Charting the Cs: Cooperation, Communication and Collaboration. Statewide Professional Development to Support the Workforce and Low Incidence Disability Areas. Charting the Cs Conference 2024. Practical Interventions and Data-Driven Decision Making Kelley Foehrkolb, BCBA Behavior Specialist, Northfield Schools Kelley Foehrkolb, BCBA Work: BCBA 8 years, Northfield Schools District Autism Coach, Davenport, Iowa 15+ Years Elem & Secondary Special Education Teacher Variety of programs & settings: ASD, NB, DCD, Resource - Setting 1 - 4 Iowa and Colorado Kelley Foehrkolb, BCBA, continued Education: Bachelor's degree in Special Education & Elementary Ed University of Northern IA Masters in Special Education Morningside University BCBA Florida Institute of Technology Practical Interventions and Data Driven Decision Making Agenda Behavioral Interventions Individualization of Behavior Plans Data Driven Decision Making Behavior Interventions ABA Review Functions of Behavior Behavior Interventions ABA REVIEW Applied Behavior Analysis Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the study of behavior. Applied Behavior Analysis is a scientific approach for discovering environmental variables that reliably influence socially significant behavior and for developing a technology of behavior change that takes practical advantage of those discoveries (Cooper, Heron & Heward, 2008). ABA changes the environment in order to change the behavior. Understanding Behavior BEHAVIOR is EVERYTHING we do… Challenging behaviors are those that are dangerous or that interfere with learning and functioning Desirable behaviors are those we would like to teach and encourage. Changing Behaviors The A-B-Cs of Behavior A = Antecedent B = Behavior C = Consequence Antecedent  Behavior  Consequence A = Antecedent – What happens just BEFORE the behavior we are focused on Focusing on the ANTECEDENT helps prevent the behavior from NEEDING to occur Focus on triggers in the environment Antecedent  Behavior  Consequence B = Behavior – What the person DOES. Important to know and understand Only the person can change their behavior Antecedent  Behavior  Consequence C = Consequence – What happens right AFTER the behavior. We determine the likelihood of what behavior will occur in the future What do you want to see MORE of? Reinforcement! Antecedent  Behavior  Consequence Setting Events Events that happen before the antecedent or trigger for the challenging behavior. It effects the likelihood that a challenge behavior may or may not occur Influence how we respond to student behavior Helps to understand WHY a behavior might be occurring “Plan A” or “Plan B” response Examples: TRAMA Hungry Tired Medication Coffee…or no coffee Sick Argument before school / work FUNCTIONS OF BEHAVIOR What’s the Function??? WHY is the student engaging in this behavior? What are they trying to gain access to or escape from? FOUR Functions of behavior Sensory (Automatic) Escape Attention Tangible Need to understand the function of the behavior: In order to know how to help change the behavior To know what replacement behavior to teach To help in create a behavior plan. Obtaining / Access to: Attention (for adult or peers) Tangible (get activity or item) Sensory Escaping / Avoiding Demand / Tangible (from difficult task or non-desired activity) Person / Social - adult or peer Sensory Common Functions of Behavior To Obtain/ Get : Peer attention Adult attention Desired activity Desired object/ items Sensory stimulation: auditory, tactile, etc. To Avoid/Escape: Difficult Task Boring Task Easy Task Physical demand Non-preferred activity Peer Staff Reprimands Samples Sample 2 Attention Person engages in this behavior to obtain attention. Maintained by positive reinforcement. Can be maintained by any form of attention. Positive Negative Verbal Proximity Eye contact Laughter Sometimes students engage in inappropriate behaviors to obtain attention Individuals may be motivated to obtain attention that doesn’t seem desirable to most people. Why? Can be easier to obtain negative attention Negative responses may be more intense May not have the social skills to differentiate between desirable and undesirable social responses. Attention Examples Student walked in the hall quietly and was given a “thumbs up” by a teacher Student told a joke and peers and teachers laughed Student ran around the classroom and teacher gave prompt to sit down Student blurted out answers in class and was told several times to raise his hand following the blurt Student made silly noise and staff rolled their eyes Tangible Student engages in this behavior to gain access to items, or activities. Maintained by positive reinforcement. Not uncommon for parents & teachers to use as a distraction or redirection as a way to stop difficult behavior. Child in grocery store check out aisle Calming props/activities when the child engages in challenging behavior Tangible Examples Student given puzzle to “calm down” during a tantrum Teacher gave student a snack to calm student down while crying Student refused to hand IPad to teacher so teacher let them use it to avoid further escalation Student skipped class to play video games at home Sample 3 Escape/Avoid Person engages in this behavior to escape from an activity or avoid participating in the activity altogether. Maintained by negative reinforcement. A common function