating the best contextual fit
10Teams Succeed When
- Management supports the process
- They have established goals and expectations
- They adhere to team norms of behavior
- They have reached consensus on critical issues.
- They have addressed interpersonal conflicts.
- They have taken time to develop relationships.
- When they have measured and evaluated outcomes.
- When individual goals have not superceded team
goals. - When they have actually implemented the plan.
11 Britneys Story
12Britneys Background Info
- 6 yr old girl with Down syndrome
- Enrolled in 1st grade general ed. Classroom
- IEP listed every state standard as a goal
- History of conflict School was granted a
restraining order against Mom
13Britneys Target Behaviors
- Hitting
- Refusal to complete a task
- Frustration
- Says no when asked to complete a task
14Interventions Used
- Time out
- Sent out of class
- No free time
- No center time (preferred activity)
- Ignored behavior
- No library time
15Britneys Strengths
- Very smart
- Easily redirected
- Enjoys outdoor play
- Very supportive and loving family
- Likes to be with her sisters
- Enjoys reading
- Good memory
16Britneys Challenges
- Math activities
- Fine motor activities
- Comprehension skills
- Staying on task
- Independent work skills
- Depends on assistant in order to complete the
task at hand - Communication is difficult for Britney
17Britneys Behavior Support Team
- Parents
- Sisters
- Grandparents
- University Project
- Up with Downs support network
- Administrator
- Teacher
- Classroom Assistant
- Speech therapist
- District consult
18Tips for Effective Collaboration Between Families
and Schools
- All members are treated as equals
- Focus on common interest rather than differences
- Use awareness training to jump-start
collaboration - Establish goals through a group process of team
interaction and agreement - Equity of task distribution
- Consensus decision-making
- Ongoing problem-solving
- Identify and recognize each team members
resources, talents, and skills - Encourage risk taking and creativity
19Identifying Goals of Intervention
- Define specific target behaviors to increase and
decrease - Pinpoint circumstances in which intervention will
occur - Identify lifestyle changes desired
- - Participation in integrated activities
- - Enhanced independence and
satisfaction - - Expanded social networks
20Defining Problem Behavior
- Hitting Britney hits classroom assistant with
open or closed fist, sometimes while holding a
sharp object, like a pencil. Britney will usually
only hit the assistant. She does not hit her
peers or classroom teacher
- Refusal to complete task Britney will usually
say/yell no, get out of her seat and run around
the classroom
21Britneys Goals
- Family goals
- Have friends
- Complete task independently
- Stay included with her peers
- Stay on grade level
- Use language more consistently
- School Goals
- Decrease hitting behaviors
- Increase independence within the area of academic
tasks - Have Britney comply when she is asked to do
something - Decrease refusal behavior
22What is Person-Centered Planning?
- Planning Process
- Assessment Tool
- Intervention
- Motivational Activity
- Team Building Process
23Why Is Person-centered Planning So Important to
PBS?
- Keeps the team focused on the child
- Emphasizes a team approach and collaboration
- Allows the team to understand various levels of
the childs life - Allows participants to focus on the positive
aspects rather than the negative - Makes the functional assessment better
- Broadens the number of effective interventions
- Creates the best contextual fit
24Person-Centered Plan Sample Organizational Chart
Dream
People
Health
Choices
Strategies
Barriers and Supports
First Steps
Goals
Places
History
Respect
Hopes and Fears
Themes
25Britneys Person-Centered Plan
26 D R E A M
THE
- With this frame we want to help the person
identify their dream for the future, including
all the ideas, values, people and things that are
important to them. - List anything that is important for the person to
realize the kind of life they desire.
- Have friends Communicate her wants
and needs - Be independent Sleep over her friends
house - Stay involved with her dance group
- Attend a friends birthday party
- Have fun!!! Go to college
- Stay included Stay on grade level
- Join girl scouts Live a healthy life
- Stay involved with the church
27PEOPLE
Family
Agency
- List the people who are present in the persons
life. - Place their name in the appropriate section of
the circle. - Place the name of individuals who are closest to
the person in or near the inner circle.
- Grandparents
- Aunt and uncle
- Mother
- Father
- Gracie
- Mary
- Outside Speech Therapy
- Outside Occupational therapy
- Teacher
- Classroom assistant
- Neighbors
- Mom and dads friends Nicole and Bill
- Mrs. Jones Church
- Jessica little girl from Ballet class
- Up with Downs Group
- Ballet teacher
- Church group
Friends
Community
28HEALTH
- Describe the individuals health by listing any
positive or negative conditions. - Indicate any medications the individual is
currently taking.
- Good appetite
- Good vision
- Appropriate activity level for age
- Hearing loss due to middle ear infection
- Fine motor difficulties
Medicines
29Opportunities
- What are some barriers and opportunities for this
individual and his/her team?
