Case Study #1 Marco
Marco was fascinated by lights and light switches. He asked repeatedly
about the light fittings in the classroom and was unable to resist pressing
the light switches several times on entering or exiting a room. He also flicked
light switches during transitions in the class room. This was distracting for
Marco and others.
DATA EXCERPTS FROM AN FBA CONDUCTED BY HIS TEACHERS:
A-B-C data excerpt:
Class is instructed to go
get their coats. Marco is
crossing the room.
Marco darts to the light
switch and starts flicking it
on and off.
A peer says “I can’t see!”
Interview data excerpt:
“It’s so distracting to all of us and to be honest, kind of frustrating for me. If I block him from getting
to the light switches he screams and that’s worse than having the lights flicker. I feel like he knows
he’s not supposed to do it but he does it anyways!” (Lashonda, Childcare Center staff)
Function Statement:
During times in the classroom when Marco is not involved in a task or when he has physical
proximity to light switches, he receives sensory input (apparent pleasure) from flicking light
switches on and off. He also receives adult and peer attention when he flicks the light switches and
when he talks about lighting.
Adapted from: Primary Teacher’s Toolbox for Including Children with Social Communication Difficulties
Wiltshire County Council April 2006, accessed 4/26/2013 from http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/scd-asd-primary-toolbox.pdf
Case Study #1 Marco
SELECTED INTERVENTIONS:
Marco was given a time and context limit for talking about lights and a
set time to press the light switches. This was explained in a social story
and he was rewarded for keeping to the rules. Other children were
taught a script to support him. In time, Marco was able to reduce his
obsessive behavior until he ceased to talk about lights in school and only
infrequently pressed switches.
ACTIVITY:
1. After reading the above case study about Marco, fill out the attached form
using the basic information you have.
2. Put a “y”, “n” or “?” next to the solutions to indicate if you think they are
matched to the function of the behavior as described in information you
received.
3. Brainstorm and write down at least one of your own intervention ideas for
each of the three components of Marco’s behavior intervention plan:
Preventing the behavior, Teaching new skills, and Responding to the
behavior.
INTERVENING WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR
Child’s Name_________________________________________
Person filling out form:_____________________________________________Date:______________
Current Triggers
Current Maintaining
Consequences
Behavior(s)
Function:
Preventions
New Skills
Responses
Adapted from
Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation • Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development accessed 4 26 2013 from
http://www.ecmhc.org/documents/CECMHC_FacilitatingToolkit.pdf
Rev. 2/10
The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning
Vanderbilt University
vanderbilt.edu/csefel
P 3a.36*
Case Study #2: Hannah
Hannah, a year 5 child, wanted to play soccer at recess time but became
distressed when the other children ‘broke the rules’. She would tell them off
and try to grab the ball, which resulted in scuffles. As a result, the other
children were reluctant to let her join their game.
DATA EXCERPTS FROM AN FBA CONDUCTED BY VOLUNTEER RECESS AIDES:
A-B-C data excerpt:
A boy bounces the soccer
ball off his fist into the goal
Hannah starts yelling “Stupid
stupid cheater!”
Boy says “I’m not a cheater”.
Another girl says “That was a
really cool way to score!” Kids
start to stare at Hannah as her
screams get louder.
Interview data excerpt: “We are really short staffed at recess and the soccer games always
seem to take my time away from other kids and other problems. Hannah is such a cute kid – she
just can’t seem to handle being part of a group. She loves soccer and so do the other kids – it’s the
favorite recess game. It seems like there are more scuffles over the rules earlier in the week – by
Thursday and Friday it’s settled down and they’re working things out. But then Monday comes and
Hannah’s back to being mad at everyone about the way they play!” (Don, Recess assistant)
Determined function: When playing team games at recess, Hannah protests her peers’
behavior when she perceives they have broken a rule. When she protests, Hannah stops the
soccer game and receives attention from peers and adults.
Adapted from: Primary Teacher’s Toolbox for Including Children with Social Communication Difficulties, Wiltshire County Council April 2006, accessed 4/26/2013 from
http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/scd-asd-primary-toolbox.pdf
Case Study #2: Hannah
Selected Interventions:
A social story was provided for Hannah, explaining that the
rules of playground soccer were different to the games of soccer
she watched on TV. In particular, the number of children on
each team could be more or less than 11, there was no referee
(decisions were made jointly and negotiated) and the ball did not
go out of play. A group of children who regularly played soccer
agreed to take turns to being Hannah’s buddy during games. As
part of Hannah’s personal and social development program, a
Teaching Assistant supervised soccer games and debriefed
Hannah after each one to further her understanding.
Hannah was then able to play soccer at lunchtimes more successfully.
She was still concerned that rules were broken but was taught to deal
with this by recording her feelings in a private book. Hannah found it
helpful to give red and yellow cards to individuals in her book but was
not allowed to ‘tell them off’ during the game or to tell them later that she
had given them a card. Most playtime soccer games were then free from
incident and happier for both Hannah and her friends.
Adapted from: Primary Teacher’s Toolbox for Including Children with Social Communication Difficulties
Wiltshire County Council April 2006, accessed 4/26/2013 from http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/scd-asd-primary-toolbox.pdf
ACTIVITY:
1. After reading the above case study about Hannah, fill out the
attached form using the basic information you have.
2. Put a “y”, “n” or “?” next to the solutions to indicate if you think
they are matched to the function of the behavior as described in
information you received.
3. Brainstorm and write down at least one of your own intervention
ideas for each of the three components of Hannah’s behavior
intervention plan: Preventing the behavior, Teaching new skills,
and Responding to the behavior.
4. Now write a basic Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) to address
Hannah’s behavior on the playground.
INTERVENING WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR
Child’s Name_________________________________________
Person filling out form:_____________________________________________Date:______________
Current Triggers
Behavior(s)
Current Maintaining
Consequences
Function:
Preventions
New Skills
Responses
Adapted from
Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation • Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development accessed 4 26 2013 from
http://www.ecmhc.org/documents/CECMHC_FacilitatingToolkit.pdf
Rev. 2/10
The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning
Vanderbilt University
vanderbilt.edu/csefel
P 3a.36*