Decreasing Negave Behaviors in the Classroom In this PPT …

• An overview of • Hierarchy of strategies to reduce problem behavior • Differenal Reinforcement • Exncon • Response Cost • Time out & Think Time • Reprimands • Overcorrecon Punishment • “The conngent presentaon of a smulus immediately following a response, which decreases the future rate and/or probability of the response” (Alberto & Troutman, 2009, p. 426). • Example: Time‐out from free play (preferred acvity) aer hing and hing decreases • To be defined as a “punisher”, there must be a decrease in the behavior

(Alberto & Troutman, 2009) Decreasing Undesirable Behavior

Consider … • Restricveness • Intrusiveness • Effecveness

There are a range of strategies to use before using punishment to reduce problem behavior. How Do I Decide? • Protect student rights • Less disrupon to environment – Student – Teaching • Determine what is maintaining the behavior? – Must teach REPLACEMENT BEHAVIORS • Mild aversives can be added to reinforcement‐ based procedures – Reprimand Avoid – Time‐Out Warn/threaten Lecture/nag Hierarchy of Intervenons to Reduce Problem Behavior • Informal Methods – Redirecon – Proximity • Level I: Differenal Reinforcement (Providing Reinforcement) • Level II: Exncon (Removal of Reinforcement) Punishment • Level III: Response Cost and Time Out (Removal of Desirable Smuli) • Level IV: Presentaon of Aversive Smuli (Alberto & Troutman, 2009) Level I: Differenal Reinforcement

• Differenal Reinforcement of Lower Rates of Behavior (DRL) • Differenal Reinforcement of Other Behavior (DRO) • Differenal Reinforcement of Incompable Behavior (DRI) • Differenal Reinforcement of Alternave Behavior (DRA) (Alberto & Troutman, 2009)

DRL is about decreasing but DRL not eliminang a behavior

Example: Ethan is a very bright student and raises his hand to make a • Steps comment an average of 15 mes 1. Collect Baseline: How during a 15‐min interval. This is not oen does behavior an inappropriate behavior but one occur during a specific that the teacher wants to occur less me period? frequently. Using DRL, the 15 min period is divided in to 3, 5‐min 2. Establish reducon goal intervals. Ethan can earn a reward if 3. Reinforce at end of me he only raises his hand 2 or fewer period (full or paral mes each interval. session) if behavior • Advantages: occurred at goal or beer. – Gradual approach to behavior change 4. Shape the behavior by changing criterion or • Disadvantages: interval length – Not appropriate for violent or dangerous behaviors (Alberto & Troutman, 2009)

“Reinforcement is conngent upon DRO the nonoccurrence of a behavior Example: Jasmine keeps geng out throughout a specified me period.” of her seat during whole class instrucon. This is very disrupve, (Alberto & Troutman, 2009, p. 369) so the teacher decides to use DRO. Jasmine is told that she can earn a • Steps token if she does not get out of her seat during the 15‐min instruconal 1. Idenfy problem period. On Monday, Jasmine did not behavior get out of her seat, but she sat in her seat and made rude comments. 2. Idenfy me According to DRO, she should sll interval earn the token. 3. Reinforce at end of • Disadvantages: interval if behavior – Reinforces the absence of a does not occur behavior – Requires a powerful reinforcer 4. Full sessions or – Student may inadvertently be shorter intervals reinforced for other problem behaviors (Alberto & Troutman, 2009)

DRA Reinforce demonstraon of an appropriate behavior in place Example: Ashed throws his work of an inappropriate behavior staon materials when he wants a break. He is taught how to use • Steps his communicaon devise to 1. Determine request a break. Ashed does not replacement behavior get a break unless he uses his 2. If needed, teach communicaon devise to replacement behavior appropriately request a break. 3. Collect baseline data • Advantages: on both the problem – Not just reinforcing an absence of behavior behavior and the – Can be used to teach & reinforce a replacement behavior more acceptable replacement 4. Decide on schedule of behavior that serves the same reinforcement funcon as the problem behavior (Alberto & Troutman, 2009)

Reinforce appropriate DRI behavior that is Example: Ashed throws his work staon materials when he wants a topographically incompable break. He is receives a token when • Steps he is using his materials 1. Determine appropriately. replacement behavior • Advantages: 2. If needed, teach – Physically impossible for student to be exhibing both behaviors at the replacement behavior same me 3. Collect baseline data – Reinforcing a more acceptable on both the problem replacement behavior behavior and the • Consideraons replacement behavior – May be difficult to find a mutually exclusive behavior 4. Decide on schedule of reinforcement (Alberto & Troutman, 2009)

