SPECIFIC PROACTIVE

BEHAVIORAL
INTERVENTIONS FOR
PROBLEMATIC
BEHAVIORS
 BASIC TENETS OF APPROACH
1. Behaviors are controlled by the antecedent, behavior and the consequences
(ABC).
2. All behavior-appropriate or inappropriate is learned.
3. The least restrictive and least intrusive and the most parsimonious and
effective interventions should be used.
4. A positive programming approach will provide the student with more choices
while obtaining the same consequences
5. It is the child’s behavior- not the child that may be troubling.
 OVERVIEW

• Aggression
• Social Skills Problems
• Inattention
• Following Directions
• Self-monitoring
• Impulsivity
• Noncompliance
• Inappropriate Verbalizations
 DEFIANCE AND VERBAL AGGRESSION

1. Weaken the inappropriate behavior by not attending to it

2. Develop the more appropriate behavioral response through
positive reinforcement when it is exhibited
3. Model the appropriate response if students do not have the
appropriate response in their behavioral repertoire
 HOSTILE-AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
1. The teacher must feel a sense of competency in dealing with problem behaviors, perhaps
through the use of self-talk and affirmations.
2. Teachers should practice proximity control
3. Teachers should establish a quiet spot in the classroom where students can go to calm
down and get control
4. Teachers should prevent conflicts from escalating to the point of losing control.
5. If the teacher needs to deal with the second phase of defensiveness, a simple re-direction
procedure may be appropriate ( Reimers & Brunger, 1999)
 DON’TS WITH HOSTILE-AGRESSSIVE
BEHAVIOR

• Do not corner the child who is emotionally

out of control
• Do not argue with such a student
 PHYSICAL RESTRAINT
1. Verbally instruct the student to engage in non-aggressive behavior
2. If the students remains in aggressive behavior 3 seconds phase the verbal prompt, provide
a gentle manual prompt, and repeat the verbal prompt
3. If the additional 3 seconds the student is still in an aggressive posture, physically direct
him or her to a safe area using accepted manual restraint techniques
4. Once restrained in the safe area, provide frequent verbal cues such as “ I can let you go
when you are relaxed”.
5. Gradually relinquish physical control and proceed to the educational and therapeutic
aspects of the behavior management program.
6. If a student reacts violently or with discomfort to physical touch, avoid any physical
touch.
 PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR

1. Teacher should conduct a functional behavioral

assessment.
2. Involves examining how the teacher has been
dealing with the behavior
 SHARING
1. Explain to both children that you have noticed that there is difficulty in playing with a
toy that you expect them to share this toy, then say, “I’d like to show you what I mean
by sharing”.
2. Model sharing behavior by saying, “ I can play with the toy for a while and then I can
offer it to you”.
3. After modelling sharing behavior, say, “ OK , now I’d like to see each of you share this
toy. I’m going to use a kitchen timer so that you can both play with the toy for 1
minute”.
4. Set the timer for 1 minute and when the bell rings say,” OK, I like the way you played
with the toy”
5. Allow the other child to play with the toy.
 COOPERATION PROBLEMS

To develop a social skills related to cooperation, a

teacher might suggest that the identified child and her
classmate play a game where the identified child will
not be at a disadvantage.
 VISUAL ATTENTION

According to a case study of Tiffany who likes to stare out the

window and fails to pay attention these following interventions were
taken out:
1. Teacher greeting Tiffany at the door every morning,
2. Periodic positive verbal praise during tasks
3. Provided reinforcements whenever she is paying attention.
 FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS

Only after children have well-established listening skills can

they be expected to follow instructions well
( DuPaul, 1991)
 INTERVENTIONS

1. Giving attention as specific praise

2. Timing each student
3. Giving specific verbal praise
 SELF-MONITORING
According to the case study of Justin a child with LD and ADHD who has
a difficulty in attending to instructions, following rules and completing tasks
( mostly because he gets off-tasks
1. Telling the child that he would receive a token each time he is on-
task
2. Setting a score to be achieved and giving extra points when it is
reached
3. Giving a positive verbal feedback
4. A reward which can also be given by parents
 IMPULSIVITY

is often used interchangeably with other

descriptive terms such as “ lack of self-control” or
“behavioral disinhibition”.
 CONTROL BLURTING OUT

1. Review and post rules regarding raising one’s hand and being called
on to obtain permissions.
2. Ignore students who blurt out answers and fail to raise their hands.
3. Praise students who raise their hands and use them as models.
4. When children who have blurted out before doing the right thing,
direct attention to them immediately.
5. Monitor the number of times each day that the child raises his or her
hand to answer.
 VOCAL-MOTOR HYPERACTIVITY
1. Review the rules about which situations and which times are appropriate for
talking
2. Ignore talking that is minimal
3. Praise and give attention to those students who remain quiet at the appropriate
time
4. When the students remain quiet, immediately point them out
5. Reinforce all correct answers
6. Establish a random variable schedule of recording/monitoring whether the
child was talking during the recording interval.
 NONCOMPLIANCE
1. Encourage assertiveness – a teacher may praise students for being assertive
as a model for other students.
2. Offer choices -
3. Structure homework
4. Adjust expectations
5. Reinforce compliance
6. Reinforce improvement
7. Repeated request
8. High probability requests
 JOHN’S CASE: CONSTANT FIGHTING WITH
OTHER STUDENTS

Two functions are attributed to John’s behavior

1. Attention seeking
2. Needing to control peers.
 INTERVENTION

1. Focus attention prior to his becoming emotionally upset

2. Develop a signal that John can give if there is a misunderstanding or if
there is some question about the assigned work.
3. Provide John with training social skills, including a special emphasis on
interactive cooperative behavior.
4. Use a token (point) system to monitor John on the behaviors.