of challenging behavior seen in schools. Avoid academic demands Avoid social interactions Escape/Avoid Examples Ignore phone when a telemarketer calls. Cross street to avoid interaction with someone. Tell teacher you feel sick when you have a test, sent to nurse. Student yells at peer during work and sent to time out. Student screams during circle time so the teacher allows him to sit in the reading center instead of disrupting the group. Student sitting at desk with head down and hood up, pretending to be asleep Sample 4 Sample 5 Automatic Reinforcement Person engages in this behavior to produce some sort of internal stimulation. The behavior itself is reinforcing Automatic reinforcement function is often proposed when no changes in the environment are noted before or after the behavior occurs. Often occurs when the individual is alone. Maintained by positive or negative reinforcement. Automatic Reinforcement Examples Talking to yourself Getting a blanket when you’re cold Watching fingers/ “shadow hands” Child is alone and is rocking back and forth or flapping hands in front of face. Student running after sitting for an extended period of time Feeling other’s clothing Head hitting Multiple Functions Some behavior may serve dual functions Multiple functions in same setting Example: Peer attention and escape from work when yell out during math lesson Multiple functions in different settings Escape from math class Obtain art teacher’s attention It can sometimes be hard to separate functions in a school setting as challenging behaviors often have multiple consequences Example: both pulled out of classroom (escape) and talk to principal (attention) The behavior of the student is the most reliable indicator of how things are going. -Tyler Fovel, BCBA Changing How We View Behavior Behavior is COMMUNICATION Behavior is purposeful - it has a function Behavior is learned and is related to the context in which it occurs Behavior is interactive with people and the environment YOU are part of the environment “We are 50% of every interaction with a child, so we have a lot of control over that interaction.” You can only change YOUR behavior We must view student’s challenging behaviors as a teaching problem in which errors need to be eliminated and correct responses need to be taught and strengthened Just like we do when we teach a new concept or lesson… “If a child doesn’t know how to read we teach If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach If a child doesn’t know how to multiply, we teach If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we……. Punish? Teach? Why can’t we finish the last sentence as automatically as we do the others?” -John Herner Research tells us... Effective teachers and staff: Spend more time responding and praising expected behavior than responding to inappropriate behavior Know that student do NOT learn when presented with aversive consequences Understand we DO learn better ways of behaving by being taught directly and receiving consistent feedback on the behaviors that we want to see How do they do it?? Being less REACTIVE Being more PROACTIVE ANTECEDENT INTERVENTIONS AND MODIFICATIONS Managing yourself Instructional Control Pairing Antecedent modifications Extinction Burst MANAGE YOURSELF FIRST First steps to managing behavior…. Manage yourself first! Put your oxygen mask on first! Keep yourself calm! Don’t take it personally! Put up your invisible shield. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION! Neutral voice tone and rate How do you want to be talked to when you are upset? Be aware of body language If someone can’t hear your voice, what does it look like you are saying when they watch you? DON’T PICK UP THE ROPE! Don’t get in a “tug-o-war” with the student. What behaviors can you IGNORE? Don’t sweat the small stuff – “Just right portion” Ignore the BEHAVIOR – NOT the student! If you find you did pick up the rope – just PUT IT DOWN… Responding to Challenging Behaviors How you respond when the small behaviors DO occur will determine the future likelihood of those behaviors occurring AGAIN! How can YOU behave differently so that the STUDENT will behave differently. INSTRUCTIONAL CONTROL and PAIRING Instructional Control When you have instructional control - you and the student have a positive working relationship where the student wants to follow your lead. This is an ongoing process throughout the relationship with the student. Is the student coming TO you or running AWAY from you? When you don’t have instructional control you see: Arguing / debating Walking away / ignoring Staff avoiding giving demands to avoid student response Staff rationalizing challenging behaviors How to get instructional control: PAIRING Be in control of the reinforcement Follow through with what you say Tell don’t ask (“want to do your math?”) All staff respond consistently Be prepared before you giving demands Create opportunities to address and teach problem solving Show the student how it will benefit them to follow your directions Pairing - What is it? Pairing is the process of combining (i.e. pairing) the learning environment, people, and setting with ALREADY established reinforcers (the items you have already determined to be rewarding) Through pairing you want to create an environment in which the student wants to be in and wants to learn (i.e. willing learner) Results