- Supportive school-based team
- Administrator and school believe in INCLUSION
- Currently in an inclusive setting
- Family is very supportive
- Family follows through with homework, extra
activities, practices with Britney, etc.. - Team has committed to the PBS process
- Team has Britneys best interest at heart
Barriers
- Communication barrier between the team
- IEP goals are unrealistic
- Teacher has a difficult time communicating to
family that Britney is frustrated with class work - Family wants Britney to do the same things (work,
activities) as the other children with NO
modifications
30Goals
- List the goals that you would like to see
achieved one year from today. - Think about what might be possible if everyone
tries their hardest. - Consider any outcome as long as it is POSSIBLE
and POSITIVE.
- Express frustration appropriately
- Revise IEP goals and discuss transitions for next
school year - Increase independence (academic seat work, lunch
time, large group time) - Have a friend at school
- Hearing (ear) problems would be resolved live a
healthy life - Move on to second grade with peers in an
inclusive setting
31- What
- actions can
- be taken
- immediately?
- These
- steps
- can be
- small
- Do a Functional Assessment to identify why and
when she is getting frustrated - Plan a meeting with appropriate team members to
address IEP goals - Implement peer buddy system in class in order to
decrease the reliance on the assistant - Identify someone in her class that she likes to
be with - Get ears rechecked by the ENT
32Process of Positive Behavior Support
Facilitators Guide Positive Behavioral
Support http//rrtcpbs.fmhi.usf.edu Step
2 Gathering Information (Functional Behavior
Assessment)
33Comparing Approaches
Positive Behavior Support Plans
designed to focus on the environment and skills
the student may be lacking. The goal of
intervention is to alter the environment, teach
appropriate skills, and reward appropriate
behavior
- Traditional Behavior Plans designed to focus
on the student. The goal is to stop undesirable
behavior by applying consequences, often with
punishment.
34Functional Assessment is based on the ABCs of
Behavior
- A antecedent
- events that consistently precede the behavior
(triggers) - B behavior
- What the child says or does
- C consequence
- events that happen after the behavior occurs.
These may or may not be reinforcing to the
student and thus impact the likelihood that the
behavior will happen again.
35Functions of Behavior
GET
ATTENTION
SENSORY
TANGIBLE (objects activities)
GET AWAY
ATTENTION
SENSORY
TANGIBLE (objects activities)
36Data Collection
- Information we collect in order to determine why
the behaviors are occurring - Interviews
- Scatter plots
- ABC data
37Interviews
- Interviews going over a series of questions
that are designed to clearly define the behavior
of concern and to gather information about
setting events, antecedents, behaviors, and
consequences - Interviews provide us with
- Information from multiple viewpoints
- Potential variables influencing behavior
- A broader lifestyle perspective
- An opportunity to build rapport
38Functional Assessment Interview
- Family Interview
- Crowds and loud environments are difficult for
Britney - Britneys problem behavior hitting teachers
assistant and refusal to complete task - Behaviors do not occur with Speech or
Occupational therapist - Lack of communication skills frustrates Britney
- Britney enjoys positive praise
- Behaviors do not occur at home
39Scatter plot Data Sample
Student Jack Observer Teacher Date
1/8-1/18 Target Behaviors H Hitting S
Screaming
Dates
Time Activity
1/8 1/9 1/10 1/11 1/12 1/15
1/16 1/17 1/18
800 Breakfast at school
830 Circle Time
900 Math HS
H HS H H S
HS S
945 Reading H
HS S HS H H HS
HS HS
1030 Recess S
S H
40 Individual Britney Date 1/17/01 Observer
Principal Staff _________________
41Process of Positive Behavior Support
Facilitators Guide Positive Behavioral
Support http//rrtcpbs.fmhi.usf.edu Step
3 Developing Hypothesis Statements
42Hypothesis Statements Framework
- When this occurs (describe context)
-
- The child does (describe the behavior)
- To access or avoid (describe functions).
43Britneys Hypothesis Statements
- During academic instruction, when Britney is
given verbal prompts (asked to use her alpha
smart and asked to do paper and pencil task)
Britney will say no repeatedly in a calm voice,
in order to maintain social interaction and/or
attention - During difficult tasks (math, fine motor, etc.),
when Britney is given direct instruction or a
reprimand in a harsh tone by the teacher, and has
been redirected to the task several times, she
will hit the assistant in order to delay or avoid
the task
44Process of Positive Behavior Support
Facilitators Guide Positive Behavioral
Support http//rrtcpbs.fmhi.usf.edu Step
4 Designing Behavior Support Plans
45Designing Interventions
- Proactive change the environment to make
problem behavior unnecessary - Educative teach skills to make the problem
behavior inefficient - Functional manage consequences to make problem
behavior ineffective
46Proactive Strategies
- Transition prompts (timer or verbal)
- Adapt curriculum/make modifications teacher
will shorten lessons and adapt difficult task so
that Britney is more successful - Peer buddy system will be implemented and rotated
during difficult class activities - Expand communication and social interaction with
teacher assistant
47Proactive Strategies (cont.)
