ef-fec-tive adjective \ih-fek-tiv\ : adequate to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result:

In the Person Centered Process 3 things need to occur before an effective program can be written

Client meeting

Functional Assessment

Running Baseline Data

The Client meeting

My name is Sheldon. I live in an apartment with my room mate Leonard. I work at Cal Tech a day program that provides vocational training.

The thing I like best about my life is my room mate. We have a good relationship and he respects my boundaries.

What I don’t like at home is how my roommate’s girlfriend is always there.

My girlfriend lives on the other side of town. We get to go out together sometimes, but I would like to see her more. I don’t need supervision to visit her, but I can’t get transportation to visit her more than once a week or so. I can’t walk that far, I don’t know how to take the bus, and even if I did, I don’t like being around strangers.

I like my staff at work, but I get bored sometimes. I don’t make much money and can’t afford to go on a decent vacation trip.

The Functional AssessmentIdentify Functions & Teach Alternatives

Use the A,B,C’s to identify the function of behaviorTeach & Reinforce Positive Alternative (Replacement) Behaviors that provide the desired function, are effective, & practical for the person

Problem Behavior

To Get

Internal Stimulation

Social Event

Attention

Activity or Thing

To Avoid

Internal Stimulation

Social Event

Attention

Activity or Thing

Running Baseline DataIdentify Functions & Teach Alternatives

Baseline data helps us to identify if our goals and objectives have the correct number of prompts and supports. We learn where to start in order to have the program successfully completed in one year.

What adjustments would you make based on the baseline data above? (What is done well? What needs to improve? What steps should be added?)

Running Baseline DataIdentify Functions & Teach Alternatives

# Add the steps you plan to teach 11/1 11/2 11/3 11/4 11/5 11/6 11/7

1 Figure out what exactly is changing I I I I I I I

2 Ask questions for clarification. A I I P I A I

3 Remain calm and relaxed. A 4P 3P 3P A 2P 2P

4 Calmly share what you think. P 2P 3P 3P P 3P A

5 Figure out how you can live with the change 2P 2P 3P P 2P 3P A

Week One

Week Two

Running Baseline DataIdentify Functions & Teach Alternatives

Sheldon showed difficulty remaining calm and calmly sharing his thoughts. He did well with figuring out what was changing and asking clarification questions. He had difficulty trying to figure out how to live without the change. There were a maximum of 5 prompts so that it didn’t appear we were badgering Sheldon.

We believe using a skill acquisition method and will also add fading within the next two weeks may be effective since he has practiced the new skill

# Add the steps you plan to teach 11/1 11/2 11/3 11/4 11/5 11/6 11/7

1 Figure out what exactly is changing I I I I I I I

2 Ask questions for clarification. A I I P I A I

3 Remain calm and relaxed. A 4P 3P 3P A 2P 2P

4 Calmly share what you think. P 2P 3P 3P P 3P A

5 Figure out how you can live with the change 2P 2P 3P P 2P 3P A

Week Two

Teaching Strategies

Chaining

Fading

Shaping

Modeling

Generalization

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Teaching One Step at a Time

• Works for:• Behaviors that occur at set times, with steps that always happen

the same way

• Behaviors that the person is not able to do all the steps

Chaining

Chaining Example

Teaching Strategies: Fading

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• Gradually Reducing Assistance or Cues so that the behavior is done more independently• Use on tasks a person can do with assistance

• Three ways to reduce assistance• Number of Prompts

• Type/ Level of Assistance

• Duration of Assistance

• Criteria for Reinforcement• Baseline- determine current level

• Use the 50% rule

• Make small decreases in assistance

Fading ExampleDemonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority figures with 5 prompts or less from staff during role plays for 10 consecutive days

Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority figures with 4 prompts or less from staff during role plays for 10 consecutive daysDemonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority figures with 3 prompts or less from staff during role plays for 10 consecutive daysDemonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority figures with 2 steps or less from staff during role plays for 10 consecutive daysDemonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority figures with 1 prompt or less from staff during role plays for 10 consecutive days

Fading & Skill Acquisition Example

Describes reasons for improving direction taking skills with prompting, 3/3 reasons for 5 consecutive opportunitiesDescribes 5 targeted behaviors for taking directions, using picture cue cards, 5/5 descriptions for 5 consecutive opportunitiesDescribes 5 targeted behaviors for taking directions, without cue cards or prompts, 5/5 descriptions for 5 consecutive opportunitiesDemonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority figures with modeling and verbal prompts from staff during role plays for 10 consecutive daysDemonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority figures without prompts during role plays for 10 consecutive days