in YOU becoming reinforcing to the child! Want student to see you as the deliverer of “all good things”. Pairing - why is it important? To establish a rapport To learn what motivates a student To become associated with fun / positive things To gain instructional control WITHOUT PAIRING YOU ARE JUST PUTTING OUT ONE FIRE AFTER ANOTHER WITHOUT ADDRESSING THE UNDERLYING ISSUE. Motivated students will be paying attention and ready to learn! When to Pair? First meeting a student Before an instructional activity Each time you re-engage with your student Between activities or during breaks We often miss great opportunities to pair by letting students take breaks on their own or have free time without adult interactions During preferred activities After a tough behavior moment (e.g. students needed to leave room because of a challenging behavior) Pairing Antecedent Modifications Implement Interventions Based on Modification of Antecedents What does it mean to modify antecedents as an intervention? These modifications are happening PRIOR to the challenging behavior occurring This is a preventative method to the challenging behavior versus reactive responding to the challenging behavior In order for this intervention to be effective, data on the A-B-C’s of behavior is needed with clearly defined antecedents to the behavior Examples of Antecedent Modifications There are MANY different types of antecedent modifications. We use them all the time and don’t even realize it. There are a couple key ones that we will cover today: Preventative Prompts Non-contingent Reinforcement Choices Visual supports Praise Statements Preventative Prompts PREVENTATIVE PROMPTS Brief reminder of the expectations, just prior to when the behavior should be demonstrated “Raise your hand when you know the answer.” “In a calm voice, tell me your concerns.” “Remember, after I give you an instruction, you will say OK and do it right away.” ”In a minute but not yet.” When you have taught the skill, then you can use these quick reminders to cue the students to the behavior you want to see before they engage in it. Non-Contingent Reinforcement (NCR) Reinforcement that is not delivered based on the occurrence of a behavior, but instead on a fixed-time schedule. This is considered an antecedent intervention, because the goal of this is to provide the child with reinforcement before he engages in the challenging behavior, therefore making engaging in the challenging behavior to gain reinforcement is less likely. NCR Examples Student engages in disruptive behavior to gain attention from teacher. Intervention: teacher gives student attention on a fixed-schedule throughout the day. Student leaves classroom and runs in hallways. Intervention: movement breaks are scheduled at specific times throughout the day. Student engages in challenging behavior of going through teacher’s cupboards to gain access to a snack. Snack breaks are provided throughout the day. Sample 6 Offering Choices Offering choices to a student is an excellent and very easy way to modify the antecedent so that they engage in the behavior you want to see instead of the behavior you don’t want to see. Best part - YOU get to pick the choices - gives you control over the options but gives the student a sense of control of what is happening to them and be a part of the decision making. Remember: Keep options limited and only offer options you can deliver Sample 7 Visual Supports Visual supports do not necessarily mean a visual (Boardmaker or picture) schedule. It means anything that provides a cue visually to a student for how to engage in the appropriate behavior. Examples: Timer Classroom schedule Checklist Post it note with next step Calendar Make sure they are age appropriate! Think about your day -- how many visual prompts do you use and not even realize it? Visual Supports Example Reasons to use Visual Supports Permanent Allow for processing Prepare for transitions Help SEE what you mean Help ALL students Build independence Transferable No non-verbal language Reduce Anxiety Modification of Antecedents More examples of interventions using modification of antecedents: Scheduled breaks Visual schedules Work modification Pre-teaching Simplified instructions Prompts Warnings of upcoming changes in routine Offer choices Tests read aloud to student Change seats Keep student and specific peers separate Scheduled snacks A few things to consider: Make sure to keep reinforcing appropriate alternative behaviors! What data collection will be used to show if the antecedent modification is effective? This will take time to produce the desired change in behavior, so allow for this time When will you determine it is time to fade back on these modifications? CONSEQUENCE INTERVENTIONS EVERYONE will use whichever behavior works most effectively and efficiently for them to attain their desired outcomes. We ALL engage in this EVERYDAY in ALL ENVIRONMENTS! Even if you do everything perfectly, we can’t avoid some challenging behaviors or situation. But what can we do to MINIMIZE the challenging behaviors??? Managing the escalation of challenging behavior Think about a student’s behavior as if they are on a flight of stairs. Each step is an increase in the level/intensity of their challenging behavior. OUR job… We need to focus on helping the student to come back down and get off the steps. Help the student