behaviour management plan as a learning tool

“Behaviour Management Plan (BMP) as a learning tool from a psychological perspective”

Dr. Luis Gustavo Vechi

Before we start, be aware that…

A) the content of this presentation is important but may be boring.

B) don’t concentrate on details, but try to get a general picture of this presentation.

C) Some of the content may be shared and used with your client to facilitate the learning process in his/her rehabilitation.

Learning goal

Improve the ability to apply to increase client’s wanted behaviours and to decrease client’s unwanted ones while using a BMP.

TWO PARTS

1. Learning principles.

2. Applying learning principles to BMP.

First Part

• Learning principles

A BMP is…

1. A rehabilitation tool (not a punishing or a controlling one).

2. A structured opportunity for client to decrease maladaptive voluntary behaviours and to increase adaptive voluntary ones.

3. An avenue for staff to identify what needs to be modified in the ward environment and in the interactions with client.

BMP as a learning tool

BMP is a learning tool that may support clients to develop their WISE MIND and to deal with their EMOTION MIND and the RATIONAL MIND.��

BMP as a learning tool

Psychological Learning Principles

To start or increase a voluntary/deliberate behaviour, a reinforcer should be used.

REINFORCER: a consequence that increases frequency of behaviour


The learning paradigm

A - B - C

A- Stimulus (Trigger)B- BehaviourC- Consequence


To start or increase a behaviour

Positive reinforcement = consequences a person wants, likes or will behave to get.

A reward=praise, a compliment, a smile, a raise at work, food, money, leaves)

POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT EXAMPLE



Negative reinforcement = consequences that stop or reduce something negative.

A relief e.g., cleaning your room to stop someone from nagging about it)

NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT EXAMPLE



SHAPING

1. Reinforce small steps that lead toward the goal.2. As new behaviour stabilizes, require a little bit

more before reinforcing.3. Continue until you reach the goal behaviour.



Timing counts

1. Reinforce behaviour immediately after it occurs.2. When shaping new behaviour, at first reinforce

every instance of the behaviour.3. Once behaviour is established, gradually start to

reinforce only some of the time.


To stop or decrease unwanted behaviours

Extinction = stopping an ongoing reinforcement of behaviour.



Satiation = providing relief or what is wanted before the behaviour occurs.



Punishment = an aversive consequence that decreases a behaviour.

Aversive consequence = the person dislikes or will work to avoid.

PUNISHMENT EXAMPLE

Difference between Punishment and Negative Reinforcement

Punishment weakens the targeted behaviour by introducing an aversive consequence.

while

Negative reinforcement strengthens the targeted behaviour by taking something away after the response.

Is this punishment or negative reinforcement?

A student thinks that it is ok to run late for his classes. However when his new teacher realised this, she started pausing, frowning, and then continued with the class. The teacher gave this student who was late instant negative reinforcement for his bad behaviour. Within two weeks, this student was showing up on time.


Punishment weakens the targeted behaviour by introducing an aversive consequence.

while

Extinction weakens the targeted behaviour by stopping reinforcement (positive=reward or negative=relief).


While driving, you’ve probably encountered a situation in which, regardless of your speed, the person behind you wants to go even faster. He may have communicated this by tailgating which is a deliberate behaviour.


How would you discourage/decrease his/her behaviour of tailgating?


Extinction would involve not reinforcing the behaviour e.g., not speeding up when the man tailgates.

Punishment would be stepping on the brakes, which also would cause your brake lights to turn on, thereby causing the tailgater to step on his brakes too.


a. Be sure to reinforce the wanted behaviour to replace behaviour you want stopped.

b. Extinction and punishment weaken or suppress behaviour, but do not eliminate it.

c. Extinction and punishment do not teach new behaviour.


d. To keep a behaviour from resurfacing, reinforce an alternative behaviour.

e. Punishment works only when the punisher is (or is likely to be) present.

f. Punishment leads to avoidance of the person punishing.(emotional side-effects)


Tips:• One person’s poison can be another person’s

passion.• Context counts. A reinforcer in one situation can

be punishment in another.• Quantity counts. If a reinforcer is too little or too

much, it will not work.• Natural consequences work best. Let them do

the work when possible.