Level III: Exncon “Withholding reinforcement for previously reinforced behavior to REDUCE the occurrence of the behavior” (Alberto & Troutman, 2009, p. 424) Most oen used to decrease problem behaviors that have been reinforced /maintained by teacher aenon

Advantages – Effecvely reduces behaviors – Long‐lasng effects – Aversive smuli are not required Disadvantages – Takes me – Not always easy to minimize aenon for certain behaviors – Expect exncon burst & spontaneous recovery – Inappropriate behaviors are imitated – Plan for exncon‐induced aggression – Doesn’t generalize well

(Alberto & Troutman, 2009)

Using Exncon Effecvely • Idenfy and control sources of reinforcement. • Withhold reinforcement from unwanted behavior. • Clearly specify the condions for exncon. • Maintain exncon condions for a sufficient me. • Combine exncon with other procedures. Level III: Removal of Desirable Smuli Response Cost Time‐Out • Defined: Reducon of • Defined: Not giving behavior through removal student the of reinforcer (conngent opportunity to receive on problem behavior) reinforcement for a • Example: taking away certain period of me points, tokens, etc. • Types: – Nonseclusionary – Exclusionary – Seclusionary

Response cost may be considered more favorable because it does not prevent student from receiving reinforcement or from parcipang in classroom acvies. (Alberto & Troutman, 2009)

Level III: Response Cost • Example: Use response cost in a token economy. – 10 tokens distributed to each student at the beginning of class. For each instance of off task, a token will be given back to the teacher OR – Points may be earned for keeping hands to self; walking away from a fight; using kind words instead of cursing; Points will be lost for cursing, fighng/hing; teasing/threatening

• Steps – Explain all details to students – Always connect response cost to a reinforcement system – Implement response cost immediately aer target problem behavior occurs – Never let a student accumulate negave points

(Alberto & Troutman, 2009; Kerr & Nelson, 2010)

Level III: Response Cost • How is response cost different from exncon? – Reinforcement is taken away and not withheld (exncon)

• Consideraons for response cost – Must be able to take away reinforcement – What happens when a student has lost all reinforcement? • Teacher holds no conngencies over desired behavior once all reinforcement gone • Also consider: – Have more posive procedures been used before using response cost? – Have the rules and expectaons been made clear? – Has the teacher used modeling to demonstrate the target behaviors that will be consequated and the appropriate responses when rewards are taken away? – Can teachers retrieve reinforcers? – Can student receive reinforcers in addion to losing reinforcers?

(Alberto & Troutman, 2009; Kerr & Nelson, 2010)

Level III: Time‐out

• Removal of all sources of posive reinforcement for a specified period of me conngent on a behavior • The correct term is actually “me out from reinforcement” • Consider – Amount of reinforcement in the “me in” seng versus the me out seng – If classroom sengs are not engaging or reinforcing, students my not mind going to me‐out

(Alberto & Troutman, 2009) Level III: Types of Time Out Nonseclusionary – Not removed from instrucon – Student denied access to reinforcement  Put head on desk  Remove materials or teacher  Sit and watch (conngent observaon) – Access to observaon and modeling Exclusionary – Removed from acvity – No access to observaon and modeling Seclusionary – Removal from classroom – Total isolaon – Reserved for more severe behaviors (Alberto & Troutman, 2009)

Level III: Time‐out Procedures for using me‐out • Before using me‐out make sure that the “me‐in” classroom is engaging and reinforcing – Provide at least 4 mes as much posive reinforcement as correcve consequences – Idenfy and teach replacement behaviors that meet the same funcon as the problem behaviors • Idenfy and tell students which behaviors will result in me‐out • Provide verbal warning that me‐out will be used if inappropriate behavior does not change • When sending student to me‐out, calmly tell students why and the length of the me‐out – If needed, gently lead student to me‐out – Add on me or start me over if disrupve behavior connues – Require student to clean up the environment if anything is disrupted – Be prepared with back up consequence if student refuses to go to me‐out (e.g. loss of privileges) • Upon compleon of me‐out, student returns to classroom acvity

(Alberto & Troutman, 2009)

