PositiveBehavior

SupportPlan

By:KatherineRolfe

KatherineRolfe
1
PBSP

BackgroundInformation
ParentInformationSummary
:Mr.SGandMs.SreportthatQisanintelligentboywith
strengthsinmusicandart.Qsparentsreportthatheisenjoysdancingandishappymostofthe
time.Qsexpressivelanguagedeficitsoftenmakeitdifficultforhimtoexpresshimselfand
communicatehisneedstopeersandadults.Qsparentsreportthathehasdifficultyfollowing
directions,isoveractive,andhasashortattentionspan.

ObservationandClassroomDataSummary
:TheschoolpsychologistobservedQonthree
occasions.Qoftenhaddifficultyattendingtoclassroomlessonsduringtheobservations.For
example,heoftenlookedaroundtheroom,layonthefloor,orplayedwithitemsnearhimasthe
teacherpresenteddirectionsorledalesson.Duringsmallgroupactivities,however,Qoften
completedactivitiessuchascoloringanddrawing.Qattimesrequiredassistancewithfinemotor
taskssuchascuttingpaper.Duringplaytime,Qenjoyedplayingwithtoysandinteractedwithan
adult.Qdidnotattempttointeractwithpeersnearhimwhileheplayed.Duringoneobservation,
Qbecameupsetwhenhewastoldtogotoareadinggroupratherthanthemotorroom.
Eventually,Qrespondedtoredirectionandaccompaniedtheteachertothereadinggroup.
PertinentAssessmentInformation
(e.g.,Instructional/Academic/Behavioral/PsychologicalData):
QwasreevaluatedbytheCRIEPteaminJanuary2016.Resultsoftheassessmentindicatedthat
Qscognitiveabilityfallswithinthedelayedrange(UniversalNonverbalIntelligenceTestFull
ScaleIQscoreof76).Theseresults,however,maynotbeafullyaccuraterepresentationofQs
skills,asheoftenhaddifficultyfollowingdirectionsandsustaininghisattentionduringthe
testingsessions.Despitethesedifficulties,Qdemonstratedvisualspatialskillswhilecompleting
theassessmentandperformedwithintheaveragerangeonseveralsubtests.Resultsofa

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broadbandbehaviorratingscale(ConnersEarlyChildhood)indicatedsignificantconcernsinthe
homeandschoolsettingsinthefollowingareas:Inattention/Hyperactivity,Defiance/Temper,
Defiant/AggressiveBehaviors,SocialFunctioning,AtypicalBehaviors,MoodandAffect,and
PhysicalSymptoms.AratingscaleusedtoassessbehaviorsrelatedtoAutismSpectrumDisorder
(GARS3)indicatedthatQcontinuestodemonstratebehaviorsconsistentwithASDacrossthe
homeandschoolsettings.ThehighestratingsacrossrespondentswereintheareaofEmotional
Responses,withconcernsalsoreportedintheareasofMaladaptiveSpeech,Social
Communication,andRestricted/RepetitiveBehaviors.
QwaspreviouslydiagnosedwithAutismSpectrumDisorderatKennedyKriegerInstitute,based
onresultsoftheAutismDiagnosticObservationScheduleSecondEdition(ADOS2).Hehas
receivedspecialeducationservicessincetheageof18months,basedonareferraltotheInfants
andToddlersprograminBaltimoreCounty.
DefinitionofSpecificBehavior
FromtheobservationalnotestakenontheABCcharttherewerethreebehaviorsnoted.Thethree
observedbehaviorswerenoncompliance,physicalaggressionandelopement.Thetarget
behaviorforthisPBSPisnoncompliance.Noncompliancewaschosenasthefocusofthis
PBSPbecauseithadthemostincidentsofonaverageofaround4inschoolday.Qs
noncomplianceisrefusaltofollowdirectionorcompleteataskasassigned.Examplesofthis
lookslikeare,NoorNoInot,talkingtohimselformakingnoisewhendirectionisgiven,
engaginginanotheractivityratherthantheassignedactivity,cryingoryellingwhenaskedto
engageinanonpreferredactivity.

