POSITIVE BEHAVIOR
SUPPORT AND
DE-ESCALATION
STRATEGIES
Teresa Miller, LSSP
Rebecca Morgan, BCBA
Lyn Neisius, LSSP
ARCHETYPES FROM BREAKFAST CLUB
The Brain
The Athlete
The Basket Case
The Princess
The Criminal
The Mean Administrator
MASLOW’S BASIC NEEDS
Give same care as to a small child:
 Hungry/thirsty
 Safe?
 Belong?
 Esteem
ADAPTING FOR AT RISK STUDENTS
• Social reinforcers and privileges are not
just rewards, they are a critical piece of
successful education for at risk children.
• At risk students need additional
opportunities and support to earn
positives the way most students do easily.
• It’s about who needs it rather than who
deserves it.
REFERRALS
• Office discipline referrals
• Behavior Consults
• Psychological referrals
REFERRALS
Identify what has been done with fidelity.
Fidelity includes:
proper implementation
+
accurate progress monitoring
+
necessary adjustments
IS THE REFERRING TEACHER
HELPING?
Classroom Organization
Classroom Schedule
Classroom Expectations
Seating Arrangement/Proximity Control
Verbal prompts and quiet precorrections
Corrective feedback
Positive language (Don’t DON’T)
WHO IS HELPING THE REFERRING
TEACHER?
Classroom organization expectations
communicated at the start of the school year?
Was the importance of positive behavioral
supports emphasized in the classroom?
Were positive behavior supports modeled by an
administrator or other campus leaders?
Do your PLCs address classroom management?
Are training opportunities in classroom
management promoted for staff?
UNDISPUTED FACTS
Student behavior will not change until adult
behavior changes.
ADULT BEHAVIOR MATTERS
Behavior change is an instructional process.
INSTRUCTION MATTERS
Scott, T. (2013). Managing Student Behavior in the Classroom. APBS Webinar
ADULT BEHAVIOR ASSOCIATED WITH
EFFECTIVE CLASSROOMS
Organization & Consistency
 Schedules; Thoughtful routines; Physical arrangements; Proximity
Explicit Instruction
 Clearly state objectives/rules; Explain/Model/Demonstrate;
Prompts/reminders throughout
Engage Students
 Provide opps for students to respond; Facilitate responses; Guide practice
Frequent & Consistent Feedback
 Specific praise; Correction
LET’S TALK ABOUT FEEDBACK
Home
 Reprimands, Thank yous, flowers, gestures
Community
 Citations, late fees, peer recognition, awards
School/Work
 Grades, marbles, public shame, ISS, detention
PUNISHMENT
The application of
an aversive
stimulus or
removal of
preferred stimulus
resulting in a
decrease in
behavior.
THE DOWN SIDE
Sometimes,
what we think is
“punishment”,
is not punishing.
Does this look punishing?
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE
RELY ON PUNISHMENT?
PUNISHMENT IS REACTIVE
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT
• The application of a preferred stimulus or
removal of an aversive stimulus resulting in
an increase in behavior.
• The KEY to changing behavior is two fold:
1. Identify the FUNCTION of the behavior
2. Identify a more appropriate ALTERNATIVE
behavior to take it’s place.
DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT
DR is when you
provide BOTH
 Positive reinforcement
for desired
(replacement) behavior,
 Extinction of undesired
behavior
– Extinction occurs when
you’re no longer providing
reinforcement for behavior.
IDENTIFY A REPLACEMENT
OR ALTERNATIVE BEHAVIOR
• What do you want them to do instead?
–Is it within reason?
–Will you have to teach it?
CONFLICT CYCLE
Event
Stress
Others’ Cycle
1
Reactions
Feelings &
Anxieties
Incident
Behavior
Stress
Others’
Reactions
Cycle
2
Feelings &
Anxieties
Behavior
Incident
Expands
Stress
Others’
Reactions
Cycle
3
Feelings &
Anxieties
Office
Referral
Behavior
Long, N.J., Wood, M.M., & Fecser, F.A. (2001)
Video (slide 101 2
nd
video)
-Label Event and 4 parts of Cycle 1
-Label Incident and 4 parts of Cycle 2
parts
-Label Incident Expands and 4
of Cycle 3
SCM CT DES MS high school .wmv
IRRATIONAL BELIEFS FUEL
ESCALATION
- I’M STUPID
- ADULTS CAN’T BE TRUSTED
PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSES ALSO FACTOR INTO
ESCALATION:
ADDRESSING INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR
Manage
Learning
MANAGE YOURSELF
Soft voice tone
Body language
Safe proximity
Slow rate of speech/pacing
Corrective strategies
Allow “cool-down” time
Stay out of content
http://www.youtu
be.com/watch?fe
ature=player_det
ailpage&v=TdU2l
0i2Wh0
MANAGE ENVIRONMENT
Major infraction of a school rule
Are other students safe?
Use “Cool-Down” Time to praise on-task behavior/prompt
alternative plan
Utilize other staff
De-escalation
Strategies
SPECIFIC PRAISE
EMPATHY
PROMPT SELF-CONTROL STRATEGY
COUPLING STATEMENTS
REALITY STATEMENTS
COUPLING STATEMENTS
 Brief
 Specific
 One behavior at a time
 Most overt behaviors first
 Positive - don’t describe absence of behavior
REALITY STATEMENTS
Sets parameters
Often a response to an expressed need
Example:
We can keep this conversation between you and me if you
lower your voice.
ONGOING DIFFICULTIES
Behavior Tracking: freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com
Positive Behavioral Interventions and supports: Pbis.org
Behaviorally challenging kids: livesinthebalance.org
EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE
VS.
SOCIALLY MALADJUSTED