Behavior Management of
Children with Severe Disabilities
Martin E. Block, Ph.D.
Curry School of Education
University of Virginia
Outline
 Review Types of Behavior Problems
 Review Two Major Approaches to
Treatment
 Review Terminology
 Outline Format to Develop Behavior Plan
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Types of Behavior Problems
 Stereotypic Behavior
 Self-Injurious Behavior
 Aggression
 Non-compliant/Disruptive Behavior
 Inappropriate Social Behavior
 Disorders of Physical Regulation
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Stereotypic/Self-Stimulatory
Behaviors
 Repetitive cycles of behavior that persist
for long periods of time.
•
•
•
•
Body rocking
finger flicking
hand flapping
tapping objects
 Cause - may stimulate/entertain child
 Problem - interferes with learning;
prevents community placement
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Self-Injurious Behavior
 Response that inflicts direct harm on the
individual.
 Cause - unknown. May have higher levels of
pain tolerance, gets attention, organic (e.g.,
Lesch-Nyhan), may somehow act as a natural
opiate through production of endorphins in
the CNS.
 Problem - physical harm, inappropriate
behaviors prevent community living.
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Aggression
A behavior that represents a danger to the client
or others. Generally means act of physical
violence against others.
 Cause - fear (escape fearful situation), anger
(frustration or anger), manipulation of others (get
them to do what you want or escape demands of
situation)
 Angry aggression often occurs as part of tantrum
- crying screaming, thrashing out, attacking
others, damaging property
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
Non-compliant/Disruptive
Behavior
 Refusing reasonable requests, running off
instead of coming when called, becoming
limp and dropping to the floor, resisting
transitions, not performing chores or
duties.
 Cause - attempt to control others/situation,
attempt to exert independence and some
control over one’s activities
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Inappropriate Social Behavior
 Failure to have learned more appropriate
social skills and rules - stripping, showing
affection to strangers, stealing or hoarding,
lying, masturbating in public,
swearing/shouting.
 Cause - no inhibition, not aware of how
others view them, not knowing social rules
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Disorders of Physical Regulation
 Limited physical control due to failure to
acquire (or loss of) self-regulation over
bodily functions - copresis, enuresis,
drooling, and tongue thrust
 cause - physical problems coupled with
failure to try and teach self-regulation
 treatment might include adaptations (e.g.,
diaper, bib) and teaching tolerance
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Types of Intervention
Elimination Approach
 Views behavior problems as maladaptive
or interfering actions that make it
impossible or difficult for children to learn
 Goal is to eliminate these behaviors -
undesirable behaviors must be eliminated
before new, adaptive behaviors can be
taught
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Elimination Approach (Cont.)
 Negative behaviors are regarded as high
priority intervention goals because they
are viewed as interfering with learning.
 Entire IEP’s are often devoted to
decelerating or stopping behaviors rather
than teaching new skills
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Elimination Approach (Cont.)
 Some behaviors are perceived as being so
disruptive that special staff is called into to
deal with the child.
 Some children are viewed as needing to be
put into a special class or school for
children with similar behaviors in order to
carry out an elimination program.
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Problems with Elimination Model
 Does it really work?
 Might something else have worked better?
 Is it wise to postpone teaching other skills?
 These programs often involve aversives
 Programs often involve homogeneous
groupings
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Educative Approach
 Major purpose is to encourage adaptive
behavior and promote maximum
participation of individual in meaningful,
daily activities.
 Instruction is not delayed until behaviors
are under control. At best deceleration
programs are supplemental to active
treatement
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Educative Approach (cont.)
 Not all behavior problems are equal priority
targets for behavior change.
 Most effective strategy to reduce behaviors
might be to replace it with a skill that
accomplishes the same function.
 Deceleration programs do not use aversives
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Lifestyle Perspective
Compare Our Lifestyle with a
Person with a Disability
 Choices/Control
 People
 Things
 Activities
 Community Experiences
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Prioritizing Targeted Behaviors
Prioritizing Behaviors
 Level I:
Urgent behaviors requiring
immediate attention
 Level II:
Serious behaviors requiring
formal consideration
 Level III:
Excess behaviors reflecting
normal deviance
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Review of Terminology
A - B - C Analysis
 Antecedent (stimulus) - an event occurring
prior to a behavior which in some way
influences that behavior
 Behavior (response)- any observable or
measurable act by an individual
 Consequence - an event that occurs after a
behavior has been exhibited and in some
ways is influenced by or related to the
behavior.
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Reinforcement
 Applying a technique that results in an
increase in a targeted behavior.
• Positive reinforcement - present something
positive that increases targeted behavior.
• Negative reinforcement - take away something
aversive that increases targeted behavior
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Types of Reinforcers
 Primary - unconditioned reinforcer, one that
does not have to be learned to be effective
(food, water, and other necessities of life)
 Secondary - a conditioned reinforcer, one that
is learned
• activity/sensory - a reinforcer that involves
participation in an event or sensation
• Token - receiving an item that can be exchanged
• Social - a reinforcer that involves interaction
between two or more persons.
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Other Types of Reinforcers
 ALT-R (strengthen incompatible behaviors)
 DRL (reinforce lower amounts of behaviors)
 DRO (reinforce other behaviors)
 DRT-O (reinforce others in general area)
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Reinforcement Schedules
 Continuous - everytime child exhibits
targeted behavior (best initially for
establishing a behavior)
 Intermittent - reinforce sometimes
• fixed - same number every time (every 3rd try)
• variable - average number (between 3rd and
5th try)
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Punishment
 Presentation of an aversive event or
consequence that leads to a decrease in
targeted behavior.
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Other Key terms
 Cue - a signal, sign, request, or information
that calls for the occurence of a behavior.
 Response cost - removal of a specific quantity
of reinforcement.
 Time-out - removal from a reinforcing
situation
 Extinction - a reinforcer that previously
sustained a behavior is withheld for the
purpose of eliminating that behavior
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Other key terms (continued)
 Over-correction - making individual do
restitution for what he/she has done plus
extra work
 Desists - verbal reprimands
 Satiation - providing a reinforcer for so long or
so often that it has lost its effectiveness
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Creating the Behavior Plan
Creating the Behavior Plan
 Define Behavior in Observable, measurable
terms.
 Observe the Behavior
 when does it occur
 where does it occur
 why do you think it occured
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Creating the Plan (Continued)
 Explore the Consequences
 what happened when the behavior occurred
 when did these consequences take place
 how did the student respond to these
consequences
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Creating the Plan (Continued)
 Consider Alternatives
 moving student
 regrouping class
 rearranging environment
 changing time of activity
 changing class format
 other possible ideas
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Creating the Plan (Continued)
 Clearly State the Desired Goal
 Outline Procedure for Preventing/Reducing
Behavior
 Describes cues you will use
 describe reinforcers you will use
 describe how you will present reinforcers
 describe what you will do if behavior occurs
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