Prevention:
Preventing maladaptive (aggressive, self injurious) behavior requires a prevention component. It is imperative to ensure consistency across caregivers, environments and behaviors. It is also critical to understand that prevention measures should only be used before any behavior episodes. These are meant to support the student and diffuse behavior before they happen, and to not be used as a reaction to a behavior once it happens.
Examples of prevention:
Preventing maladaptive (aggressive, self injurious) behavior requires a prevention component. It is imperative to ensure consistency across caregivers, environments and behaviors. It is also critical to understand that prevention measures should only be used before any behavior episodes. These are meant to support the student and diffuse behavior before they happen, and to not be used as a reaction to a behavior once it happens.
Examples of prevention:
- Picture schedule of activities.
- Give a 5 and a 2-minute warning before a transition will take place.
- Use a visual timer to show the beginning and ending time for each activity, break time and reward time (e.g., time outside, time with favorite toy, work time).
- Whenever possible the student should complete a desired activity (free time) after a hard activity (work time).
- Schedule work activities in the following sequence: easy, hard, easy. This allows success before and after difficult work activities.
- Pair desired reinforcers with work activities. Do not allow access to these reinforcers any other time.
- Use pictures with a token system and remind him of what the student is working for before he/she begins working.
- Whenever possible give the student choices (e.g., color of pencils, order of work activities, seat in group activities) to help him/her gain control of some aspects of his/her world.
- Provide constant praise for all desired responses (e.g., going to next activity with a good quiet mouth, good walking to next activity, good listening).
- All sensory activities should be done when the student is calm and asking in an appropriate manner. Never allow the student to engage in a sensory activity to diffuse or redirect the aggression (e.g., putting him/her in the swing when he/she is screaming, rubbing arms when he/she is lying on the floor). Never allow the student to stop an undesired or difficult task to engage in sensory activities (or engage in any other desired activity) after he/she has started the undesired or difficult task.
- Provide frequent short breaks between each work session.
- Establish a “toy” rule while working. Provide a box with a designated place for the student to keep personal items while he/she is working.
- Establish clear visual environmental boundaries. Draw chalk lines or place flags in areas that are off limits (e.g., neighbor’s driveways, distance on street away from his house). This should also extend to school environments to teach the student to stay away from areas that are dangerous or off limits.
- Use a 'closed mouth" picture card to visually prompt the student to refrain from talking when it is not appropriate (e.g. group circle time)
- Schedule "Free Talk Time" set a timer for 10 minutes, show the student the "Free Time" card (color coded) and instruct him/her to "Talk his/her way." Do not interrupt or correct the student during this time. Interact with him/her on his/her initiative.