Pushing through the push-back with behavior

Extinction bursts:

BEHAVIOR WILL GET WORSE

BEFORE IT WILL GET BETTER

In almost every instance of behavior change, there is what we call an "extinction burst." That is, the challenging behavior that we wish to decrease or stop, will get worse for a period of time before it gets better or decreases. This is not always the case, but more times than not; it is - no matter how much we follow through with consequences and/or rewards. Think about it like this; say you want to get a soda from the vending machine. You put your money in, press the buttons, and the soda is expelled from the machine for your drinking pleasure. One day you put the money in for a soda, pressed the buttons, and nothing happened. What do you do? Maybe try punching the buttons in again for a second or third time, then if that doesn't work you maybe shake the machine or even punch it with your fist to get the desired item you are wanting right? We engage in behaviors like this all the time when certain behavior that we have engaged in for a long time no longer gets us the desired response. We then "up the anti" so to speak, to try and see if something else will work for us. This is exactly the same thing happening when our children engage in more frequent or heightened levels of challenging behavior when we begin to try to decrease a behavior we deem as unacceptable or inappropriate. These behaviors have already been reinforced for long lengths of time (months or even years) and then all of a sudden, they no longer work. A good example of this in action is when a child grabs his sibling's toy out of their hands when they have it to play and the sibling pulls away from them for the first time. What does the child do then?? Any guesses?? If you guessed hit or any other kind of physical aggression, you are correct. So what do we do as caregivers? We TEACH the desired behavior to the child. Show them how to appropriately ask for the toy to achieve the same desired result. Behavior can not be changed unless a new behavior is taught in its place.

" A person is a

pattern of behavior, of a larger awareness."

Deepak Chopra

We are professionals who are proficient in behavior analysis and provide a variety of supports to students and staff within the Tri-County Special Education cooperative, which serves school districts in Jackson, Perry, and Union Counties in Illinois. Our specializations include consultation, professional training, individualized behavioral instruction, and analytical and data-based goal setting. Our vision is to strengthen the cooperative’s behavioral resources for students needing social-emotional support. We assist in teaching the social skills students need for lifelong independence and successful functioning, promote evidence-based interventions, and collaborate with other educators and parents. We believe in leading by example how to effectively communicate and cooperatively work within teams. Our aim is to bring together healthy life skills and education in one place for the betterment of the public school system and society as a whole. The following services are available:

• Providing teacher in-service on behavioral or academic interventions.
• Individual consultation with teachers regarding classroom behavior issues.
• Assisting in the development and delivery of social skills or anger control programs for students.
• Assisting with writing child specific behavior plans/completing a “functional analysis”.
• Any other behavior issue or concern that may arise that has been previously addressed by building-based intervention team.

For consultation in the area of behavior management, please complete the Request Form towards the top left hand side of this page (see quick links to access) and forward to your district’s Tri-County Special Education Administrator

• Behavior Analyst Consultation Request Form

Please be advised:

• All students identified as having an Emotional Disorder must have a Functional Assessment of Behavior and a Behavior Management Plan as a component of their IEP (Individual Education Plan).
• Any student with an IEP should have a Functional Assessment of Behavior and Behavior Management Plan if the student’s behavior interferes with IEP goal achievement.

Please note that during behavior consultation if a student becomes aggressive and poses a risk of harm to self and/or others the team may need to employ Nonviolent Crisis Prevention Intervention strategies, including physical restraints, if necessary.