- Social stories will be developed at home for
changes in routine and/or schedule - Provide more opportunities for choice-making.
Teacher will implement workstations for Britney.
This will also reduce the amount of time she is
in her seat and on one specific task - Positive praise intermittent attention before
problem behavior occurs and for appropriate
behavior
48An Educational Approach to Behavior Support
Because behavior problems are often a reflection
of skill deficits
teaching is often the best intervention.
49Educative Strategies
Strategy Increase use of alternative skills
that allow the student to obtain the same
function of the behavior in a more socially
acceptable manner. Example After school when
Johnny is home and working on his Math homework,
he becomes frustrated and begins to bang his head
on the table. When he begins to bang his head
his mother will walk up to him and assist him
with his homework. Instead of having Johnny bang
his head, it is appropriate to teach him how to
ask for help when he becomes frustrated with a
particular activity. Johnny can do this by
verbally asking for help, using a picture symbol,
or raising his hand.
50Educative Strategies
- Strategy Increase tolerance for a delay in
reinforcement. -
Example Now that Johnny is raising his hand
and not pounding his fist and swearing to get
assistance, the teacher can begin to gradually
require more and more of Johnny prior to
providing help.
51Educative Strategies
- Teaching strategies
- Prompt Britney to ask for a break and/or
assistance during difficult tasks - Provide, practice, and reinforce expressive
language samples appropriate for simple
situations - Provide opportunities for Britney to request
assistance from her peers verses the classroom
assistant. Peers were taught how to respond to
Britneys requests - Find opportunities for these skills to be taught
during class instruction (before behaviors occur)
52Functional Strategies
- Reduce outcomes of problem behavior
- Withhold reinforcement (as best as possible) when
problem behavior occurs - Increase use of alternative skills
- Student is practicing the replacement skill
during non-crisis times through role play,
appropriate role modeling, and positive
reinforcement - Student is using his/her replacement skill
rather than resorting to the problem behavior to
obtain the desired outcome
53Functional Strategies
- Star system will be revised to provide Britney
with more consistent reinforcers (4 per day)
instead of one at the end of each day - Respond only to appropriate behavior and request
- Positive praise
- Ignore inappropriate response redirect to use
appropriate response
54Lifestyle Interventions
1. Help maintain friendships 2. Use peer
networks to introduce into play group 3.
Incorporate opportunities for daily choice 4.
Develop an action plan that moves from
segregated to inclusive settings 5.
Sample perspective jobs 6. Help to participate
in after school activities
55Lifestyle Component
- Increase independence in all areas of her life
(choices, seat work, bathroom, self help skills
etc.) - Increase appropriate use of social skills
- Increase peer interactions at school and within
the community (i.e., Ballet class)
56Process of Positive Behavioral Support Facilitato
rs Guide Positive Behavioral
Support http//rrtcpbs.fmhi.usf.edu Step
5 Implementing the Plan and Monitoring the
Outcomes
57Attaining Specific Outcomes
- What to look for?
- Reductions in the individuals problem behavior
- Increases in use of alternative skills
- Revise plan to enable individual to decrease
problem behavior / increase new behaviors - Support plan has been implemented in a consistent
manner - Support plan hypotheses and support strategies
have been re-evaluated over a specific period of
time -
58Attaining Broad Outcomes
- What to look for
- Increase quality of life goals
- Increased positive relationships with others
- Participation in school and community activities
- General health and well-being improved
- Individuals and familys increased level of
satisfaction re personal growth development
59Britneys Plan
- Implementation and Monitoring
- Interventions will be implemented throughout the
day and in all environments - Teacher will continue to take frequency data on
behaviors via scatter plot - Team will continue to meet to evaluate outcomes
and recommend revisions to plan, if needed.
60Current Updates!!
- Successfully completed second grade with typical
- peers, moved on to a general ed 3rd grade
class - New teacher (2nd 3rd grades)
- New aides (2nd grade), Classroom aide only (3rd
grade) - New IEP was developed (1/2 the length of the
previous IEP) - Behavior at or near zero instances per week
- School is including several students with
disabilities in general education classrooms
61Thank You!
- Josh Harrower, Ph. D., BCBA
- Special Education
- CSU, Monterey Bay
- Josh_Harrower_at_csumb.edu