Robert Galino

Positive Behavior Supports&

Behavior Change Procedures

Objectives

1. To introduce key principles and basic concepts as it applies to a continuum of support for students known as Positive Behavior Supports (PBS).

2. Learn about behavior change procedures:

• Positive Reinforcement• Negative Reinforcement• Punishment• Extinction • Reductive Procedures: Response Cost & Time Out From Positive

Reinforcement• Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior (DRO)• Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior (DRI)• Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA)

Positive Behavior Supports

1. Based on applied behavior analysis2. Response to the 1997 amendments to the

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act3. Evolved to improve and extend comprehensive

interventions for individuals with severe problem behaviors

4. Systemic and individualized strategies for achieving outcomes and preventing problem behaviors

Positive Behavior Supports

PBS is a systems approach to enhancing the capacity of schools to educate all students, especially students with challenging social behaviors, by establishing (a) clearly defined outcomes that relate to academic and social behavior, (b) systems that support staff efforts, (c) practices that support student success, and (d) data utilization that guide decision making (Sugai & Horner, 2005).

Did You Know?

• Exclusion and punishment are the most common responses to conduct disorders in schools.

Lane & Murakami, (1987); Rose, (1988); Nieto, (1999); Sprick, Borgmeier, & Nolet, (2002)

• Exclusion and punishment are ineffective strategies in terms of producing long-term reduction in problem behavior.

Costenbader & Markson (1998)

How Do I Select a Behavior Intervention?

How Do I Select a Behavior Intervention?

• Data from the FBA• Team and parent input• Consider interventions that teach new skills• Consider the least intrusive intervention for both the student and teacher• Consider the difficulty in conducting the

intervention

Guidelines for Selecting Interventions

1. Which intervention corresponds to the function of the behavior?

2. Which intervention is least likely to produce negative side effects?

3. Which is the least intrusive and most likely to produce positive changes?

4. Which intervention teaches alternative positive behavior?

5. For which intervention is there the most system-wide support?

Key Elements When Selecting Interventions

1. The behavior program must ensure that there is no reinforcement for engaging in the problem behavior.

2. Rewards provided for the appropriate behavior will be equal to or exceed the rewards for engaging in the challenging behavior.

Steps in Setting Up a Behavior Support Plan

1. Identify the challenging behavior that

needs to be changed. Define the

behavior in specific observable, measurable

terms.

2. Measure the challenging behavior. Collect data as to when, with whom, how often, antecedent

events/settings, precursor behaviors, etc.

Steps in Setting Up a Behavior Support Plan

3. Complete a Functional Behavior Assessment. Develop a “hypothesis” regarding the function of the behavior based upon the data and information collected.

4. Select behavior change strategies. The strategies are to “match” the function of the challenging behavior using a multi-element approach.

Steps in Setting Up a Behavior Support Plan

5. Implement and monitor effectiveness. 6. Evaluate the effectiveness of the BSP Plan based upon progress monitoring data.

7. Revise BSP Plan, as necessary.

Replacement Behavior

1. Target behavior serves a purpose (fulfilling practical or psychological needs)

2. Replacement behavior provides an alternative means for achieving the same purpose as the target behavior

3. The focus should be on teaching the person to access the same reinforcers appropriate.

Replacement Behavior

1. Don’t just take the behavior away

2. What maintains problem behavior can maintain appropriate behavior if you know what the function of the behavior is.

3. Teach skills that will replace the problem behavior

Replacement Behavior

• For behavior maintained by escape

1. Evaluate task/activity and determine aversive qualities

2. Modify task or alter environment

3. Teach functional communication skills

4. Escape card

5. Desensitization when situation cannot be avoided

Replacement Behavior

For aggressive behaviors

1. Communication training

2. Relaxation training

3. Anger management

4. Self-control

Replacement Behaviors

For behavior maintained by tangibles

1. Provide tangibles for alternative positive behaviors

2. Use behavior contracting and token systems

3. Functional communication training for tangibles

Preventive Strategies

Do not wait until things are going bad!!

Do something when things are going well!!

