Autism and Behavior

Presented by:

Marie Bennett

Autism Support Teacher

Behavior is communication

2

3

Behavior management

• Functional Analysis is on-going…not a one time event by an expert. – Ask yourself… “what is my child trying to

communicate when he exhibits this behavior?”

• People with autism say they need:– external supports to be “stronger than the

autism”– families to have high expectations and support– understanding that there are times when this is

not possible

4

The Autism Experience…

• People with autism process information and sensory input in different ways.

• This results in seeing and thinking about the world differently than you and I.

• They also have difficulty with the perspective of others

5

Power Struggles!• Try not to personalize the behavior

• Try not to make it a catastrophe

• Record the events surrounding the behavior (antecedent, behavior, consequence)

• What did you learn from this?

6

Understanding the behaviors• Antecedent

– What happened before the behavior

• Behavior– What is the behavior in describable terms

• Paint a picture.• Be specific

• Consequence– What happened after the behavior

7

The ‘Whys’ of Behavior

• Why: SEAT (Sensory, Escape, Attention, Tangible)

– what is the purpose of behavior?• To get:

– Sensory input, attention, tangible

• To avoid/escape:– Sensory input, attention, task

(easy, difficult, long)

8

The ‘Whys’ of Behavior cont.

• May also be to regulate attention, arousal, or affect

• Seek routine completion / closure

• Stuck in automatic response or movement pattern / thought pattern / speech pattern

• Difficulty initiating movement or stopping movement upon demand

• Obsessive – Compulsive behaviors

9

Behavioral Concerns

• A person’s ability to communicate effectively goes down when they become upset by something

• Respecting the message of the behavior is important

• Teaching a better replacement behavior is Key!

10

When to intervene?

• Problem behaviors come and go, but when deciding which behaviors need immediate intervention, consider this:

Imagine your son/daughter 10 or 20 years from today exhibiting the same behavior.

Is intervention necessary TODAY?

11

Behavioral interventions

• What is Behavior Intervention?– A method of using positive reinforcement and

consequences to decrease inappropriate behaviors and increase appropriate behaviors.

• Redirect

• Use interests

• Possibilities vary by behavior

12

What is a “Reinforcer”?

• Reinforcers are those consequences that maintain or increase the rate of behavior that preceded it

• Reinforcers are anything which highly motivates the child

• Reinforcement vs. bribery

13

Behavioral interventions cont.

• Adjust to the child

• Offer choices

• Safe Spot

• Sensory

• Follow Through!

14

Preventing behavioral problems

• Consistency

– Schedule– Discipline– Rules– Directions– Know yourself!

15

Preventing behavioral problems• Visual supports

– Can be pictures, drawings, real items• Used for:

– Behavior– Schedules– Comprehension– Responding– Speech– Writing– Reading

16

Preventing behavioral problems

• Clear, planned transitions

– Signals– Physical– Routine– Coaching / Warning (prepping) – Visuals

17

Preventing behavioral problems

• Effective behavior management– Clear, consistent rules

• Think through the “why” of the rules

– High expectations• Instructionally• Behaviorally

Autism is not an excuse

18

“But he’s going to get upset…”

Ask yourself…

• Will this be the first time he is upset?

• Did you all live through it the last time he was upset?

• If he’s going to be upset anyway, why be afraid to follow through in order to teach something appropriate?

19

Six Simple Strategies. . .

20

1. Avoid using a question format

• For example, instead of saying:

– “Would you please stop teasing?”, you will find that

– “I need you to use your nice words” is more effective.

2. Reduce Distance

• It is better to make a request from up close (standing just a yard or two away)

• than from longer distance (from one room to another) – so you can gain his attention.

21

22

3. Reduce Loudness of Request

• Use a soft, firm voice rather than a loud voice

– tip: yelling doesn’t work in the long run

4. Give a START request vs. STOP

• For example, “Please start your math assignment.” rather than “Stop fooling around”

• Positive statements that say what to do, not what “not to do”

23

24

5. Make Non-Emotional requests

• Emotional responses decrease compliance and make the situation worse and students frequently– They do not understand the emotional

message: • Such as yelling, name calling, guilt-inducing

statements

• Keep requests simple and positive

6. Consistently Reinforce Compliance

• It can be easy to request a behavior from your child and ignore the positive result.

• If you want more compliance, genuinely reinforce it.

25

26

Strategies and Structure

• First – Then– Lets them know what will happen

– Less preferred, then more preferred

• I’m Working for…– Understanding how much they have to do to get what

they want

• Schedules– Understand the expectations for the day/time

27

Strategies and Structure

• Task analysis– Break task into small pieces– Easier to master

• Token economies– Motivating

• Clear, explicit expectations and rules– Know what to expect and what to do

28

Review

• Any questions?