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Effective PBS Strategies for Reducing Challenging Behavior in

Early Childhood Settings

Brenna K. Wood Lehigh University

Thank You!!   APBS

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Early Childhood: The Pyramid Model

  Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning

  http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/index.html

  Technical Assistant Center on Social Emotional Intervention

  http://www.challengingbehavior.org

Dunlap and Colleagues (2006)   Dunlap, G., Strain, P. S., Fox, L., Carta, J. J., Conroy, M., Smith,

B., et al. (2006). Prevention and intervention with young children’s challenging behavior: Perspectives regarding current knowledge. Behavioral Disorders, 32, 29-45.

  5 Intervention Elements

#1 Interventions Based on a Functional Assessment

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#2 Multicomponent Intervention Implementation

#3 Teach a Replacement Behavior

#4 Adjustments Made to Activities and Social / Physical Environment

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#5 Family Involvement

Literature Review (Wood, Blair, & Ferro, 2009)

  35 articles, 1990-2007

  Variety of:   FBA procedures   Interventions

Participants & Settings   Mark

  3.9 years old   Language delay

  Center Activities   Doug

  4 years old   Down syndrome

  Circle Time   Paul

  4.9 years old   Autism

  Transitions/Centers

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Participants (continued)

  Ms. Heather   Mark’s Grandmother   Ms. Tammy

Dependent Variables   Disruptive Behavior

  Disrupted typical classroom activities   Participant and peers

  On-Task   Following directions   Engaging in assigned task   Remaining in assigned area

Part 1:   Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-

Revised (Harms, Clifford, & Cryer, 2005)

  4 scales (language-reasoning, program structure, interactions, parents & staff)

  Pre & Post Intervention

  Social Validity   Treatment Acceptability Rating Profile-Revised (TARF-R, Reimers

& Wacker, 1988)

  Pre & Post Intervention

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Part 1: Functional Assessment

  Interviews   Parents   Teachers

  Direct Observations   Variety activities/

routines

Function Matrix Umbreit et al., 2007

Positive Reinforcement

(Get Something)

Negative Reinforcement

(Avoid Something)

Attention

Tangibles/Activities

Sensory

Mark Positive

Reinforcement (Get Something)

Negative Reinforcement

(Avoid Something)

Attention

Tangibles/Activities

Sensory

• Teacher interview • Grandmother interview • 25 occasions

• Teacher interview • Grandmother interview • 15 occasions

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Doug

Positive Reinforcement

(Get Something)

Negative Reinforcement

(Avoid Something)

Attention

Tangibles/Activities

Sensory

• Teacher interview • Parent interview • 15 occasions

Paul

Positive Reinforcement

(Get Something)

Negative Reinforcement

(Avoid Something)

Attention

Tangibles/Activities

Sensory

• Teacher interview • Parent interview • 10 occasions

Part 2: Key Questions   Can the student

perform the replacement behavior?

  Do antecedent conditions represent effective practice?

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Part 2: Decision Model (Umbreit et al., 2007)

Function-Based Intervention   Multicomponent Interventions

  Changes made to the environment   Replacement behavior   Challenging behavior

Method 2: Mark’s Intervention Elements

  Adjustments made:   Add Center Activity page   Preferred activity   Task sheet

  Replacement behavior:   Praised for on-task   Access to reading area

  If disruption occurred:   Briefly redirect   Maintain task demand

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Method 2: Doug’s Intervention Elements   Adjustments made:

  Circle time expectations   Seating arrangement   Engaging activities

  Replacement behavior:   Praised for on-task

  If disruption occurred:   Briefly redirect

  Visuals

Methods 1 & 2: Paul’s Intervention Elements

  Adjustments made:   Visual schedule   Choice / Visuals   Reminders

  Replacement behavior:   Taught replacement

behaviors   Praised for on-task

  If disruption occurred:   Briefly remind

Part 3: Intervention Implementation

  Multiple-baseline design across children   Whole interval (20-s) during 10-min.

sessions   On-Task Behavior   Treatment Integrity

  IOA   On-Task Behavior   Treatment Integrity   ECERS

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ECERS   Ms. Heather’s

classroom   Increases in score by

2 to 4 points: 4 subscales

  Ms. Tammy’s classroom

  Increases in score by 2 to 5 points: 4 subscales

Improvements   Ms. Heather’s Room

  Encouraging children to communicate

  General supervision of children

  Interactions among children

  Group time

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Improvements   Ms. Tammy’s Room

  Staff-child interactions   General supervision of

children   Schedule   Provisions for children

with disabilities

Dunlap et al., 2006   5 Intervention elements:

  Use FBA to design an intervention   Teach a replacement skill   Adjust antecedent conditions   Implement in a variety of natural settings

over-time   Involve family in development and

implementation

Social Validity TARF-R

  Grandmother

  Ms. Heather

  Ms. Tammy   Doug

  Paul

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Future Directions

  Research to Practice   Assess Implementation   Training   Response generalization   Effective Practice

  Pyramid Model

References   Dunlap, G., Strain, P. S., Fox, J., Carta, J. J., Conroy, M., Smith, B. J. et al. (2006).

Prevention and intervention with young children behavior: Perspective regarding current knowledge. Behavior Disorders, 32, 29-45.

  Gilliam, W. S. (2005). Prekindergarteners left behind: Expulsion rates in state prekindergarten systems. Retrieved January 4, 2008 from http://www.fcd-us.org/resources/resources_show.htm?doc_id=464280.

  Umbreit, J., Ferro, J. B., Liaupsin, C. J. & Lane, L. L. (2007). Functional behavioral assessment and function-based intervention: An effective, practical approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

  Wood. B. K., Blair, K. C., & Ferro J. B. (2009). Young children and problem behaviors: A review of the functional assessment research. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 29, 68-78.

  Wood, B. K., Ferro, J. B., Umbreit, J., & Liaupsin, C. J. (2011). Addressing the challenging behavior of young children through systematic function-based intervention. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 30(4), 221-232.

  **Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/index.html

  **Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) at www.challengingbehavior.org

Contact Information   Brenna K. Wood   brenna.wood@Lehigh.edu