Positive Behavior Support Plan for G.R.

Competency Checklist
G.R. is a male, first-grade student who is served full-time in the EBD classroom at his
neighborhood school. G.R. has been diagnosed as having EBD and ODD, and per
notice from his grandma, there is a history of mental health in his family. G.R. lives
with his grandparents, and his mother visits occasionally. G.R. possesses many
strengths. He performs mathematical operations and utilizes mathematical strategies
with ease. He demonstrates appropriate hygiene procedures. G.R. is adept in gross
motor and fine motor skills including, but not limited to, the following: running,
jumping, balance, using scissors, manipulating playdough, and operating tweezer-like
tools. In the EBD classroom, G.R. demonstrates defiant and aggressive behaviors. In
a disruptive episode, G.R. may demonstrate aggression to peers and staff by kicking,
yelling, speaking profanities, hitting, tearing things off the wall, and throwing items
towards persons. G.R. frequently refuses to comply with staff directives or complete
academic tasks by running to the corner of the classroom or hiding under desks. G.R.
often laughs and smiles during such escape opportunities, making it appear as though
he believes it to be enjoyable or a game.
Functional Assessment
The common antecedents to the behaviors of concern are documented as follows:
G.R. is presented with a non-preferred task or academic activity or the teacher begins
to help another student in the classroom. The behavior of concern that follows the
presentation of a non-preferred task includes defiance in the form of running to the
corner of the room, hiding in the classroom, or verbal refusal to participate in the
activity. When a teacher begins to help another student in the classroom, G.R. may
demonstrate aggressive behaviors by yelling, shouting profanities, kicking or hitting
staff and students, throwing items, flipping desks, biting, spitting, or ripping posters
and other students’ work. The student’s behaviors of concern may be maintained due
to the fact that the student’s escape and aggression often cause the student to avoid
completing the non-preferred task and these cause the student to receive the
teacher’s full attention. In summary, when presented with a non-preferred task or the
teacher works with another student, G.R. will display defiant and aggressive behavior
by throwing items, hitting peers, etc. in order to gain teacher attention or avoid a non-
preferred task.
Target Behavior
Two target behaviors have been identified. First, G.R. demonstrates the target
behavior of aggression toward peers and staff by yelling, shouting profanities, kicking
or hitting staff and students, throwing items, flipping desks, biting, spitting, or ripping
posters and classmates’ work. Second, G.R. demonstrates the target behavior of
refusal to comply by running away from his desk or the staff who offers the directive.
He may also hide in the classroom.
Both of G.R.’s target behaviors are of high priority for his success in the general
education classroom and curriculum. G.R.’s aggression and defiance cause him to
avoid academic tasks which may lead to him falling behind in math and reading.
Additionally, G.R.’s aggression has harmed his peer relationships and highlighted
deficits in his social skills. G.R.’s classmates appear to fear him because of his
physical aggression towards them, and his classmates appear to avoid participation
with G.R. during breaks and free play periods. As a result of these aspects, G.R.’s
target behaviors are of high priority for his academic and social success.
G.R.’s behaviors will be measured in two methods. First, a Behavior Chart will be
used to measure G.R.’s positive interactions with peers and staff during each period.
G.R. will receive a colored smiley face depending on the extent to which he engaged
with peers while keeping his hands and feet to himself. To measure G.R.’s
compliance with teacher directives for academic tasks, a tally system will be used by
the teacher. In congruence with G.R.’s token economy system, the teacher will
document one tally on a tracking sheet for every three minutes of on-task behavior
during an academic task or activity.
Baseline Data
The data collection system for G.R.’s compliance and on-task behavior will be
completed by the EBD teacher. For every three minutes that G.R. demonstrates on-
task, compliant behavior during a non-preferred task or activity, the EBD teacher will
mark one tally on a tracking sheet. The tally system will be utilized during the
instructional time within the EBD classroom each day. The simplicity of the tally
system is intentional as a means of gathering the most data for G.R.’s compliance.
The data collection system for G.R.’s positive interactions with peers and staff will be
conducted by the paraprofessional in the EBD classroom. The paraprofessional will
utilize the Behavior Chart to document the extent to which G.R. keeps his hands and
feet to himself during each period of the day. The chart will be used every day in the
EBD classroom as well as during G.R.’s specials. As G.R. progresses in his abilities
to utilize coping strategies and effectively interact with peers and staff, he may be
included in the completion of the Behavior Chart during each period.
See Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 for a graph of baseline behavior data.
Goals & Objectives
The goals identified for G.R. are as follows. When presented with a task, G.R. will
comply the first time at least 70% of the time. G.R. may demonstrate the appropriate
behavior related to this goal by sitting in his seat during the math and reading
instructional periods and participating in academic activities by reading text, answering
questions, or performing operations. The goal is for G.R. to be able to remain seated
and engaged with the academic tasks for the duration of the instructional period. Next,
an additional goal was developed to assist G.R. in keeping his hands and feet to
himself. When the teacher helps another student, G.R. will keep his hands and feet to
himself and ask for attention by raising his hand at least 80% of the time. The
demonstration of this goal may be evident in observation of G.R. when the teacher
transitions to help another student. It is expected that G.R. remain on-task with the
activity while he is seated at his desk. G.R. may raise his hand for assistance and
remain seated until the teacher walks to his desk. G.R. is expected to communicate
with peers positively by keeping his hands and feet to himself.
Behavior Intervention Plan
a. New Antecedents
The following are new antecedents that may be utilized by the classroom teacher
to prevent G.R. from displaying the target behaviors. First, the classroom teacher
may chunk assignments into more manageable parts and provide frequent
movement breaks. In this manner, the teacher sets appropriate expectations for
G.R.’s amount of time on-task and she offers time for G.R. to regroup before
completing the material. This would be expected to improve G.R.’s compliance if
he is given smaller amount of work at a time, and he is able to work towards a
preferred activity during a break. An additional preventative strategy is to move
G.R.’s seat closer to the teacher’s desk. Utilizing proximity control, the teacher
may be able to monitor G.R.’s compliance and on-task behavior. In a similar
manner, it is imperative that the teacher keep G.R. close to her desk and distant
from other students to ensure the safety of the class. Lastly, using the pairing
strategy, the teacher will intentionally pair staff and reinforcers in order for G.R. to
begin to recognize staff as part of his reinforcement. This method would be
beneficial in limiting aggression towards staff and increasing G.R.’s compliance
with staff directives.
b. Replacement Behavior
To replace G.R.’s aggression toward peers and staff through physical contact or
destruction of items in the classroom, the teacher will explicitly teach G.R. coping
strategies for managing his emotions. The strategies will be taught when G.R. is
deescalated to increase the probability that he employs these strategies during
periods of heightened emotions. Initially, the teacher may have to prompt G.R. to
utilize coping strategies. The goal is for G.R. to develop self-regulation abilities to
use the coping strategies on his own in order for the teacher to eventually be able
to fade prompting. In a similar manner, G.R. will be prompted to use the Feelings
Board as a manner for him to alert staff when he is feeling upset or frustrated.
Staff may then be able to guide him in using a coping strategy or discussing the
situation in an effort to deescalate. As with the coping strategies, in time, the goal
would be for G.R. to develop self-regulation abilities to identify emotions and
deescalate on his own. To replace noncompliance with tasks or teacher directives,
the teacher will explicitly teach G.R. to request a break or assistance by raising his
hand and communicating in a regular-volume voice without shouting or running
from his desk. The teacher will engage G.R. in role play activities to practice task
compliance. Providing a variety of scenarios in the role play activity, the goal is
that G.R. may learn how to comply with staff directives across a range of settings
in and out of the classroom.
c. Reinforcement opportunities
G.R. will be provided with a variety of reinforcement opportunities for performing
the desired replacement behavior. First, during periods of compliance during the
completion of academic tasks, G.R. will use a token economy system. He will be
given a token on a fixed interval period of earning one token for every three
minutes of on-task behavior with the goal of earning a break or activity of his
choice after six tokens are earned. Over time, the time interval will be increased or
adjusted based on G.R.’s progress. Second, G.R. will receive Class Dojo points if
he engages with a peer while keeping his hands and feet to himself. After ten
Class Dojo points, G.R. will be able to choose a prize. Also, for reinforcing
positive staff and peer relationships, G.R. will receive a star for each day he is
successful at keeping his hands and feet to himself for the entire day. If G.R.
earns two stars in a week, he will be rewarded with Fun Friday to engage in highly
preferred activities in the afternoon.