Teaching Strategies: Shaping

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• Reinforcing small approximations/ improvements toward the desired performance level• Used with complex behaviors that do not have steps that

consistently occur in the same order

• Most social behaviors are good targets for shaping, e.g. conversation skills, eating manners

• Baseline to determine what the critical elements of the behavior

• Need a strong reinforcer

• Start by reinforcing any improvement or target specific small improvements

• Increase expectations following the 50% rule for reinforcement

Shaping Example

Demonstrates 1 or more targeted behaviors associated with taking directions without prompts for 10 consecutive daysDemonstrates 2 or more targeted behavior associated with taking directions without prompts for 10 consecutive daysDemonstrates 3 or more targeted behavior associated with taking directions without prompts for 10 consecutive daysDemonstrates 4 or more targeted behavior associated with taking directions without prompts for 10 consecutive daysDemonstrates 5 or more targeted behavior associated with taking directions without prompts for 30 consecutive days

Teaching Strategies: Modeling

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• Demonstrating a behavior and reinforcing it being repeated correctly• Use with simple behaviors- usually one –three steps

• Decide best method for the behavior

• Get the individual’s attention

• Demonstrate the behavior clearly

• Reinforce immediately after the behavior is repeated

• Various techniques can be used including• Behavior Rehearsal

• Role Playing

• Set- Up Situations

Teaching Strategies: Encouraging Generalization We should teach so the person learns to use the skill in each situation

it is needed. This is known as “generalization across situations”

The more situations in which we teach a skill, the easier it will be for the individual to then generalize & use the skill in new situations.

Functional or meaningful skills should provide opportunities to teach in many different situations

Modeling To Increase Generalization

Demonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff without prompts during role play situations for 10 consecutive daysDemonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff without prompts during real life situations at home for 10 consecutive daysDemonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority figures during real life situations in the community without prompts for 10 consecutive opportunitiesDemonstrates 5 targeted behaviors in taking directions from staff or other authority figures during real life situations in the community or at home without prompts for 30 consecutive days

Teaching Strategies: Encouraging Generalization Increasing generalization can be a function of the conditions in

Program Goals & Objectives

Two ways to encourage generalization include:1.Include different teachers, materials, & locations during all of the teaching

process – May work best overall, but makes learning the skill harder at first.2.A second way to teach an individual to generalize a skill is to include different

situations toward the end of the teaching process.

Ineffective Program Writing Issues

Program goals not challenging• Sheldon will express his difficulty with closure

Sheldon does this already clearly. He recognized the annoyance, expressed it and worked to get closure by trying to find out the end of the TV show.

Behaviors targeted were not specific, observable, measurable, or achievable within one-year • Sheldon will express his difficulty with closure

How will Sheldon express this feeling? Verbally, Written, Puppet Theatre

Are there steps to a program for Sheldon to use? How many steps?

What criteria will he need to achieve?

Ineffective Program Writing Issues

Program contain too many behavioral outcomes Sheldon will express his difficulty with closure, talk to his therapist and journal

his emotions.

Sheldon has three behavioral outcomes in this program. What is the thing you want Sheldon to actually do? This one behavior should address the hypothesis from your functional assessment.

Program objectives are not developmentally sequenced Sheldon will express his difficulty with closure with Assistance

Sheldon will express his difficulty with closure with no assistance

Sheldon will express his difficulty with closure with 1 prompt or less.

Programs are how we provide supportPrograms should address priority needs

Individual priorities expressed by the individual

I want to save money so I can take a vacation

Health & safety related needs

I want to lose weight

Needs related to restrictions of rightsI want to eat healthy so I can keep my own food

Needs related to use of psychoactive medicationsI want to get over my anger so I don’t have to take medication

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The goal of teaching is to support individuals with disabilities to live independently & with as much enjoyment as possible

• The more we are able to teach an individual, generally the more control that person has over their life

• Learning new skills & behaviors tends to increase the value the individual & others see in the individual’s life

The Learning Process • Skill acquisition (learning new skill)

• Fluency (practicing until easily used)

• Generalization (using the skill in other situations/ activities.)

• Maintenance (individual uses the skill independently)

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3 Most common difficulties in learning

The task or skill is too complex the way it is presented• Use a task analysis to break it down (as done in chaining)

• Use effective prompts to make it clear before fading them out (as done in fading)

• Start with expectations that are within reach (as done in shaping)

There is not adequate practice

There is not adequate reinforcement

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