to not need to go up higher on the steps…to keep at a lower intensity. Responding to Students Provide Help Set limits effectively Use good corrective strategies Distract and Reset Incompatible Behaviors Behavior Momentum Give them Time PROVIDING HELP The student may be using their challenging behavior to let you know they have a want or need. How can you help meet their need? How can you solve the problem? Do this for LOWER level behaviors… For higher level behaviors, move on from offering help – “if the help was going to help, it would have already helped” What is the FUNCTION of the student’s behavior? S - Sensory E - Escape A - Attention T - Tangible If you know what the function of the behavior is, you can help them fill that need, but in a more appropriate way. Escape - Do they need a break? Attention - Can you work with them instead of alone? Tangible - Can you give them the words to better request what they need? Sensory - Movement or calming activity? LIMIT SETTING Limit Setting - Things to keep in mind… Setting a limit is not the same as issuing an ultimatum. The purpose of limits is to teach, not to punish. Offering choices and stating the circumstance around those choses. Sample 9 Sample 10 DISTRACT AND RESET DON’T just tell a student to “stop” or “calm down”! Tell them what they could DO instead. “Take a deep breath” “Look at me” “Put this over there” “Turn off the light” “Sit down” USE LESS WORDS Change the topic or focus Bring up something that is not related to the directions, expectations, behavior, etc. Get them to SAY or DO something different! Think of high interest areas for the student. “Did you go to the game last night?” What’s the best thing you watched on Youtube lately?” “What is your favorite color?” “Did you see that” (pointing out the window) Change Staff! Let someone else be the distraction! Incompatible Behaviors Ask them to do something that they can’t do the challenging behavior at the same time. “Give me five” “Put this over there” “Walk like a penguin” “Carry this” “Take a deep breath” “Don’t run, walk” TELL - Don’t Ask! Behavior Momentum Behavior momentum is like getting the ball rolling down the hill. You have to get it started and push it until it can keep going on it’s own…help them get started on responding to directions appropriately then increase the expectation as they are able to do it better and better. Start with something simple - that you know they can do. Start simple Keep going and build up GIVE THEM TIME! Give them time to come down ONE STEP – calmer not calm! Helps avoid power struggles Helps to keep you from, unintentionally, making the situation worse They just need to show one small step towards less intense behaviors Do not walk away - be ready to engage when they/you are ready Stay close but giving them space Always be watching and monitoring Watch your non-verbal language NO TALKING Other reasons to give them time… They said to “Leave me alone” or “Get Away” You know they just need some space Anything else you try is making things worse You are avoiding the power struggles YOU need time Consequence-based interventions As a reminder, a consequence is anything that happens after the behavior occurs. This consequence can either increase or decrease the likelihood of that behavior happening again in the future. Always go back to the FUNCTION OF THE BEHAVIOR! Sensory Escape Attention Tangible Replacement Behavior When you know the function of the behavior - you can teach the student a replacement behavior that is appropriate for the environment AND serves the same function as the inappropriate behavior. Teach these skills while building up the skills and strategies needed to behavior appropriately without the accommodations or additional support. Ideally, meets these three conditions: Achieve the same result Be as efficient Within the students ability Consider what skills are underdeveloped that have not been learned or mastered. When these skills are missing, more supports may be needed. Examples of Replacement Behavior Examples: Tapping on desk, making lots of noise to get a break= prompt them to ask for a break and reinforce with request granted Disrespectfully refusing to read = teach option to say “I pass” first Student has difficulty transitioning from preferred activity to non-preferred activity. Teach student an in-between transition strategy and prompt compliance. Sample 11 Sample 12 Planned Ignoring and Extinction Burst Planned Ignoring Why behavior function is important with planned ignoring... Sample 13 Things to Consider with Planned Ignoring Do you have control over the reinforcer maintaining the behavior? This can be hard to do in a school setting and needs to be discussed with the team Are their ways to control the environment to make control of the reinforcer possible? Example: smaller, controlled, one-on-one setting for brief time through beginning of extinction procedure ALWAYS teach a replacement behavior Function-based replacement behavior Prepare for the Extinction Burst Extinction Burst An extinction burst is an initial increase in frequency and/or intensity of the behavior when the reinforcement of that behavior is removed. This is common Expect it Plan for it You can get through it! Example of data of a behavior that was put on extinction Behavior Momentum and Premack Principles Premack Principle Person will perform the