To gather initial data about G.R.’s reinforcement preferences, a reinforcement
sampler will be completed with G.R. The type of reinforcement given to G.R. will
 be alternated between activities, tangibles, and snacks in order to avoid satiation.
Differential reinforcement will be given for accurate use of a coping strategy
without prompting as well as for on-task behavior during more difficult tasks.
Differential reinforcement may include more time with an activity or the opportunity
to use a higher-preferred item.
d. Response to Target Behavior
In response to the display of the target behaviors, G.R. will receive a variety of
consequences. Specifically, for when G.R. displays defiance or noncompliance
with an academic task, the timer will be paused until he sits down and begins on-
task behavior. Upon resuming on-task behavior, the time will be started. The timer
is to continue from when it was paused; the timer should not be restarted from the
beginning of the three minutes. Similarly, assignments that are not completed
during the day due to noncompliance or escape will be sent home as homework.
This is to ensure that G.R. does not see his refusal to comply as a means of
escaping the academic tasks the teacher provides. When G.R. displays
aggressive behavior by yelling, shouting profanities, kicking or hitting staff and
students, throwing items, flipping desks, biting, spitting, or ripping posters and
other students’ work, other students in the classroom will be reinforced for positive
behavior. Similarly, the teacher will use planned ignoring to disregard his behavior
and continue working with the other students. This is to remove the reinforcement
of social attention while he engages in disruptive behavior. Finally, items
belonging to staff and other students will be placed out of reach when G.R.
demonstrates aggressive behaviors. In this manner, staff and student items are
kept safe, and G.R.’s destruction of items is limited.
Maintenance and Generalization
In order to support the generalization of the replacement behaviors, the Behavior
Chart and token economy system are used within a variety of contexts. For instance,
the Behavior Chart for monitoring G.R.’s ability to keep his hands and feet to himself
is used in the EBD classroom and specials. The paraprofessional, who accompanies
G.R. to all specials outside of the EBD classroom, may remind and monitor G.R.’s
peer interactions within those spaces. Over time, as G.R. develops positive peer
interactions and coping strategies, G.R. may be given a more significant role in the
Behavior Chart. This may encourage his self-regulation as it transitions him to self-
monitor his own performance. As G.R. re-enters the general education classroom for
small increments, the token economy system may still be used to ensure he is
compliant and on-task with the academic activities that are presented. As G.R.’s
ability to comply and remain on-task increases, the interval of reinforcement for the
token economy system may be increased to still provide assistance for G.R. in
maintaining compliant behaviors but as a means to begin fading.
Discussion and Reflection
In the implementation of the plan, there are possible challenges that may be
encountered. For example, it is possible that the token economy system for
encouraging compliance and on-task behavior may not be strong enough
reinforcement. G.R. may continue to escape the academic tasks if the reinforcement
offered does not provide great enough motivation for him. With the Behavior Chart, it
is possible that G.R. will become frustrated seeing the documentation of aggressive
and destructive behavior. This may in turn cause G.R. to escalate even after the
incident.

If data collection and analysis yields information that identifies the plan as
unsuccessful, it may be beneficial to adjust G.R.’s schedule to sandwich nonpreferred
activities and tasks between two preferred activities or tasks. This alternative method
may be beneficial in encouraging G.R. to comply with directives and engage in on-
task behavior.
If data collection appears to communicate that the plan is inconclusive, it may be
beneficial to add new reinforcers. Performing the reinforcement assessment again
may show a new list of reinforcers that might yield a greater response.

If data from the plan shows that it is successful, it would be appropriate to begin the
process of fading. For the token economy system for compliance and on-task
behavior, the teacher may increase the time interval between delivering tokens. This
method for fading would most likely be more beneficial than increasing the number of
tokens needed to receive the reinforcer. If the Behavior Chart gave evidence of
success in improving positive peer and staff interactions and encouraging G.R. to
keep his hands and feet to himself, it may be appropriate to introduce self-monitoring
strategies to G.R. He may be offered a role in the documentation of the Behavior
Chart, such as coloring in a smiley face based on his understanding of how well he
did keeping his hands and feet to himself during the designated period. In another
manner, it may be useful to condense the documentation on the Behavior Chart,
assigning a smiley or color to the beginning, middle, and end of the day rather than
documenting each individual period.