The Key to Understanding

 Behavior Part 2

Bonnie Kimpling-Kelly

Effective Behavioral Intervention 

     Often, children with autism use inappropriate behavior in order to get their needs met. This can be very frustrating for parents and teachers to handle because these behaviors can interfere with teaching as well as other activities of daily life. The fact is, people do what words for them. Whatever behaviors a child is exhibiting, are continuing to occur, because on some level, the behavior is working for them. The key then, is to discern what need is being met, manipulate the strength of the need or teach the child a more appropriate/effective way to communicate the need. In addition, we must teach the child that the negative behavior will no longer work.

     The three main functions of behavior are:

• To gain attention or access to desired items
• To avoid or escape a situation or demand
• To feel good

(Occasionally, the function will be pain attenuation. It is for this reason that we recommend annual checkups and screenings for vision, dental, and hearing).

     The first step is to determine the functionality of the behavior. The functionality of a behavior is the purpose it serves the student. When asked, parents or teachers may give their impressions that the child is strong-willed, sick, hungry, or spoiled by Grandma. Of course we all have our “off” days due to a variety of reasons, but if a behavior is consistent, then there is a relationship between the behavior and the antecedent or the consequence. Your job then is to figure out what that relationship is and intervene appropriately. It is important to recognize that the team should not be focusing on who or what is to “blame” for the behavior. Doing so can cause defensiveness and hurt feelings whish are never healthy for a team or a family. No one intentionally teaches a child to misbehave. Instead the team should approach this process as a problem-solving exercise; approaching it as a team to collect information necessary to effectively address the problem behavior.

     Once the team has collected a significant amount of data, the team should review the information to search out patterns in the events occurring prior to and after the behavior. Review your data sheets. Make sure the data is recorded exactly as the behavior was observed (not an impression of what caused it). Once the relationship is determined, a plan can be developed to address the behavior. Behavior reduction procedures typically involve:

• Manipulation of the antecedent event(s)
• Removal of the reinforcer that is maintaining the behavior
• Teaching the student an alternative behavior to serve the same function as the behavior

     If a behavior is being reinforced inconsistently, it will be even harder to extinguish. Take for example the compulsive gambler who is reinforce inconsistently (sometimes they win, sometimes they lose). Is the student tantrums as a way to request desired items, it is essential that he/she never gain access to these items by having a tantrum ever again. Unfortunately, when a student is given what they want when they tantrum even on occasion, it is more likely that they will tantrum in the future when they want something.

     Be forewarned! Typically, we will see an increase in the student’s behavior when we first begin denying access to the reinforcer. A tantrum might escalate in intensity or duration. This is called an extinction burst and is actually a sign that the intervention is effective (you have correctly pinpointed the function of the behavior). It is important to hang in there until this extinction burst cycles through. Do not assume that the extinction burst means that our intervention is ineffective (or making it worse)! Quite the opposite is true!

     Sometime, even after a behavior is stopped by not allowing accessing to the reinforcer, the child will randomly exhibit the behavior again. Continue to extinguish the behavior or it may come back in full force and be more resistant to extinction in the future. It is critical that everyone involved with the student (babysitters, Grandma, etc.) is informed of the intervention and procedures to avoid reappearance of the behavior.

     Next time, we will go into more specifics in terms of proactive (before the behavior occurs/preventative) and reactive (after the behavior occurs) approached to behavior.

• Bonnie Kimpling-Kelly is the President of A.C.T. Now, Ltd., and the Program Director of P.A.T.H. Academy for Autism. She was the teacher/behavior analyst for an A.B.A./V.B. community school for seven years. Ms Kelly has presented on various topics surrounding autism throughout Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. She is currently President of the Autism Society of Northwest Ohio (ASNO), a sitting member of the Ohio Autism Coalition (OAC). Professional memberships include the Association for Behavior Analysis International, The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), and the Association for Positive Behavior Support (APBS). With over 19 years of experience with individuals with ASD and dual diagnosis and 13 years of experience specializing in ABA (I.B.I.), Ms Kelly works with families throughout the tri-state area to develop, implement and supervise in-home and school programs. Her articles have been published in Living Today Magazine, Boomers Today Magazine, and the Autism Advocate Journal. 

A.C.T. Now, Ltd.
(Autism Consulting & Training)