Professionalism

Adapted from Phillips, Phillips, Fixsen & Wolf (1974)

What is professionalism?

Skills in giving and receiving positive and corrective feedback. It is a pattern of interacting

Characteristics of Professionalism Enthusiastic about program Positive attitude about students Support the program Concern for the right of students and families Prompt and prepared Advocate for students and families Request input from others Share credit with others Provide positive and corrective feedback

ABA principles Positive praise –positive feedback

Functions as a reward Praise is paired with other conditioned reinforcers and

functions as a conditioned reinforcer in everyone We teach the children to value this because it is important

to almost everyone We may have learned to engage in dysfunctional

responses possibly as a function of our society We need to learn to acknowledge praise We need to learn to report our performance to others and

manipulate your own reinforcement schedule

ABA principles Criticism

Functions as a punisher paired with other punishing stimuli

Punishers Decrease behavioral receptivity

are no longer open to suggestion Leads to escape or avoidance behavior

don’t want trainees to avoid trainers and vice versa Typically sets the occasion for emotional responses paired with

physiological ones Anything associated with a punisher becomes a conditioned punisher

whenever you see that person you associate them with punishment

ABA principles Corrective feedback

Defines problem and solutionFunctions as a negative reinforcer

taking something aversive away to increase an appropriate behavior

Offers of assistance typically help you escape a punishing situation

Only function when positive praise is used at a higher rate

ABA principles Receiving positive and corrective feedback

effects that manner and frequency that feedback is given we want to foster settings that emphasize training 

Giving and receiving feedback are skills that we are constantly learning and practicing with each other.

What is the importance of professionalism?

It gives everyone a predictable and efficient way of interacting with one another this prevents encountering unpredictable work

situations using professional skills makes work situation

more predictable  Feedback helps to develop new skills and

refine existing skills both corrective and positive

What is the importance of professionalism?

Feedback helps to change maladaptive behavior by giving you new technology that leads to the development of new skills E.g., during a school visit, your colleagues can help you change

you facial expression or the way in which your are interacting with the child to appear most caring

these small responses have a large impact Don’t punish feedback givers’ behavior

“it was nothing” -you’ll get less feedback Have to maintain a positive work environment to help deal with

sometimes very challenging behavior it is not functional to complain but to concentrate on problem solving

behavior - positive and corrective feedback

What is the importance of professionalism?

Behaving professionally enhances the credibility of the Bernards Township Science Based Intervention Program for Children with Autism. We are viewed by not only the progress of our

students –but how we interact with them and each other.

Setting Variables

Environmental variablesPrivacyComfort 

Good for corrective feedbackPositive feedback may be done publically but not when

someone may be uncomfortable with that type of attention

Setting Variables

Non-verbal behaviorbody posturevoice toneeye contacthead noddingphysical proximity facial expression

Feedback Who gives feedback?

everyone

What to we give feedback about? everything 

It someone is not receiving our feedback well –shift feedback to their receiving feedback skills put away your agenda and shift the conversation to how

they are receiving you feedback –don’t delay this, point it out immediately

Feedback

Key assumptionshonest and genuine it is used for skill building and problem solving it is multidirectional

Give feedback to everyone all topics are included –from sharing the computer to

doing daily jobs to individual sessions with the children with whom you work with

Giving and Receiving Feedback Counseling components

Privacy For corrective feedback and for positive feedback based on

personality Comfort 

Relational components Non-verbal

body posture, voice tone, eye contact head nodding Verbal

Attend, be descriptive, be empathetic, care

Giving and Receiving Feedback When delivering positive feedback

it is important to use behavior specific praise be genuine use learner based rationales maintain a heavy schedule of praise 

Sometimes people are not always used to responding appropriate to positive feedback or even used to hearing it.  

Receiving positive feedback involves acknowledging a person’s compliment and by responding to it The more reinforcing we are with receiving feedback, the more likely

it is that we will receive it in the future.

Giving and Receiving Feedback When receiving positive feedback

Danny has been so happy and friendly –wow! express appreciation for the feedback

Thank you for the taking the time to tell me that share credit

“all of the instructors have very consistently reinforced Danny’s appropriate behavior”

pass feedback along to the child’s intervention team reinforce the feedback giver’s behavior

facial expression “It really makes me feel good that you have noticed Danny’s recent

behavior change and that you have told me about this noticeable change. I really appreciate that”

Giving and Receiving Feedback

When receiving corrective feedbackListen request clarification when necessaryask for suggestionsexpress concern for problem and appreciation of

feedbackDon’t punish the feedback giverarrange for follow up

Giving and Receiving Feedback

When giving positive feedbackpraise and describe the behavioruse a learner based rationale 

When giving corrective feedback Instructingnot personaluse the teaching interactions

Teaching Interactions

Feedback is used for skill building and problem solving

4:1 ratio of corrective feedback to positive feedback 

Teaching Interactions Make an initial praise or empathy statement Describe or demonstrate the ineffective behavior Provide a learner-based rationale for change Describe or demonstrate the effective behavior Provide a learner-based rationale for the new behavior Request acknowledgement Provide an opportunity for the feedback receiver to practice

the new behavior  Provide feedback with regard to practice  Express you continuing support and interact Make a statement of appreciation

Teaching Interactions “This may make him more independent, especially

when he begins to eat and every time he puts down his fork he will be more likely to pick it up again and resume eating” 

this should occur throughout the interaction “Am I saying that in a way that makes sense?” 

Teaching Interactions

At next home visit “How is that prompting strategy working for you –

did you find it helpful?” 

“Your doing that prompting strategy well –I think that Andrew will really benefit from it”