Understanding Behavior
Identify the consequence: Staff are talking with each other. Olivia complains loudly and throws her worksheet on the floor. Staff go talk to Olivia and ask her if she needs help.
Staff go talk to Olivia and ask her if she needs help.
If the person is using challenging behavior to express a want or need, the _______ strategy can be effective when used in the earliest stages of escalation.
Help
The _____________ is a temporary method for protecting yourself or someone else from an aggressor. It is a blocking stance used to prevent the person from turning directly you.
Shoulder check
Resilience is the ability to adapt quickly and effectively to stress or difficulty. Please list one strategy you use to strengthen resilience while at work, and one strategy to you use at home.
Answers will vary.
Elbow Check
Pass Criteria: Approach and implement the elbow check correctly using the shadow and contact variations, responding to light resistance with a firm arm and strong resistance or struggle by stepping back. Common errors: Approaching from the wrong direction, fingers separated, hand vertical or incorrect position, arm not rigid enough for safety, too forceful, failing to step back in response to significant resistance. P.27
Provide two examples of social reinforcers
Answer may include but not limited to: being praised, having a conversation, high five, thumbs up.
Maria usually responds poorly when ignored by peers. Someone just walked by without responding to her greeting. She is now staring at them while grimacing and muttering “shut up”.
Label the trigger and signal in this narrative.
Trigger: ignored by peers Signal: grimace, muttering to herself, staring
Name this physical safety procedure when modeled.
Protective Shuffle
Provide 3 examples of staff behavior that can potentially act as a trigger.
Answers will vary, but my include speaking loudly, crossing arms, speaking sarcastically, touching a person’s belongings, placing a demand.
DR Structured: Billy is learning to work on assignments independently. There is a structured reinforcement system in place where for each page of assignment completed Billy receives social praise in the form of a high 5, thumbs up, or fist bump. Behaviors that should not be reinforced include asking repetitive questions, singing, and walking around the room.
Pass Criteria: the staff shows correct reinforcement and withholding of reinforcement (at least one instance of delivery and withholding). Common errors: failure to reinforce the desirable behavior according to schedule, prompts not delivered neutrally or delivered too frequently, failure to withhold social attention when challenging behavior occurs.
In settings where safety care is likely to be used, we often address desirable and challenging behavior. Desirable behaviors are those we would like to teach and encourage. Please describe challenging behavior.
Answer must include: Behaviors that are dangerous or that interfere with learning and functioning.
Arguing, physical intimidation, using an angry or sarcastic tone, nagging, use of threats or force, and setting unreasonable or escalating criteria for success are all examples of ________.
power struggles
Stabilize, assistance/support
_____ is a way to reduce challenging behavior while teaching and reinforcing other, more desirable behaviors.
Differential Reinforcement
Supportive Guide
Pass Criteria: Begin with the person walking slowly in a straight line. Approach and correctly initiate supportive guide, changing the person’s direction, walking with the person, and fading correctly out of the procedure using elbow check. Common Errors: Unsafe approach, grabbing with thumb rather than cupping, excessive force, shoving or pushing with hands or hip, not on the side toward the cupped elbow, hand on top of shoulder or neck instead of outside of upper arm.
Give an example of a disruptive behavior, a dangerous behavior, and a very dangerous behavior.
Answer may include, but not limited to:
Disruptive behavior: swearing, teasing, disrobing, yelling, asking repetitive questions.
Dangerous Behavior: Scratching, biting, running away.
Very Dangerous behavior: Forceful head banging, using dangerous weapons, being punched in the face repeatedly
Describe 2 specific ways you can create a supportive social environment and specific 2 ways you can create a supportive physical environment with one of the learners you work with.
Responses may vary. Must talk about a specific learner at GEM. Generic responses include - Physical environment: Basic needs are met, comfortable uncluttered environment, access to fun and engaging activities, minimize stressors, privacy or quiet time when desired. Social Environment: respectful staff, access to meaningful choices, access to preferred people, meaningful learning opportunities, minimal coercion, frequent reinforcement of desirable behavior.
If a person grabs you in a dangerous manner, it may be necessary to stabilize and then release a grab to clothing, a finger, or the end of long hair. When should you not use “Stripping a Grab” procedure.
Answer must include one of the following: person grabs a sharp part of your clothing (zipper, buttons, etc.) or fingers are intertwine or wrapped.
Fill in the blanks to list the criteria for physical management.
1. There must be imminent ____ of serious harm to the agitated person or someone else.
2. There must be no other practical way to _______ that harm without physical management.
3. The risk of not intervening must be _______ than the risk of intervening.
Wrist release
Pass Criteria: In response to being grabbed by the wrist, the staff correctly demonstrates the wrist release and moves away using protective shuffle. Common errors: Not turning the grabbed arm in the correct direction, grabbing pushing or slapping with the anchored hand, pulling arm backwards instead of between the fingers, anchoring with fingers or Wirth back or side of the hand. Failure to move away using protective shuffle. P.61
List three ways you can identify reinforcers.
Answer must include: Ask the person about preferences, ask people familiar with he person, observe what the person dies and likes, offer choices and see how the person responds, try using a potential reinforcer and see of the behavior changes.
Name three characteristics of effective reinforcement
Answer must include: Immediate, distinct, descriptive, preferred, varied
When using the bite release procedure calling for assistance is the first step. You can also try to prompt the person to let go. What is the next step?
Stabilize: Reach around the person’s head and place your closed free hand gently against the back of the head. Do not touch the neck.
Describe the Behavior Trap
When we find ourselves reinforcing a behavior to get it to stop quickly. But if we reinforce behavior it will happen more often in the future.
2-Person Stability Hold
Pass Criteria: Staff approaches with partner using protective shuffle and places the person correctly into the 2-person stability hold, then fades (in coordination with partner) and exits using shoulder check, elbow check, and protective shuffle. Common Errors: Unsafe or uncoordinated approach, grasping with the wrong hand, digging elbow into person's ribs, standing to the side instead of behind, allowing person to lean forward, failure to release at the same time, failure to release using the correct fading procedure.