Response Strategies

Clinical Use:  Response Strategies

De-escalation and debriefing:  Effective de-escalation strategies are sometimes necessary to safely manage more intense forms of problem behavior.  Issues to consider include who will interact with the student during a crisis, methods of effective de-escalation, and timely coordination of a de-briefing session following the incident to discuss next steps (i.e., restitution, discipline, and/or additional supports).

For example, if Savannah becomes a danger to herself or others, then staff will a) continue to use supportive, nonthreatening, problem solving language, b) contact the school counselor for additional support, and c) debrief with involved staff, Savannah, and school counselor to identify “triggers,” better choices, and next steps.

Extinction: Chronic behavior problems persist because they continue to “pay off” for the student at some level.  When a student begins learning to utilize replacement behaviors, the team should discontinue the reinforcement of problem behaviors (e.g., do not allow the problem behavior to “pay off” for the student).  Extinction strategies in educational settings can be difficult (sometimes impossible) to fully implement (e.g., ignoring aggression for attention seeking behaviors, or forcing work production for escape behaviors).  Practical implementation involves all staff consistently using response strategies that make the problem behavior as ineffective as possible.  Extinction works in educational settings when this approach compliments a solid behavior plan focused primarily on reinforcing positive and replacement behaviors.

For example, Helen repeatedly yells out in class for attention.  The teacher implements a pre-taught cueing system (e.g., teacher looking at Helen and winking) to remind Helen to raise her hand.  Helen begins to raise her hand more often, but also continues to sometimes yell out.  The teacher now implements an extinction plan in which the cueing system is still utilized, but the teacher now consistently ignores all yelling out behaviors.  Helen will only receive teacher attention if she raises her hand, and will never receive teacher attention following a yell out.   However, the teacher notices that when Helen yells out a particularly “stunning” statement, the other students laugh and comment, which likely continues to provide some attention “pay off” for Helen.  In order to control this form of “pay off,” the teacher reminds all her students to ignore any inappropriate comments, and that class points may be delivered if the entire group can stay focused on the teacher.

Safety Interventions:  Emergency interventions should only be used to manage behaviors that pose a clear and present danger of serious physical harm to the student or others.  Responses less restrictive than an emergency intervention should be used if these techniques can contain the behavior.  Emergency interventions should not be employed for longer than necessary to manage a behavior, and should not be used to cause pain or trauma.  (Emergency intervention reporting)