Guidelines for Effecve Use of Timeout hp://www.state.ky.us/agencies/behave/homepage.html Alberto & Troutman, 2009 • Involve IEP team in deciding if me‐out should be used – Use only as one component of a wide range of of behavioral intervenons • Obtain wrien parent permission • Follow local and state policies • Do not engage in power struggles • Avoid excessive use of meout • Time outs should be brief • Never lock a student in a closed seng • Maintain view of student at all mes • Maintain thorough wrien records • Evaluate whether meout is working A Variaon of Time‐Out: Think Time Steps: • Calmly prompt student to engage in appropriate behavior • If student does not comply, direct student to go to the think me area in designated classroom • Student goes to another classroom with cooperang teacher to complete the think me intervenon – Rounes for this intervenon have been taught and pracced • The cooperang teacher debriefs the student – Ask student to describe the behavior that resulted in think me – If student does not, teachers says “I’ll get back to you” – A debriefing form is used • Once student correctly debriefs, student returns to own classroom with debriefing form (Nelson, 1996)

Think Time • Treats problem behavior as a chain, rather than an event – the goal is the catch the problem behavior early before it escalates • Tier 1 universal strategy to use in elementary or middle school classrooms • Idenfy cooperang teacher • Physically prepare classroom • Inform parents • Teach students – Raonale – Behaviors – How to move – Debriefing – Rejoining (Nelson, 1996) Level IV: Presentaon of Aversive Smuli

• Uncondioned Aversive Smuli – Definion: Smuli that result in pain or discomfort (e.g., spanking, water spray in face, physical restraint) • Condioned Aversive Smuli – Definion: Smuli a person learns to experience as aversive as the result of being paired with an uncondioned aversive smulus (e.g., verbal reprimands associated with spanking)

(Alberto & Troutman, 2009) Reprimands • Most common aversive smuli used in classroom • Defined as “gestural or verbal rebuke of behavior” (p. 49) • May include threat of consequence • Appropriate reprimands give students feedback that behavior is not acceptable and that punishment conngencies are in place • Use with cauon • Can be effecve when – Not overused (no more than one every 4‐5 minutes) – If consequence indicated & delivered – Given in close proximity – Used with specific statements (not requests or quesons) – Nonemoonal

(Jenson & Reavis, 1997)

Level IV: Aversive Smuli

• Disadvantages – Teacher overuse and gradually increase intensity – Negave impact on student/teacher relaonship – Negave modeling – Student may strike back or withdraw • Use Effecvely – If (you …) then… – Be quick and direct – Use with reinforcement of appropriate behavior

(Alberto & Troutman, 2009; Jenson & Reavis, 1997) Overcorrecon Procedures to decrease problem behavior that focus on teaching appropriate behavior through mulple pracces (i.e., exaggerated experience)

Types of Overcorrecon • Restuonal – Student restores/corrects beyond what he/she did – Examples • Posive‐Pracce – Student engages in exaggerated correct pracce of behavior – Examples • Negave Pracce – Student repeats problem behavior – Not educave! • Consideraons – Time consuming – Physical contact & therefore physical aggression (Alberto & Troutman, 2009) Overcorrecon • Consideraons – The overcorrecon should occur immediately aer the misbehavior – The amount of effort should be what is normally required of the task – Should not last long • Other negave outcomes – Can be me consuming – Requires full aenon from the teacher with the student – May require physical contact & therefore physical aggression – If student is praised during overcorrecon, then student may connue misbehavior to gain reinforcement • Negave Pracce – Student repeats problem behavior – Not educave so do not use

(Alberto & Troutman, 2009) Council for Exceponal Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) The CCBD Chapter of CEC has published a statement on using punishment and other behavior reducon procedures: SCHOOL DISCIPLINE POLICIES FOR STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANTLY DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR hp://www.cec.sped.org/ScriptContent/Custom/ miniSearch/searchResults.cfm?q=punishment References Alberto, P. A., & Troutman, A. C. (2009). Applied behavior analysis for teachers (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill. Jenson, W. R., & Reavis, H. K. (1997). Reprimands and precision requests. In H. K. Reavis et al., (Eds.), Best pracces: Behavioral and educaonal strategies for teachers (pp. 49‐55). Longmont, CA: Sopris West. Kerr, M. M., & Nelson, C. M. (2010). Strategies for addressing behavior problems in the classroom (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Nelson, J.R. (1996). Think me strategy for schools. Longmont, CO: Sopris West.