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Therearetwomainantecedentsofthenoncompliance.ThefirstbeingwhenQisaskedto
completeanonpreferredtask.Anexampleofanonpreferredtaskisifhewereaskedtocomplete
somethingrelatedtoacademics,suchasperforminginmath.ThesecondantecedentiswhenQis
askedtostopengaginginapreferredactivityinordertotransitiontoanotheractivity.
ConsequencestothenoncomplianceareQisgivenchoicesofactivities,adultsprovide
additionalreminders,QdoesnotgetPawPrintsfortheparticularactivity,teachersshowQhis
scheduletoremindhimofexpectationsandtoshowhimwhenapreferredactivityisscheduled.
LiteratureReview
Guardino,C.,&Fullerton,E.K.(2014).TakingtheTimeOutofTransitions.
EDUCATION
ANDTREATMENTOFCHILDREN
,211228.
Itisfoundthattransitiontimesarelongerininclusionclassroomsversusgeneralclasses.
Transitionsaretimesintheclassroomwhenstudentsarenotengagedintraditionallearning.In
thisstudytheresearchwasondecreasingthetransitiontimeinaninclusionclassroom.Thegoal
beingtodecreasetransitiontimetoincreaseengagedacademictimeandminimizedisruptions.
Simpleinterventionswereusedtodecreasetransitiontimewithintheclassroom.Afewexamples
usedwerechairbags,forstudentfoldersandbooks,rearrangementofdesks,andlinesaddedto
carpetareaforadditionalseating.Thefinalresultsofthedatashowedthatsimpleadjustments
wereabletodecreasetransitiontimes.
Smith,J.,Hand,L.,&Dowrick,P.(2014).VideoFeedforwardforRapidLearningofa
PictureBasedCommunicationSystem.
JAutismDevDisord
,926936.
Itisstandardpracticetousepicturesforstudentswhoarenonverbaltocommunicate.Inthis
studyresearcherslookedattheeffectivenessofvideoselfmodeling(VSM)forteachingstudents

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tousepicturescommunicationdevices.InconclusionitwasfoundthattheuseofVSM
successfullytaughtparticipantstousepicturecommunicationdevices.ThroughtheuseofVSM
nofurtherinstructionwasneededforteachinghowtousethecommunicationdevices.Thereisa
possibilityofusingthismethodtoteachstudentswithautismorotherdisabilitiesinterventions.
Case,L.,&Yun,J.(2015).VisualPracticesforChildrenWithAutismSpectrumDisorders
InPhsycalActivity.
Palaetra
,2126.
Itisknownthatvisualsareasuccessfulinterventionwhenteachingstudentswithautism.Inthis
studyresearcherslookedattheeffectivenessofvisualmodelsandpicturemodelsforteaching
students.Researchsupportedtheknownsuccessoftraditionalpictureaidesandthenewuseof
videomodeling.Thestudydidsuggestthatsomestudentsmaystillneedadditionalerror
correction.
JanelleM.Pierce,A.D.(2013).EffectsofVisualActivitySchedulesonIndependent
ClassroomTransitionsforStudentswithAutism.
InternationalJournalofDisability,
DevelopmentofEducation
,253269.
VisualActivitySchedules(VAS)areknowntobesuccessfulforstudentswithautism.Thestudy
looksattheabilityofusingVAStodecreasetransitiontimewithinactivitiesinaclassroom.
Previousstudiesonlyfocusondecreaseoftimeformajortransitionsandnotatindependent
transitionsmadeduringclassroominstruction.Inconclusionitwasfoundthatthroughtheuseof
VAStransitiontimesweredeceasedbetweenacademicactivitieswithintheclassroom.The
studywasalsoabletosupportthatthroughtheuseofVASfewerverbaldirectionswereneeded.
http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/transitiontimehelpingindividualsontheautismspect
rummovesuccessfullyfromoneactivitytoanother

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TheIndianaResourceCenterforAutismisasitewithresourcesforstudentswithautism.This
specificpageprovidesmethodstousetohelpstudentsduringtransitions.Suggestionsthatare
madeareusingtimers,visualaides,andprovidingpreparation.Thespecificpageprovidesa
shortparagraphabouthowtogiveastudentcuesthatatransitioniscomingtotheyarenot
surprisedandareabletohandlethetransition.

BaselineDataCollection
DataregardingQsbehaviorswascollectedovertwoweeksinordertoanalyzethefunctionsof
hisbehaviorsandtodeterminebehavioralpatterns.Duringthistime,Qsteachersrecorded18
separateincidentsinwhichQdemonstratedbehaviorsofconcern.Thebehaviorswerethen
categorizedbasedonsimilarities.Antecedentsandconsequencesofeachbehaviorwererecorded
toidentifypatterns.Thisdataissummarizedinthetablebelow:

TypeofBehavior

Numberof
Incidents

Common
Antecedents

Common
Consequences

Noncompliance
(TargetBehavior
1)

11

Askedtobegina
newactivitygivena
directionbyanadult
askedtostop
engagingina
preferredactivity
(e.g.,iPadtime)

