COMMUNICATION AND BEHAVIOR 9-20-11 Presented by: Sabrina Beaudry Pam Leonard
WHAT WE WILL DO TODAY Look at communication of students with ASD and its impact on behavior Review setting events, antecedents, and consequences of behavior Review how the functions of behavior come from our data collected from A-B-C observations Discuss why setting events is so important for students with ASD Develop strategies that address the four components of a BSP
ACTIVITY!
A QUOTE FROM ANN DONNELLAN ONE CANNOT NOT COMMUNICATE
AUTISM IS A NEUROBIOLOGICAL DISORDER THAT RESULTS IN THE FOLLOWING: SOCIAL CHALLENGES COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES RESTRICTED PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR
TODAY WE WILL FOCUS ON COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND THE RELATION TO BEHAVIOR All behavior is telling us something Our job is to figure out the message To understand the message for students with ASD we need to understand how they communicate
SO HOW DO OUR STUDENTS COMMUNICATE? Gestures Movement Staring Pointing Manipulating objects Grabbing Running Screaming/yelling Sounds/words
LET S ALSO LOOK AT WHY STUDENTS COMMUNICATE? To interact To negate To request To make comments To share information To obtain information To put order to our lives For enjoyment Out of habit
Message: I like this. Typical 3 year old Do it again Leading by the hand More Telling others about Pointing Jumping around Laughing Typical 8 year old Cool Awesome Shares experience with someone Hand/arm gesture Smiles/laughs Typical High Schooler Yes All right! Nod of acknowledgement Thumbs up or other hand gesture Calls/talks to a peer 3 year old with autism Leading by the hand Hand flapping Twirling /darting/jumping Repeating same word(s) Possible smile/laugh Slapping head 8 year old with autism Hand flapping Repeating same word(s) Twirling/darting/jumping Leading by the hand Bangs head May talk on situation repeatedly (perseverates High Schooler with autism Hand flapping Twirling/darting/jumping Smile Pace, bounce off the walls
MESSAGE:I M BORED Typical 3 year old Gets up, moves to something else Whines Goes to an adult Requests toy/food May fall asleep Typical 8 year old Typical High Schooler 3 year old with autism Gets up May whine Perseverates Falls asleep/spaces out Self-stimulation Aggress/throw objects 8 year old with autism Gets up, moves to something else Talks out Perseverates Masturbates Self-stimulation Aggress/throw objects High Schooler with autism Gets up, moves to something else Talks out Throws object Masturbates
Message: I don t get it. (Understand) Typical Middle School Student Your Student
S0 WHAT WE LEARNED Neuro-typical person Communicates thoughts and feelings through non-verbal and verbal behavior everyday Can use communication as a 2- way street. Can use a variety of behaviors to communicate a single message. Can use a variety of means such as writing, talking, gesturing Try to communicate as effectively as they can. Person with ASD Communicates thoughts and feelings through non-verbal and verbal behavior every day. May use communication that is a 1-way street. May use 1 behavior to communicate many messages. May only have one or two means of communicating. Try to communicate as effectively as they can.
NOW LET S LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DON T UNDERSTAND OUR STUDENT S COMMUNICATION To do this we are going to look at it as if it were a triangle with layers building to the top Let s see how looking at those layers can give us good information about how our student is communicating We ll start with an example of a third grader who is in the computer lab and is told to start working on her typing program
STUDENT IS TOLD TO BEGIN BUT SOMETHING IS WRONG Rocks body in chair; tilts chair way back and arches body away; makes noises; may laugh compulsively; scans room with eyes; flaps hands; may also just stand up
. Student is told Let s get to work Verbalizes no, no, no, all done is over, not, Also verbalizes off-topic remarks or uses immediate/delayed echolalia. Rocks body in chair; tilts chair way back and arches body away; makes noises; may laugh compulsively; scans room with eyes; flaps hands; may also just stand up
Student is told First typing/then break Body tenses quickly; stiffens fingers; flicks fingers/hands close to eyes in tense manner; grimaces; may self-aggress (bite hand, hit head) Verbalizes no, no, no, all done is over, not, Also verbalizes off-topic remarks or uses immediate/delayed echolalia. Rocks body in chair; tilts chair way back and arches body away; makes noises; may laugh compulsively; scans room with eyes; flaps hands; may also just stand up
Student is shown picture of break and it is repeated First typing/ then break- You can do it! Grabs and squeezes; bites; hits; scratches; gouges skin (usually these are single incidents) Body tenses quickly; stiffens fingers; flicks fingers/hands close to eyes in tense manner; grimaces; may self-aggress (bite hand, hit head) Verbalizes no, no, no, all done is over, not, Also verbalizes off-topic remarks or uses immediate/delayed echolalia. Rocks body in chair; tilts chair way back and arches body away; makes noises; may laugh compulsively; scans room with eyes; flaps hands; may also just stand up
And finally. Very loud verbal protests; cries; thrashes body; tantrums; out of control Grabs and squeezes; bites; hits; scratches; gouges skin (usually these are single incidents) Body tenses quickly; stiffens fingers; flicks fingers/hands close to eyes in tense manner; grimaces; may self-aggress (bite hand, hit head) Verbalizes no, no, no, all done is over, not, Also verbalizes off-topic remarks or uses immediate/delayed echolalia. Rocks body in chair; tilts chair way back and arches body away; makes noises; may laugh compulsively; scans room with eyes; flaps hands; may also just stand up
Let s observe Rainman and see if we can see communication messages not being understood (chapter 7)
WE VE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LOOKING AT BEHAVIOR AS COMMUNICATION NOW LET S Review observing in the following manner: Antecedent ( what happens right before a behavior ) Behavior ( the actual behavior you have selected to observe) Consequence ( what happens right after a behavior occurs )
WHY IS THIS TYPE OF OBSERVATION IMPORTANT? If we don t know what is happening right before or after a behavior occurs- how can we DECIDE THE REASON FOR THE BEHAVIOR or WHY IT KEEPS HAPPENING?
