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After reading Chapter 4 share a short summary of information learned. Post to Forum.
After reading Chapter 5 select a Case Study (Ani, Miles, Ruben or Sharilyn) and answer questions
1 & 2. Post to Forum.
Chandler & Dahlquist (2010, 57-58) say that if we are to understand “why”
challenging behaviors exist, we must examine the circumstances behind them. The
challenging behavior must be first clearly defined so that the appropriate positive
supports can be identified for that behavior. The biggest factor in identifying the
challenging behavior is collecting data that supports the claim that a challenging
behavior, does indeed exist. This can be found through a referral that states the
background demographic information for the student, as well as any other pertinent
information. Once the referral is in place, individuals familiar with the student must be
interviewed to differentiate whether the behavior is challenging for everyone or simply
annoying to the person making the referral. If a consensus is found that the behavior is
challenging, then research must be done to identify any environmental causes or factors
that may create antecedents for the challenging behavior. The teacher who creates the
referral may conduct a student interview to assess whether the student finds the behavior
challenging, and consider if the student is even aware of what they are doing.
During the interview, the conversation can be summarized in an antecedent-behaviorconsequence assessment (ABC) chart (Chandler & Dahlquist 2010, 62). A hypothesis
can be made about what may be reinforcing the challenging behavior once the antecedent
has occurred. There are many ways to conduct the interview either formally using
standardized interviews, or informally through indirect methods. What is important is
that the interviewer is aware of the subjectivity that exists from teacher to teacher, that
may threaten the validity and reliability, should only indirect measures be used. The
more standardized the process is, the more the positive behavior support (PBS) team can
steer clear of misbeliefs or myths about why the challenging behavior occurs.
Once information is collected through indirect methods, it is time to get some eyes on
the behavior itself and directly observe the behavior in order to identify environmental
and contextual variables that support the challenging behavior (Chandler & Dahlquist
2010, 67). Once again, an ABC chart can be used in order to properly track the triggers
that jumpstart the challenging behavior. These antecedents along with the consequences
that follow can be used to create supports that are preventative rather than reactionary.
Setting events are also just as important to consider as the antecedents and the
consequences. Once question that must be asked is that of the context for where the
behavior occurs. Some students come to school hungry or medicated, or throughout the
day may become over or under stimulated. These physiological settings may cause
problems with students and should be taken into account when creating PBS. The
physical environment also can play a role in setting events. Students with autism respond
differently to lighting, noise, unfamiliar seating, and other physical/environmental
antecedents. While hunger, or lack of medication may not be observable, as well as
family factors, these can be tracked through a good relationship with the parents, as the
team ought to make every effort to keep the parents in the loop with their child’s PBS.
In summary, once the information is collected, it should reveal consistencies in
setting events, as well as antecedents and consequences that are associated with the
challenging behavior (Chandler & Dahlquist 2010, 82). When this happens, the team can
best identify the function of behavior in order to best support the student. The main idea
of PBS is to be preventative rather than punitive.
The three functions of behavior that are examined in our functional assessment model
are positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and sensory regulation/sensory
stimulation (Chandler & Dahlquist 2010, 94). The key to identifying the function is to
look at the relationship between behavior and the setting events, antecedents, and
consequences that are related to it. In the case of Ani, her challenging behavior is that
she absolutely does not want to be involved in loud, unstructured, group activities. Her
behavior serves two different functions. One antecedent for this behavior is cooperative
groups that are loud, unstructured, with lots of movement. When she removes herself,
she is able to regulate the stimulation around her by decreasing the amount of student
interaction and chaos. When she moves herself, she is yelled at to move back, which she
does, but only on her one sensory regulated terms. She sits outside the circle, or at the
end of the lunch table. Once she does return, she passive-aggressively complies with the
teacher’s demands until she feels like she has “played the game” enough to go back to the
private office. The second function of her behavior is negative reinforcement, where the
teacher leaves her alone.
The same negative reinforcement and sensory regulation can be seen as functions of
her behavior during the “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” game. She does not like the
chaos, becomes agitated, and removes herself ten minutes into the game. As a
consequence she is left alone, negatively reinforced. Ani’s behavior serves two
functions. She doesn’t mind teacher or peer interaction as long as it is one on one, but
when it becomes chaotic she removes herself from the noise and movement to regulate
the sensory stimulation around her. When she removes herself from chaotic situations,
she is negatively reinforced, by being left alone.
Now that I have identified the function(s) of Ani’s behavior, I will provide a rationale
for why I did not choose positive reinforcement as a function of her behavior. Based on
what is observed in the ABC chart, Ani does nothing to fit the definition of this function.
She may be positively reinforced to a certain extent when the teacher yells at her to move
back, but ultimately it seems like she enjoys more positive interaction from her teacher,
when she participates in a more structured lecture/response environment. She is already
motivated and knows how to receive positive reinforcement through appropriate
behavior, so it is hard to believe she finds getting yelled at as positive. As I have stated
above, it is clear from the way she reacts to chaotic environments that she wishes to
regulate the stimulation around her by removing herself from it. This is a behavior that
serves two functions, because she is able to regulate her environment, and by being
passive aggressive when challenged, can be negatively reinforced by being left alone.
References:
Chandler, L. & Dahlquist, C. (2010) Functional Assessment Strategies to Prevent and
Remediate Challenging Behaviors in School Settings. Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Pearson.