Teachersgive
choicesIgnore
minorbehaviorsQ
isnotrewardedPaw
Printsfortheactivity

Physical
Aggression

AdultsgiveQa
directionAdultsask
Qtobeginanew
activity

Adultsgiveverbal
promptstonothit
TeachersgiveQ
timeoutTake
awayapreferred

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activity(e.g.,
Centers)
Elopement(leaving
assignedarea)

Transitioningtoa
nonpreferred
activity

AdultsremainnearQ
andprovideprompts
toreturntothe
activity

Qsbehaviorsoftenmakeitdifficultforhimtofullyengageinclassroomactivitiesandcomplete
assignedtasks.Qisattimesremovedfromactivitieswhenheneedstocalmdownorwhenhis
behaviorscauseasafetyconcernforhimself,adults,orpeers.

Qsbehaviorsareoftendrivenbyhiscommunicationdeficits,whichmakeitdifficultforhimto
expresshisfrustrationintheclassroom
HypothesisofFunctionalIntention
ThroughobservationsofQandspeakingwithhisteachersahypothesiswasdrawforthe
noncompliance.Inthedatacollectednoncompliancewouldoccurwhenademandfora
nonpreferredactivitytobecompleted.Anexampleofthiswouldbewhenhewouldbedirected
tocompleteaclassactivity.Hewouldrespondtostaffwith,Inotorno,no,no,followedat
timesofthrowingselfontothefloor.Thefunction(s)ofnoncomplianceappearstobeescape
fromanonpreferredactivityorsituationandtogainaccessapreferredreinforceroractivity.
ReplacementBehavior
Fromdatatakenandfromspeakingwithhisteachersareplacementbehaviorwascreated.Qwill
complywithadultrequestorchoosebetweentwooptionsgiventohimbyadults.The
replacementbehaviorwillbetaughttoQthroughthestaffthatworkswithhim.Eachtimea
requestismadetoQandhedoesnotcomplytheadultwithhimwillallowhimtochoose

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betweentwooptionsthattheadulthasselected.Qwillbetaughtthatifhecompletesoneofthe
choicesthenhegetsareward.
PositiveBehaviorSupports
TopreventthenoncompliancepreventativestrategieswillbeusedwithQ.Eachmorning,
apponarrival,Qwillbepresentedwithhisdailyvisualschedule.Whenthescheduleispresented
tohimstaffneedstoensurethatanychangestothedailyschedulearereflectedontheschedule.
Aftercompletingatask,haveQindicateontheschedulethatthetaskiscompleted.
Withintheclassroomduringwholegroupdirectionstheteacher,orcloseadult(CA)willrepeat
thedirectionstoQindividually.WhenthedirectionsarerepeatedtoQtheyshouldbemodified
limitingtheamountoflanguageusedifnecessary.AcademicassignmentsgiventoQshouldbe
modifiedasnecessarytoavoidfrustrationandnoncompliance.
ThroughouttheschooldayQshouldhaveaccesstosensoryinputitems.Duringwholegroup
lessons,wherestudentsareexpectedtositonthefloor,abackjackchairshouldbesuppliedfor
him.
TheteacherorCAshouldprovidefrequentandimmediatereinforcementwhenQdemonstrates
appropriatebehaviors.ShortverbalstatementsorpicturecuesshouldbeusedtoletQknowwhy
heisbeingrewarded.StaffmayalsopraiseQforappropriatebehaviorsusingnonverbalgestures
suchasthumbsupandhighfives.InQsreadinggroupstaffmayprovidehimwithPawPrints
fordemonstratingappropriatebehaviors.
TransitionscanbeadifficulttimeforQ.Staffshouldlimittheamountoftimebetween
transitionsintheclassroomandhallway.Whentransitioningbetweenactivities,presentthenext
activityimmediatelyafterQcompletesthefirstactivity,unlessitistimeforaprearrangedbreak.

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ResponsiveStrategies
WhenQdoesdemonstratenoncompliancestaffshouldrespondwiththefollowingresponsive
strategies.StaffshoulddnsurethatQcompletesthetask,evenifadditionalwaittimeisrequired
orthetaskismodifiedoraltered.Thefollowingstrategiesareinorderofhowtheyshouldbe
usedbystaff.Ifthefirststrategydoesnotworkstaffshouldprogressthroughtheremainingto
haveQcomply.Thefirststrategystaffshouldrespondwithistoignoretheprotestandcontinue
thetaskasplanned,allowingQwaittime.
Thesecondstrategytobeusedisfirst,thenlanguage.Anexampleofthiswouldbe,firstwe
draw,thenwegotothemotorroom,followedbywaittime.Ifpreferredactivityiscomingup,
showQtheactivityonhisvisualscheduleandlethimknowthatwhenhecompletesthetask,he
willhaveaccesstothepreferredactivity.
ThethirdstrategytobeusedistogesturetowardstheactivityorlocationwhereQshouldgo.
ThefourthwouldbethatthestaffmemberprovidesavisualcueforQtocompletethetask.

