For parents and teachers of pupils with special educational needs, understanding why a behaviour of concern occurs is the first step towards finding a behaviour solution; there is a reason for all behaviours we display. This might not make sense at first especially if you see a child behaving in a way that will get a result that you’d assume they wouldn’t like. I found this idea very confusing when I first started studying clinical psychology; ‘why would someone with a severe disability hit themselves repeatedly? Surely this would hurt and gain nothing for them?’ However, everything we do, we do for a reason. The reasons or functions are to:
Gain an item or activity
Stop or prevent something
Gain social contact
Gain or remove sensory feedback
Understanding that there is a reason for the behaviour can help us to take a step back from the situation and avoid either blaming ourselves or the person. The recent Guardian article by Jarlath O’Brien makes a good point about attributions for problem behaviour. When we are part of the situation in which the behaviour occurs we are also playing a role in facilitating the result of that behaviour, even if we are not aware of it.
A model used in positive behaviour support called Prevent Teach Reinforce, designed specifically for schools, provides a system for understanding the reason for the behaviour and then a way planning how to change things for the better. Once the function of the behaviour is identified through questionnaires, interviews and observations, the team which includes the individual, teachers, parents and professionals, think through the following areas:
Prevent – What can be put into place which will prevent this behaviour from needing to occur. This includes for example; changing the nature of requests and demands, ensuring the person has enough personal space by seating them away from specific children, or changing the difficulty of the task.
Teach – What other more appropriate behaviour can the person be taught to use in place of the behaviour of concern which will result in the same result for them. for example communicating to gain social attention or to have a break from a difficult task.
Reinforce – what do those in the person’s environment need to do to support the use of the appropriate behaviour. This usually includes ensuring the person gains the result from appropriate behaviour rather than the behaviour of concern.
A big advantage of understanding the reason for a behaviour or its function is that teachers can cut out a lot of trial and error, getting the right support and interventions in place as quickly as possible. If you’re interested in learning more about this specific model of positive behaviour support check out the references and attachments below.
© Redstone PBS 2017
References:
Dunlap, Iovannone, Kincaid, Wilson, et al (2010). Prevent, Teach, Reinforce: The School based Model of Individualized Positive Behaviour Support. Brookes.
Link for paper by same authors
Downloadable leaflet on Prevent Teach Reinforce for schools
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Kate Strutt – Bsc Psychology, D.Clin Psyc, PG Diploma Applied Behaviour Analysis.
Director of Redstone and clinical psychologist with over 18 years’ experience of working in intellectual disability and autism services, both within statutory services and the independent sector. Kate is a member of the British Psychological Society and is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.
