Challenging Behavior III : Identifying
Triggers and Teaching Replacement
Behaviors
Adapted From Module 3a and 3b of
CSEFEL
Debbie Lickey and
Susie Powell
Opening: What do these acronyms
stand for?
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7B47B
T7WOTW
50WTLYL
12SOTZ
13IABD
ATWI80D
WYSLMWI64
How did our opening exercise relate to
identifying triggers for challenging
behaviors?
Challenging Behavior
What we are referring to when we say “challenging
behavior” is:
• Any repeated pattern of behavior that interferes
with learning or engagement in pro-social
interactions with peers and adults.
• Behaviors that are not responsive to the use of
developmentally appropriate guidance procedures.
• Prolonged tantrums, physical and verbal
aggression, disruptive vocal and motor behavior
(e.g., screaming, stereotypy), property destructions,
self-injury, noncompliance, and withdrawal
• What behaviors did we see in the video
that might be classified as challenging?
Intensive Individualized Instruction
•
Used with children who
have very persistent
and severe
challenging behavior
and do not respond to
the typical preventive
practices, child guidance
procedures, or social
emotional teaching
strategies that would
normally work with most
children.
Group Discussion
• What are some characteristics of
challenging behavior you experience
with the children you serve?
Challenging Behavior
Communicates
•Communicates a
message when a child
does not have language.
•Used instead of
language by a child who
has limited social skills or
has learned that
challenging behavior will
result in meeting his or
her needs.
Challenging Behavior Works
• Children engage in
challenging behavior
because “it works” for them.
• Challenging behavior results
in the child gaining access to
something or someone (i.e.,
obtain/request) or avoiding
something or someone (i.e.,
escape/protest).
Dimensions of Communication
Every communicative behavior can be
described by the form and function.
• Form: the behavior used to
communicate
• Function: the reason or purpose of
the communicative behavior
(What is the function?)
Children Communicate
in Many Ways:
•What are some forms of communication
children will use?
-Words
-Sentences
-Eye gaze
-Pulling adult
-Crying
-Biting
-Tantrums
Children Communicate
a Variety of Messages
•Functions of communication
-Request object, activity, person
-Escape demands
-Escape activity
-Escape a person
-Request help
-Request social interaction
-Comment
-Request information
-Request sensory stimulation
-Escape sensory stimulation
And these are all a form of???
-
Functional Assessment
•A process for developing an understanding
of a person’s challenging behavior and, in
particular, how the behavior is governed by
environmental events.
•Results in the identification of the
“purpose” or “function” of the challenging
behavior.
Function of Behavior- ABC
Setting
Event
Trigger (Or
Antecedent)
(A)
Behavior
(B)
Maintaining
Consequence
( C)
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I
S
T
H
E
K
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ABC
DEF
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GHI
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MNO
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PQRS
TUV
WXYZ
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TONE
OPER
VIDEO
Function of Behavior- ABC
Setting
Event
Trigger (Or
Antecedent)
(A)
Behavior
(B)
Maintaining
Consequence
( C)
• Video
Function of Behavior- ABC
Setting
Event
Trigger (Or
Antecedent)
(A)
Behavior
Playground
play with 2
friends. Girl
goes to basket
and gets
truck just like
the other
friend’s truck
He tries to
take her
truck,
shoves,
pushes,
and
continues
tugging
for toy.
Consequence
( C)
(B)
Gets toy for a
second, continues
to fight girl for toy ,
teacher
reprimands and
carries him away.
Tim
Tim is riding a trike on the playground bike
path. He sees a child move to the sandbox
where he had just finished building a
road-way. He leaps off his trike and
tackles the child. He hits the child. An adult
comes over to intervene. She comforts the
child, and scolds Tim. Tim goes to the
sandbox and continues construction on his
road-way.
Tim
Setting Event
Trigger
A
A child
moves to the
sandbox
where Tim
has just built
something.
Behavior
B
Consequence
C
Tackles and
hits child.
Adult
intervenes
and scolds
Tim, comforts
other child.
Tim continues
road-way.
Function:
‘WHY’ IS A BEHAVIOR IS
OCCURRING?