Prevention Strategies

1. Get to know the individual

2. Based on the results of functional assessment

3. Use a BSP from the beginning

4. Understand their disabilities—it may not a “personality” issue

5. Build up a positive relationship

Prevention Strategies

1. Manipulate the environment to reduce the chances of negative behaviors

2. Modify task, materials, instructions, routines

3. Schedule time with preferred person or access to desired object/event

4. Provide more frequent attention/reinforcement (for positive behaviors

Prevention Strategies

1. To avoid crowds and loud noises• change the route of getting in and out• Different schedule for grooming

2. Problems around family contact: • Discuss with family about a regular contact

schedule (incorporated into BSP)3. Struggles around chores

• structure the setting and daily routine as much as possible

Effective Interventions are…

• Multi-element approach• Collaboratively designed• Consistent• Do-Able• Based on setting the student up for success• Clear & Concise: “If - then statements

Behavior Change Procedures

Antecedent Control Measures

• Eliminate the cue for the problem behavior

• Provide cues for alternative acceptable

behavior

• Reinforce the appropriate behavior

• Do not reinforce the inappropriate behavior

• Increase the response effort for the problem

behavior

Antecedent Control Measures

• Modify the environment to increase the consistency and predictability of expectations

• Schedules

• Maximize opportunities for choice and control

• Clear, concise expectations

• Modify curriculum/expectations to maximize independent success

Reinforcement

What is reinforcement?

A consequence that follows a behavior and increases the rate or frequency of that behavior occurring again in the future.

Four Types of Reinforcement

• Positive

• Negative

• Punishment

• Extinction

Reinforcement

• Reinforcement is a stimulus change, immediately after the behavior, which causes the future rate of that behavior to increase.

The positive and negative on the front of that word just means that you are either adding or removing the stimuli from that situation.

Positive Reinforcement

When you hear positive reinforcement it means you added a stimulus (typically referred to as a reinforcer) and the rate of the behavior increases.

Positive Reinforcement

Positive Reinforcement increases behavior by the addition of a desirable event when the behavior occurs.

• Praise• Edibles• Money

Example: A teacher rewards her students with a free homework pass if they score an A on their test.

Negative Reinforcement

• Negative reinforcement can be thought of as when a negative or unwanted behavior is stopped or avoided due to the removal of a certain stimulus/item after the behavior is exhibited.

Negative Reinforcement

For most people, the term “negative reinforcement” gets easily mistaken for punishment, which is not the case. With negative reinforcement, you are increasing a behavior, whereas with punishment, you are decreasing a behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

Negative Reinforcement increases behavior by the removal of an aversive event when the behavior occurs.

• Excuse from chores • Escape from a crowd• Stops pain

Example: Your teacher said you could skip the final exam by studying an extra chapter and taking a quiz on it. You might study an extra chapter (your studying behavior would be made more frequent) because of the promise of an unpleasant stimulus being removed (no final exam).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfraBsz9gX4

Punishment1. Positive Punishment decreases behavior by the addition of an

aversive event when the behavior occurs.• Verbal reprimand • Increased work

Positive means you are adding something to the equation

Punishment means the rate of the behavior is going to go down

2. Negative Punishment decreases behavior by removing a desirable event.

• Time out• Removing Privileges, fineshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=astF0YjP-KY

Negative Reinforcement vs. Punishment

1. Negative reinforcement increases behavior by the removal of a negative experience

2. Punishment always decreases behavior

Simplified

Extinction

• Extinction of operant behavior involves the termination of the reinforcement contingency that maintains the response

• Ignoring undesirable behavior and withholding reinforcement

• Ignoring undesirable behavior and withholding reinforcement.

Extinction

Extinction Burst: A Temporary increase in behavior after it has been put on extinction.

Example

Bobby does not raise his hand and wait to be called on at circle time. Instead, he shouts out the answer. By the fourth day of school, the teacher decides to use extinction to stop Bob’s shouting. The teacher will not respond when Bobby shouts instead calling on those with their hands in the air and reinforcing those complying. When Bobby shouts, the teacher ignores him. When the teacher’s reinforcement stops, Bobby shouts louder and pushes his way to the front of the circle. When the teacher continues to ignore him, Bobby physically moves the teacher’s head to look at him. The teacher gently moves Bobby aside and out of her view. Bobby has a full-blown temper tantrum. The teacher ignores Bob’s tantrum and moves her own chair to another section of the circle so that all of the students are looking at the teacher with their backs to Bobby.