BEFORE YOU EVER OBSERVE OR MAKE A PLAN YOU HAVE TO DECIDE ON A BEHAVIOR TO TARGET A team of people need to decide On one behavior What does it look like and sound like? How often does it happen? How long does it last?
FOR TODAY OUR BEHAVIOR IS GOING TO BE RUNNING AWAY It means leaving the environment without being directed to by someone else or because it is the next step in a scheduled routine It doesn t manner the way in which he leaves, just that he leaves without being told
SO LET S TRY OBSERVING IN THE A-B-C FORMAT OUR BEHAVIOR IS RUNNING AWAY CHAPTER 7/ CHAPTER 14/CHAPTER 29 Antecedent Behavior Consequence
WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT? What were the antecedents to the behavior? How often did you see the behavior we chose? What happened after the behavior?
WE HAVE PRACTICED OBSERVING NOW WE HAVE TO Decide WHY this behavior is occurring In other words The FUNCTION of the behavior
Functions Problem Behavior Pos Reinf Obtain/Get Something Escape/ Avoid Something Neg Reinf Stimulation/ Sensory Social Tangible/ Activity Adult Peer
SO LET S LOOK AT THE ANTECEDENTS AND CONSEQUENCES AND DECIDE IS THIS BEHAVIOR OCCURRING TO AVOID SOMETHING OR OBTAIN SOMETHING
OUR HYPOTHESIS ( WHY THE BEHAVIOR IS HAPPENING ) When ever there is a change in routine, a sudden loud noise, or flashing lights Rainman will Run Away (behavior) because he is ( why behavior is occurring)
ONE MORE THING: SETTING EVENTS When a student with ASD walks through the doors of our schools they: Bring us their Autism & Bring us some things we don t have control over
LET S ADD THE SETTING EVENTS COLUMN TO OUR OBSERVATION SHEET Setting Events Observations Antecedents Observations Behavior Observations Consequence Observations
WE HAVE GATHERED OUR DATA SO: Let s make a plan for the behavior of Running Away
BEFORE WE START THE PLAN LET S THINK ABOUT: How can WE MODIFY the environment? What can WE DO differently? What can WE TEACH the person with Autism to do instead of the behavior that is not appropriate?
HYPOTHESIS: Setting Events Manipulations Antecedent Manipulations Behavior Manipulations Consequence Manipulations
SETTING EVENTS MANIPULATION What can we do to address: Physical Structure Schedules Task Organizers Routines Visual Structure Communication Support Social Support Sensory Support
PRACTICE Let s fill out a setting event manipulation column together using the handout Down and Dirty Cheat Sheet
ANTECEDENT MANIPULATIONS What are the things we can do or have in place when the student enters a context that might result in the behavior?
PRACTICE: ADD THE ANTECEDENT MANIPULATIONS Look first to our setting events column- are there things we need to emphasize or refer to? Right before you know that behavior may occurwhat would you do to try and keep it from happening?
WHAT BEHAVIORS ARE WE GOING TO TEACH? Remember: All behavior takes time to learn and even more time to UNLEARN! What are the specific skills that need to be taught in order for the student to demonstrate the acceptable alternative behavior
LEARNING NEW BEHAVIOR REQUIRES: instruction of the strategy (repetition, practice in various settings, role playing) modeling of the expected behavior true opportunities to respond the knowledge or skill to accomplish the requested action
TEACHING COULD BE Use communication to protest Learn and use a calming routine Will request a break Will request the need for help Request a time to interact with students or staff
KEEP IN MIND The acceptable alternative is just a baby step toward the desired behavior. We need to be sure to reinforce the acceptable behavior so that is becomes the more efficient and effective way to get needs met.
PRACTICE: DEFINING OUR NEW BEHAVIOR Let s think about our previous slides and decide the Final Behavior we want to see & Then what would be our first baby step
CONSEQUENCE MANIPULATIONS MEANS What are we going to do when the target behavior occurs? & What are we going to do when we don t see the target behavior occur?
PRACTICE: LET S FILL OUR CONSEQUENCE MANIPULATIONS Remember the definition of consequence does not mean punishment
LET S LOOK AT OUR COMPLETED PLAN Setting Events Manipulations Antecedent Manipulations Behavior Manipulations Consequence Manipulations
FINAL THOUGHTS All behavior is telling us something. If we listen, we will learn. Celebrate success no matter how small it may be!