Early Behavioral Intervention ProgramsSamantha Plate

Field Work: As an intern at PIP, I participated in and helped to facilitate group activities and therapeutic interventions. I led small groups through activities focused on weekly therapy themes such as consequences, assertiveness, composure, and empathy. Additionally, I learned about treatment plans, de-escalation plans, daily notes, intake evaluations, and other aspects of the program. I took field notes to share what I learned with my faculty advisor.

Class Work:

▸ Biweekly meetings with faculty advisor▸ Course readings related to early

intervention programs▸ Term paper

My term paper focuses on describing and evaluating the early intervention program at PIP and putting my experience there into context through a review of literature on early intervention programs and childhood behavioral disorders.

Special thanks to all of the wonderful people involved in making this course possible and making my learning experience so engaging.

Leslie Rescorla (Faculty Advisor) Karen Allen, Laura Davis, and Katie Garoppo (Field Supervisors) Kelly Strunk and Nell Anderson (Praxis Coordinators)

Location: Central Montgomery Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center’s Preschool Intervention Program (PIP). PIP is a group-based, therapeutic, partial hospitalization classroom for 4 and 5 year-olds, with severe social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties. PIP’s goals include

▸ Helping the children acquire coping skills▸ Creating positive attachments▸ Providing psychiatric care▸ Avoiding more serious interventions later in life

Course Description: An exploration of early behavioral intervention programs through reading research addressing different types of early intervention programs for children with different behavioral challenges, writing weekly journal entries summarizing my experiences at MH/MR Preschool Intervention Program, and integrating these activities with other experiences and knowledge in the field of developmental psychopathology.

Learning Targets:▸ Examine how theories of intervention are

applied in practice in a community setting▸ Gather an understanding of the advantages of,

and challenges surrounding, early intervention programs

▸ Apply knowledge of developmental psychopathology to understand the disorders presented by the children at PIP

▸ Observe and participate with the children in the classroom

▸ Work with the child, family, and professionals to best help the child

Reflection and Growth: I have learned so much throughout my semester at PIP. My experience there has shown me the multitude of factors that influence a child’s behavior and the challenges that early intervention programs face. I have also seen how rewarding it can be when a child begins to improve and how essential this program is in the lives of many children and families. This experience has reaffirmed my desire to work clinically with young children. My experience this semester has helped me to grow in various competencies. I have utilized reflective practice every week and it has helped me to have a fuller perspective of my experiences. In my reflective practice I have utilized conceptual thinking to help me look forward and see how I could handle similar situations in the future. I have also grown in cultural competency through learning about the children’s backgrounds and home lives and recognizing how that affects their behavior.

Visual goal and reminder to make good choices