CREATING A HYPOTHESIS
Tim’s Chart- Hypothesis
Trigger
• Group play: centers
and outside play with
peers
Behavior
Consequence
Verbal aggression
• Peers give up toys/items
(threats), physical
• Peers leave area
aggression (hit, push, kick, • Adults intervene with
punch), property
negative attention to Tim
destruction
Setting Events (if
applicable):
Function: obtain toy/play
Teaching
Replacement Skills
• Teach alternative behavior to challenging
behavior.
• Replacement skills must be efficient and
effective (i.e., work quickly for the child).
• Consider skills that child already has.
• Make sure the reward for appropriate
behavior is consistent.
How do I know what to teach?
•
•
•
•
Use your hypothesis to guide you
Look for a direct replacement behavior
Compare that to the undesired behavior
Teach the direct replacement behavior
and then the skills necessary to support
the desired behavior
– General Skills
– Coping, Tolerance, and Self Regulation
Skills
Discussion Activity:
Competing Behavior Equation
To obtain:
In group
situation
Tim threats,
.
hits, pushes,
kicks,
throwing toys
Teacher supported
request for toy or to
join play with peers
(picture cards, signs,
or verbal prompt)
Peer gives him
a toy and then
leaves.
Gets a toy ,
gets attention
Tim’s Support Planning Chart- Hypothesis
Trigger
• Group play: centers
and outside play with
peers
Setting Events (if
applicable):
Preventions
Behavior
Maintaining Consequence
Verbal aggression
• Peers give up toys/items
(threats), physical
• Peers leave area
aggression (hit, push, kick, • Adults intervene with
punch), property
negative attention to Tim
destruction
Function: obtain toy/play
New Skills
New Responses
Obtain
(e.g., attention, object, activity)
Possible Replacement Skills
• Follow visual
• Request attention
schedule
(sign, picture, etc)
• Participate in routine • Provide a Choice
• Use a picture card
• Ask for a hug
to request a turn
• Ask for a turn
• Request help
• Ask for item
• Teach delay of
reinforcement
Replacement Skills Cue Cards
Activity Turn-Taking Cue
Song Choices
Circle Choices
Escape
(e.g., activity, demands, social interaction)
Possible Replacement Skills
• Request break
• Request help
• Use visual schedule
to follow routine or
anticipate transitions
• Participate in routine
• Choice
• Say “No”
• Say “All done”
• Identify and express
feelings
• Use supports to follow
rules
First/Then
Photo Schedule
First
Wash hands
Then
Snack
Learning the routine
Use of Scripted Stories
• Scripted stories provide a script for the child
about social situations and expectations.
• The story is written from the child’s
perspective.
• The story includes descriptive, perspective,
and directive sentences.
• The story must match the child’s symbolic
and receptive communication level.
http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/resources/strategies.html
Functional Equivalence
• Identify an acceptable way that the child can
deliver the same message.
• Make sure that the new response is socially
appropriate and will access the child’s
desired outcome.
• Teach the child a skill that honors that
function of the behavior (e.g., if child
wants out of activity, teach child to
gesture “finished”).
Practice Scenario
• Partner up with one or two people and
watch the video to determine the trigger,
the behavior and the consequence of
the behavior, as well as the possible
function of the behavior
Video 3a.2 Brendan- Before PBS
Setting
Event
Trigger
Behavior
Function: ?
Maintaining
Consequence
Trigger
Trying to go into library
Preventions
Behavior
Drops to floor, resists
moving, screams, kicks,
tries to run,
drops, resists, screams,
becomes “wet noodle.”
New Skills
Maintaining Consequence
Mother picks him up and
carries him into the library
Gets attention from mom
New Responses
Video 3a.5 Brendan- After PBS
Major Messages
• Challenging _______has meaning for the child.
• Children use behavior to _____something or
someone or _______something or someone.
• The hypothesis describes the T_______, the
B_______, and the maintaining C_______
• Children need to be taught ________behaviors in
order to accomplish his/her goal using appropriate
behaviors
Resources
Technical Assistance Center on
Social Emotional Intervention
TACSEI
http://www.challengingbehavior.org/do/resources/t
eaching_tools/ttyc_updated_zip.htm
Center on the Social and Emotional
Foundations for Early Learning
• http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/index.html