NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR AND CRISIS BEHAVIOR:
CAUSES AND INTERVENTIONS presented by
Keith A. Bailey, Ph.D.
keith@keithbaileyconsulting.com
www.keithbaileyconsulting.com

Behavior

All behavior has meaning

All behavior has a goal (payoff)

All behavior communicates a need

Wanting to get a need met

Showing how a need gets met

All behavior is based on a developmental need

“Kids don’t do things that don’t work.”

Psychosocial Development
(Erikson)
Identity vs. Identity Confusion FIDELITY
(12 – 18+ yrs)
Industry vs. Inferiority COMPETENCE
(7 – 12 yrs)
Initiative vs. Guilt
(4 – 6 yrs)
PURPOSE
Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt
(2 – 3 yrs)
Trust vs. Mistrust
(Birth – 1 yr)
WILL
HOPE

Hierarchy of
Needs
(Maslow)
SELF-
ACTUALIZATION
ESTEEM NEEDS
BELONGING NEEDS
SAFETY NEEDS
PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS

Goals of Behavior
[Rudolph Dreikurs]
Positive Approach Child / Teen Goal
Contributing /
Cooperating
Independence
Assertiveness /
Forgiveness
Appropriate
Avoidance
Safe Adventures/
[Activities]
Contact /
Belonging
Power
Protection
Withdrawal
Challenge/
[Stimulation]
Negative
Approach
Undue Attention
Seeking
Rebellion
Revenge
Undue
Avoidance
Thrill – Seeking
[“Trouble”]

Summary of Developmental Needs

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Physiological Needs

[Release] [Soothing]
Safety / Protection / Trust

Withdrawal
Contact / Belonging / Attachment
Power / Control

(Autonomy) (Initiative) [Self-efficacy]
Identity / Self-Esteem / Competence

(Industry)
Challenge / Stimulation

Words You Don’t See as
Developmental Needs

“Manipulation”

“Attention”
Negative terms showing that we are irritated by the behavior

Negative Behavior





Deficits



Developmental Deficits – physical, cognitive, emotional, spiritual
Skill deficits
Performance deficits
Motivational deficits
Skewed Thinking
Mental Health Issues / Trauma Reactivity
Physical Health Issues

Crisis Behavior and Intervention

Crisis

Maturational Crises

Situational Crises

Predictable Crises

Trauma Crises

Stress Model of Crisis
Outburst
Phase
Trigge ring
Phase
Escalation
Phase
Aggression
Violence
Agitation
Pre -Crisis
State
Therapeutic Crisis Intervention [TCI] – Family Life Development Center, Cornell University, 2001
Re cove ry
Phase
Higher
Baseline
Lower

The Brain and Crisis

Physiological Response with cognitive and emotional consequences

Trauma and Brain Reactivity – Survival Behavior

The Triune Brain
Dr. Paul MacLean
Neocortex
Limbic
Brain Stem
(Reptilian)

TCI
Crisis Communication

Meaning
 7% = Words
 38% = Tone of Voice
 55% = Facial Expression and Body
Language

Space

Time

Behavior Management Techniques



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
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
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Managing the environment
Prompting
Caring gesture
Hurdle help
Redirection
Proximity
Planned ignoring and Positive attention
Directive statements
Time away
TCI

TCI
I ASSIST
I - Isolate the young person
A - Actively listen
S – Speak calmly, assertively, respectfully
S – Statements of understanding precede requests
I – Invite the young people to consider positive outcomes and behaviors
S – Space reduces pressure
T – Time helps young people respond to requests

TCI
Steps to the Life Space Interview
I – Isolate the conversation
E – Explore young person’s point of view
S – Summarize the feelings and content
C – Connect behavior to feelings
A – Alternative behaviors discussed
P – Plan developed/Practice new behavior
E – Enter young person back into the routine

Skill Building

Building Skills
Awareness Skills
Help children to be aware of:

Triggers of negative behaviors

Negative thoughts

Recognizing and naming their emotions

People who can be helpful to them

Building Skills
Communication Skills
Help children to:

Communicate their thoughts and emotions in a socially appropriate way

Express their thoughts and emotions in non-verbal ways

Building Skills
Coping Skills
Help children to:

Engage in positive self-talk

Learn appropriate self soothing techniques

Learn appropriate ways to withdraw appropriately

Learn appropriate ways to release energy

Learn to seek out the people who can be helpful to them

Building Skills
Behavior Skills (Replacement Behavior)
Help children to:

Develop positive, pro-social behavior to replace the problems behaviors
We cannot ask children to stop doing something unless we help them to find something else appropriate to do in its place.

Performing Skills

Skill knowledge and acquisition is not enough

Children must be helped to perform the skills:

Consistently

In different environments

In stressful situations

Motivating Children

This may be the most difficult challenge

Motivate through:

Developing relationships and attachments

Building on strengths

Building smaller successes into larger ones

Having outcomes that appeal to the children and families

Consequences

Discipline oriented vs. punishment oriented

Developmentally appropriate

Time limited

Natural and/or logical

Connections between behavior and consequences are explained

Give positive consequences for positive behaviors:
“Catch them being good!”

Process praise vs. person praise

“Simple” Negative Behavior
Interventions

Meeting physical needs

Meeting safety needs

Teaching

Skill Building

Redirecting

Replacement behavior

Using Natural and Logical Consequences

Catching them being (doing) GOOD!!

“Severe” Negative Behavior
Interventions
Prolonged / severe developmental deficits – mental, emotional, physical health

Need multiple levels of support in order to meet needs in appropriate ways


Multi-systemic support

School staff, parent(s), clinical, medical, DCS, legal, …
Multi-modal skills

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
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Awareness
Communication
Coping
Consequences

Behavior Support Plan

Functional Analysis of Behavior

What is the function (goal or “payoff”)?
A B C
A ntecedent B ehavior C onsequence (Goal)

Behavior Support Planning

How can we meet the child’s needs, on the front end
(before the behavior), in a positive, developmentally and socially appropriate way?

What can we teach her/him?

Who needs to get involved?