A Parent’s Guide to Behavior Management: It all starts with the ABC’s”

Dr. Jeffrey S. SelmanLicensed Psychologist

Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Director of Clinical Services – JSS Behavioral Services

www.JSSBehavioral.com

Presentation OverviewWhat is Behavior?ABC’s of BehaviorPrinciples of BehaviorTechniques and StrategiesQuestions and Review

A Note from our Sponsor…This presentation is brought to you by the letters “B” and “F”…

“Behavior – human or otherwise – remains an

extremely difficult subject matters”B.F. Skinner, 1969

On Parenting…Before I got married I had six theories about

bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories. ~John Wilmot

No matter how calmly you try to referee, parenting will eventually produce bizarre behavior, and I'm not talking about the kids. ~Bill Cosby, Fatherhood, 1986

What is Behavior?Everything that people do (actions; things

you can see or hear)

Behavior is learned…over time“shaping”

Behavior occurs for a reason. It does not happen randomly“function” vs. “form”

What is Problem Behavior?Behavior that poses a danger or harm to self

and/or othersBehavior that causes property damageBehavior that interferes with an individual’s

ability to learn and function in societyBehavior that if not reduced, will decrease

opportunities for an individual to contact reinforcement

Our goal is to increase the amount of reinforcement in the child’s environment!

Functional AssessmentAllows us to understand why an individual

engages in a specific behaviorLooks at the interaction between the child

and his/her environment; what variables were in place before and after the behavior began

Most often individuals engage in behavior to Obtain object/activity/foodObtain attentionEscape/avoid somethingSelf-stimulation

ABC’s of BehaviorAntecedent

Behavior

ConsequenceThe ABC model helps identify the reinforcer/consequence that is maintaining the behavior- What purpose does it serve?- What happened before (antecedent)- What happened after/what consequence(s) occur

following the behavior that is maintaining or decreasing it?

A-B-C ModelA= Antecedent

What was the setting or the event that occurred before the behavior started

Think about…When did the behavior start?Who was there when the behavior started?Where did the behavior occur?

A-B-C ModelB= Behavior

What specifically occurred?

Examples of common problems:Hitting, throwing things, crying, running away from adults, spitting, kicking

Define broader problem behaviors:

Physical aggression: Any instance of hitting, kicking, or attempts at hitting or kicking

Demand refusal: Any instance of ignoring or saying “no” to work demands, requests, or walking away from demands or requests

A-B-C ModelC= Consequence

What happened after the behavior started?Think about…What happened immediately after the behavior started?How did you (or the other people) react?Did the incident result in any long term consequences?

Reinforcement and PunishmentPositive ReinforcementNegative Reinforcement

Punishment

Positive and Negative does not mean good or bad!

ReinforcementAnything following a behavior which increases the likelihood that the behavior will occur again…Positive Reinforcement – a stimulus that when presented immediately following a behavior increases the future frequency of the behavior

Negative Reinforcement - a stimulus that when removed immediately following a behavior increases the future frequency of the behavior

EXAMPLES!

PunishmentAnything following a behavior which decreases the likelihood that the behavior will occur again…

…if it doesn’t decrease the behavior in the future, can we still call it punishment?Questions about punishment:Does punishment work? - meaningful, immediate, consistentWhat are some problems with punishment?

EXAMPLES!

Why do problem behaviors occur?

Individuals engage in problem behavior because their behaviors have produced reinforcement in the past and over time…

Putting it all together: “Due to a history of socially-mediated negative reinforcement, Kara will hit, kick and yell when transitioning from a preferred activity to a non-preferred activity”

“When JJ wants access to a preferred item (toy, computer) that he cannot have, JJ will verbally aggress or tantrum due to a history of socially-mediated positive reinforcement.”

Behavior InterventionsEvidence-basedData-drivenEffective!Research validated to use with children,

adults, families, individuals with Autism, ADHD, ODD, Intellectual Disabilities, other psychiatric disorders, in clinics, in school settings, homes, communities, etc…

Principles of Behavior ManagementConsiderations:

“Should” worldConsistencyAnticipationMeaningfulnessFrequencyBalanceImmediacyBeing specificPair, Pair, Pair! Environment, people, etc

chocolate chip cookie vs. fig newt0n Differential ReinforcementIntermittent Reinforcement

Antecedent InterventionsAnticipate!Environmental accommodationsVisible SchedulesNoncontingent Reinforcement

Contact reinforcement right away!Give effective commands/requestsHigh P, Low P request sequence -Behavior

MomentumFunctional Communication TrainingPairing/Rapport buildingIdentify high-risk situations

Reinforcement InterventionsPraise and Positive Attention“Catch him/her being good”

Always pair praise with items/ediblesPremack Principle (if-then)Contingency ContractsCue and ReviewToken EconomyGroup Contingency

Independent: Reward for only those who complete taskDependent: Hero! Reward for all based on oneInterdependent: individually and as a group

PunishmentResponse Cost

Bonus Response CostTime Out from reinforcementExtinction (planned ignoring, maintain demand)Block and IgnoreImportant considerations regarding punishment: - Reinforce and enrich time-in environment (increase positive

reinforcement in child’s environment) - Always consider combining with positive reinforcement

procedures- Consider how intense behaviors are, plan ahead, and monitor

interventions- Teach new skills! Make sure child knows what to do, not just

want not to do

Reward First Downs, Not Just Touchdowns!

Can solve problems/learn new behaviors through shaping – reinforcing small approximations of desired response

Final Thoughts…Remember…

Pay attention to good behavior and give plenty of positive feedback

Increase the amount of reinforcement in your child’s environment

Differential ReinforcementRemain consistent, meaningful, balanced, and

immediate with your consequencesTry to anticipate problem behaviors (high risk

situations) and have a planSelf care!!!

Contact InformationFor copies of this presentation and ABC forms:www.JSSBehavioral.com

JSS Behavioral ServicesA Center for Family-Focused Behavioral Care

Jeffrey S. Selman, PsyD, BCBA-D, NCSPCo-Founder/Director of Clinical Services

9225 University Blvd phone: (843) 637-4322Suite E2A fax: (843) 793-3691 North Charleston, SC 29406 email: JeffSelmanPsyd@gmail.com