Reductive Procedures

• Response Cost

• Time Out from Positive Reinforcement

Response Cost

• A reductive consequence that involves a loss of a specific reward or a specific amount of a reward

Key Elements

• Must be a predictable reinforcement system

• Identify (in advance) the behaviors which will result in the loss of reinforcement

• Identify (in advance) the reinforcers or amount of reinforcement which will be lost.

Key Elements

• Provide no more than one warning

• Reduce conversation when using response cost

• Do not escalate consequences or get involved in an argument with the learner

Key Elements

• Do not remove reinforcers until they have been earned

• If using points or tokens-never go below “zero”

• Be consistent – over time– across settings– across adults

Time Out From Positive Reinforcement

Considerations:

First Question

Is it?

Time away from positive reinforcement as opposed to escape from the activity?

Second Question

Is there a better way to manage this behavior?

Time Out

• Contingent loss of access to reinforcement

• Should result in a decrease in the behavior which led to time out

Important Aspects

• Discrepancy between “time in” and “time out”

• The “time in” must be more reinforcing

Differential Reinforcement ProceduresThe “DRs”

• Reduction of inappropriate behaviors through the use of structured administration of reinforcement.

• DRO - Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviors

• DRI - Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior

• DRA - Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behaviors

Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior (DRO) Implementation

• Differential reinforcement of other—or omitted, or zero rates of—behavior.

• Involves the rewarding of the absence of the targeted behavior for a specified period of time.

• Behaviors other than the target behavior are rewarded.

• Must develop a contingency plan if the target behavior is emitted.

Interresponse Time (IRT)

• “IRT” is the average amount of time that elapses between displays of the inappropriate behavior.

• Calculating IRT is a way to determine an appropriate interval length for DRO schedules.

• This time period (or one slightly higher or lower) becomes the initial interval during which the student must withhold the inappropriate behavior (in order to obtain reinforcement).

Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior (DRI)

• Delivering reinforcement for a response that is topographically incompatible with a behavior targeted for reduction– Ex: Jonny hits people with things. Engage him in a

musical therapy activity in which it is perfectly ok for him to hit instruments together.

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA)

• Delivering reinforcement when a target, adaptive behavior is displayed during a specified period of time. Reinforcement is contingent upon the occurrence of the target behavior

– Ex: Catch Jonny being good. When he has not had any incidents, yet completes the goal to not yell for 10 minutes. He is quiet for 10 minutes, then reinforced with praise and a desired activity

Pre/Post Test

True or False

1. Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) is the process of identifying what is causing or maintaining behavior.

2. Exclusion and punishment are effective strategies in terms of producing long-term reduction in problem behavior.

3. Once a Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is implemented, it should never be revised.4. Effective interventions are clear and concise.5. Positive reinforcement decreases behavior by the addition of a desirable event when the

behavior occurs.6. Negative reinforcement increases behavior by the removal of a negative experience. 7. DRO means Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior 8. A behavior management plan assists teachers and paraprofessionals in dealing with students’

behavior by making it easier to be consistent.

Pre/Post Test Multiple Choice

1. A good time to ignore behavior is:

a. if it is attention-seeking b. if it is hurting another c. if it is disrupting class d. if it interferes with learning e. all of the above

2. Variables that can contribute to inappropriate behaviors can include:

a. Supervising teacher expectations are too high/too low for student b. Feedback to student is not frequent enough c. Rates of reinforcement are too low for student’s needs d. All of the above.

3. What is a DRI?

a. Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible behavior b. Differential Reinforcement of Inappropriate behavior c. Differential Reinforcement of annoying behavior d. None of the above

4. Time out from positive reinforcement is used:

a. To let a student escape from task demands b. To prevent the student from receiving positive reinforcement c. To punish a student d. All of the above

Resources

Alberto, P. & Troutman, A. (2002). Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice Hall.

Catania, C. (1992). Learning. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Cooper, Heron, & Heward (2007). Applied Behavior Analysis: Second Edition. New Jersey. Pearson Education, Inc.

Durand, V.M. (1991). Functional Communication Training. New York, NY: Guildford Press.

Feindler, E. And Ecton, R. (1988). Adolescent Anger Control; Cognitive Behavioral Techniques. Elmsford, New York: Pergamon Press, Inc.