DataCollectionandVisualRepresentation
Chart1

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Chart2

DataSummaryandInterpretation

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ThroughimplementationofthePBSPQsnoncompliancebehaviorsdecreased.Thedatataken
tosupportthepositiveeffectsofthebehaviorplanwastakenovera13dayperiodwhile
implementingtheinterventions.Initialdatacollectedshowedahighrateofnoncompliance
behaviors.APBSPwascreatedtoaddressthenoncompliancebehaviorandtodecreasethe
occurrence.Theinitialdatahadspikesofaminimumof6noncompliantbehaviorsinaschool
day.
OnthefirstdayofimplementationofthePBSPQhad5noncompliantbehaviorsthatwere
recorded.Thisdatapointwasconsistentwiththefinaldatapointstakenbeforeimplementingthe
plan.Daytwoandthreeofuseofstrategiesshowedadropinnoncompliance.Qwasresponding
tothevisualaidesandverbalcuesbeinggiven.
Therewasaspikewithbehaviorsondaysix.Allstrategieswerebeingimplemented.Q
demonstratedaggressivebehaviorsonthisdayaswell.Theaggressivebehaviorswerealso
observedintheinitialdatacollectionandtakenintoconsiderationwhencreatingthePBSP.
OvertheremainderofthethirteendaysQsnoncompliantbehaviorscontinuedtodecrease.
Duringthistimevisualaidescontinuedalongwithverbalcuesandpraise.TheSLPincreasedthe
amountofpullouthoursspentworkingwithQtoincreasethelanguageskillsneeded.During
thistimetheSLPandstaffworkingwithQcontinuedopencommunicationtoensurethatall
verbiagebeingandaideswereconsistent.
Reflection

ThroughtheprocessofcompletingthePBSPIgrewasaneducatorandspecialeducator.Priorto
thisPBSPIhadbeeninvolvedintakingdataonthreeotherbehaviorplansforpreviousstudents.

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Ihavealsotakenpartininformaldiscussionforbehaviorplansforstudentswhodonotneeda
formalizedplan,butintervention.
WiththePBSPIwasabletoworkalongwithourschoolstaffandbuildmyknowledgeof
replacementbehaviors.DuringtheprocessIworkedcloselywithourschoolpsychologiston
creatingaplanthatwouldbesuccessfulandsimpletoimplement.Iknowfirsthandthe
importanceofmakingsurethereplacementbehaviorsandstrategiesneedtobesimpleanddirect.
Whentheybecomecomplicatedandcumbersometheyarelesslikelytobefollowed.
WeintendtocontinueimplementationofthePBSPbecauseithasshowntobesuccessful.There
isascheduletohavecheckinsonceamonthwiththeschoolpsychologisttoensuretheplanis
continuingtobeasuccess.Theplanistobereaddressednolaterthanayearfrom
implementation.
InthefutureifIweretowritethisplanagainIwouldensuretoincludehowtohandlethe
aggressivebehaviors.Asateamwechosetofocussolelyonthenoncompliancebecause
aggressionusuallystemsfromnoncompliance.Thestrugglewiththisisthefactthattherewill
stillbeaggressionanditneedstobeconsistentwithhowitishandlewithstaff.Throughbeing
thegeneraleducatorIgettoobserveeverystaffmemberthatinteractswiththestudentsandIam
abletoseehoweachhandlesthebehaviors.Ashardaswetryasateamtocommunicatemaking
surethatthingsarewrittendown,helpstoensurethatthereisconsistencyandasuccessful
changeinbehaviors.
AnotheraspectthatIwouldchangeismakingsuretospeaktorelatedartsteachers.Thedata
collectedwasduringacademictimes.Thedatawastakenduringtheacademictimesbecausethat
iswheremostofthebehaviorswerebeingobservedandlittleissueswerebeingseenduring

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relatedartstime.Iwouldliketoknowwhythatis.Isittheacademicsthatwerecausingthe
behaviorsordemands.Therearesomestaffthatknowifademandisplacedonastudentthey
willseeanunwantedbehavior,sotheylessenthedemands.Iwouldaskrelatedartsstaffifthey
weremodifyingtheirdemandsornotrequiringhimtoperformsimilartasksasthewhole.