less desirable activity to get access to the more desirable activity FIRST / THEN! “Grandma’s Rule” “You have to eat all your vegetables to have some chocolate cake!” Premack Principle Examples “We can read a story together if you read two pages first.” “You can take a 10 minute break if you finish 5 math problems by yourself". “First you clean up, then we’re going to the park!” “You can watch a youtube video if you eat all your lunch today.” “Who wants free time? (child raises hand) Okay, hurry and put your supplies away so we can have free time!” Things to remember: Explain what the reinforcer is first Be consistent on delivery of reinforcement AFTER completion of task Make sure the task is reasonable and reachable State the demand THEN the reinforcement Focus on the positive of getting desired item instead of the threat of losing it Rx has to actually be reinforcing Best practice is the rx matches the demand or skill High Probability Requests High Probability Requests or Behavior Momentum Behavioral momentum interventions are designed to build a student’s “momentum” for following directions. You start with demands that you know they CAN and WILL follow. The goal of behavioral momentum is to create a “momentum of success”. Behavioral Momentum Just like a boulder rolling down a steep hill will gain speed and momentum, so does a behavior the more we engage it (appropriate or inappropriate). This momentum will keep the student “rolling down the hill” in the direction we want, so that he or she is more likely to continue following subsequent instructions, even ones that are difficult or disliked. Key things to remember... Reinforce! As the student completes each easy request, be sure to deliver praise or other types of reinforcement to the student. This is the key! The student should enjoy what happens after he or she correctly follows your instruction. This will build “momentum” for the student in doing what you ask him or her to do. Then, deliver the difficult request. Again, be sure to provide reinforcement to the student if she or he completes the instruction appropriately. Vary the requests! It is important to vary the presentation of the high-p requests. Do not deliver the exact same sequence of high-p requests each time. If the high-p request sequence is the same each time, the sequence becomes a cue for the student that a low-p request is imminent. Considerations... They should be brief & simple to complete They should be able to be delivered in the context or setting in which the difficult request is typically presented The easy requests need to be things that are in the students repertoire If the student is not capable of completing the difficult task, this intervention will not work A crucial component is that the student receives reinforcement after they successfully complete each easy request prior to receiving the next request They are not meant to be “fired” at the student in rapid succession. The student may find this even more aversive than the difficult instruction itself. But, too much of delay between the easy requests loses the momentum. You may want to deliver the instructions quietly or discreetly so that it does attract embarrassing attention If the student is not capable of completing the difficult task, this intervention will not work Fading Procedure This intervention is not intended to be a permanent method of increasing compliance. As the student experiences success with this intervention, it is important to take steps to “fade”, or decrease, its use. When fading the intervention: Try not to fade out this intervention too quickly. Once the student is experiencing success, try subtracting one of the easy instructions for the next several times. Assuming the student is still experiencing success responding to the difficult instruction, continue to subtract easy requests until you are able to give the problem instruction without incidence. Continue to provide reinforcement to the student for following the difficult instruction. You might also slightly decrease (but not eliminate) the reinforcement you provide for following the easy instructions, and focus your reinforcement on student compliance for the difficult instructions. Individualized Behavior Support Plans Sped Forms BSP How does the student compare to our expectation? The top of the ladder is the our ultimate expectation for the student. Behavior Academics Social What step of the ladder is the student on? Where are they for each of these areas? Different skills in each area could be at different steps How do we move them up the ladder? What is the plan for getting the students from the bottom of the ladder to the top of the ladder? Need to know the skills needed between the bottom of the ladder and the top. How big of steps can the student take? How fast can the student move up the steps? How do we help them move? Having a plan to know what each step is. Recognizing where they are at and accepting that is currently their very best. Setting our expectations one step above where they are currently at. Understanding what the next baby step is. Working with the entire team to make sure everyone is working together. Paying attention to and fulfilling their IEP accommodations DATA! Data Collection Graphing Data Analysis Data Collection Please reach out with any questions. Kelley Foehrkolb Kfoehrkolb@northfieldschools.org