Tips:• To change a person’s behaviour ask what

consequence he/she would work to get (reinforcement) or work to avoid (punishment).

• Observe changes in behaviour when a consequence is applied.

• Behaviour learned in one situation may not happen in another situation.

Psychological Learning PrinciplesSummary:To increase behaviour, use reinforcement = add negative/positive reinforcement and/or remove aversive consequence.

To weaken behaviour, use extinction = remove negative/positive reinforcement and/or provide relief before unwanted behaviour.

To suppress behaviour, use punishment = add aversive consequence and/or remove positive/negative reinforcement.

The Environment role in the Learning Process

An invalidating environment:

• see client’s experience/emotions are seen as invalid, weird, wrong, or bad. e.g., “don’t tell me that you are angry again”, “don’t come with this endless request list”, “you should not feel like this”.

• ignores client’s emotional reactions and does nothing to help him/her.

• triggers client’s impulsive behaviours because they are prone to experience emotion deregulation.

Second Part

• Applying learning principles to a BMP.

A Behaviour Management Plan as a learning tool should include…

1. an expiring date.

2. client’s values and his treatment goals.

3. the targeted behaviour to be decreased and increased.

4. the consequences that will be given (rewards, punishment, etc) when targeted behaviour are produced.

5. a description of procedure/how the plan is going to be applied, identifying procedures and persons involved.

6. forms that capture the BMP process and make this explicit to other staff i.e., Maladaptive targeted behaviours form on file front page.

Before using the BMP as a learning tool…

• Make sure that you have already bought into the idea of doing this as a learning tool.

• Motivate your client to do so, by:a) Introducing the idea of a Wise Mind.(use the picture)

b) Filling the “Pros” and “Cons” Form.c) Showing how the BMP may be positive for the

client’s goals/values/learning process/opportunity to be rewarded.

Motivating your client: “Pros” and “Cons” Worksheet

Open your booklet on page 11 – Worksheet PROS and CONS of using BMP

“Pros” and “Cons” Exercise Example

“PROS” AND “CONS” ExerciseEnables the client to see a BMP as a tool that can support him/her to do the following:

• Pursue his/her treatment goals.

• Learn new behaviours.

• Cope with the old unwanted behaviours.

• Commit himself to his/her values.

• Be entitled to have rewards.

Analysing behaviour: applying learning principles to BMP

To figure out behaviours causes and plan for problem solving.

Tools:

Chain Analysis: when client engage in ineffective behaviour.

Missing Link Analysis: when client fail to engage in effective behaviour.

Chain Analysis

• Examine the chain of events that leads to ineffective behaviours.

• Examine the consequences of those behaviours that may be making it hard to change them.

• Helps to figure out how to repair the damage (problem-solve).

Chain Analysis

Supporting your client to understand his unwanted behaviour and change this

Open your booklet on page 16 – Chain Analysis Worksheet.

Missing link analysis

• Helps you identify what got in the way of doing things you needed or hoped to do, things you agreed to do, or things others expected you to do.

• It also helps you problem-solve for the future.

Supporting your client to overcome barriers preventing him from doing

new/wanted behaviours

Open your booklet on page 16 – Chain Analysis Worksheet.

Wrapping up…

• To use a BMP as a learning tool (and not only a control one), you should buy into this proposal.

• Remember that rewards are required to learn new/wanted behaviours.

• Remember that punishment causes side-effects and is not an avenue to learn wanted behaviours.

Wrapping up…

• Introduce a BMP to your client, using the concept of WISE MIND.

• Explain to your client that a BMP may be an opportunity to learn, to be rewarded and to work towards his/her goals.

• Using “PROS” and “CONS” form may help you to motivate your client.

Wrapping up…

• The worksheets and some of the information presented in the booklet may be shared with your client.

Reference

Linehan, M. M. (2015) DBT Skills training manual. 2nd ed. USA: The Guilford Press.

Linehan, M. M. (2015) DBT Skills training handouts and worksheets. 2nd ed. USA: The Guilford Press.

THANK YOU!

behaviour management plan as a learning tool

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