Back to basics

Recently I received a request to provide some technical support.  Without knowing much, this was my message.
'______ just called and I’d be glad to help as much as I can.

I don’t know if you ever got this book; but if not, I’d recommend getting it.
Functional Behavioral Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment by Cipani and Schock
You can find it on line and wherever best books are sold :-)
If you have it, or when you get it. Study it closely and apply the information and tools.
I realize I am an unusual person in many ways; however, I found it fascinating…seriously.
Once you have the book and begin the read, the first thing you will be directed to do is to look at antecedents and other setting events. It may be that much of the issue can be solved there. After you have done that, you’ll want to do more of an assessment to look at reinforcements; however, not knowing the person but just hearing a little…
I understand that s/he is an adult who can do what you want him/her to do but just isn’t motivated.
That’s about all I know.
This raises a few questions.
1. Is it really something s/he HAS to do?
2. If yes, what are the reasons s/he has to do it?
3. Are there any times when s/he does it? If yes, what are the differences and “I don’t know” or “there aren’t any” is not an acceptable answer. There are ALWAYS differences. (I suggest you get a copy of and read: Becoming Solution-Focused in Brief Therapy by Walter and Peller, not exactly the same situation; but totally applicable and another fascinating read.)
4. If there are times when s/he does it, replicate those times, situations, antecedents, and reinforcements. This may rely most heavily on antecedents to include setting events.
5. Look at the reinforcement s/he gets for NOT doing it (whatever it is)
6. Look at potential reinforcements for doing it, if it is REALLY something s/he needs to do.
If you get stuck in the process let me know and I’d be glad to sit down with you.
(In the case of the reader, I'd be glad to discuss the situation through the comments.  Be sure and do not include any personally identifying information.)
Hope that helped.'

Videos By Topic

Videos By Topic: "Videos and audio are now exclusively available in the new UC Davis MIND Institute Media Player. Adobe Flash and Javascript are needed to play back all media on the MIND Institute website. Chances are that Flash and Javascript are already a part of your browser as they are installed on almost all computers connected to the Internet. However, if you are having difficulty playing any media on this site, Adobe Flash can be downloaded from Adobe's website and instructions for enabling Javascript in your browser are available here." To watch the videos, click here.

These are excellent videos.  A bit technical; but not too bad if this is something you are very interested and are even nominally abreast of the research.

'It's important to remember that the amount of service is not what's important, because all of the child's learning occurs between sessions." McWilliam

Click "enter" to progress through the slides.

https://www.azdes.gov/uploadedFiles/Arizona_Early_Intervention_Program/evidence_based_pratice.pdf

Natural Reinforcement: Parenting that Lasts

Most parents want to teach their children skills, behaviors, and character traits which will last and even be improved upon well into adulthood. One of the keys to teaching that lasts is using natural reinforcement.


Natural reinforcement: A way to improve education

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 1992 Spring; 25(1): 71–75.

Direct versus indirect response-reinforcer relationships in teaching autistic children

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology Volume 8, Number 4, 537-547

Too often we use contrived reinforcements (bribes) without teaching the natural connections to natural reinforcement. Natural reinforcement is a simple but powerful concept lost to many in our world. Sometimes we use contrived reinforcement to teach a child to do something and sometimes this is appropriate because it is more immediate. For example: you MAY need to use small candies to initially teach your child to use the toilet; however, the natural reinforcement is consistent success and toileting hygiene (with all the natural rewards of being potty trained). Another example of a contrived reinforcement is something I have too often seen in my work. Here’s an example: A therapists will want to teach a child to appropriately ask for a hug before just grabbing and hugging. The contrived reward for an appropriate request may be something like a “good job” from the therapist or a few M & Ms. Another example is teaching someone how to make a sandwich or breakfast. While you may have to reinforce the more immediate steps towards the ultimate goal (such as a “good job” for getting the bread out to make the sandwich) the natural reinforcement for making a sandwich is eating the sandwich. The natural reinforcement for making breakfast is eating and perhaps even sharing breakfast, and of course the natural reinforcement for appropriately asking for a hug is (when appropriate) getting a hug. Most of you reading this will think ‘how silly.’ But many parents do similar things with their own children.

Here is just one example: how many parents pay their child to help in the garden? Natural reinforcers for working in the garden include those which come from working together, seeing a well maintained garden grow, and yes, eating what you have grown. Wouldn’t it be great if more people understood the natural connection between working in a garden and eating?

Natural Reinforcement: Parenting that Lasts

Best Practice (less expensive) Treatment for Autism

Fortunately we have learned a great deal about Autism (including PDD NOS and Aspergers) treatment over the last 20 years. While there is a wide variety of ineffective and expensive treatment being practiced around the world to include hundreds of interventions. We now know enough to be prescriptive and even know which children are most likely to benefit from which treatment. This information is especially crucial now as policy makers are determining where to expend limited funds and resources. One intervention which; while currently considered an “emerging practice” has shown significant positive results for some children and costs less than $3000.00 per year on average.


Can Chidlren with Autism Recover? If So, How? Neurophysiology Review (2008) Volume 18: Number 4, 339-336
Evidence-Based Practice and Autism in the Schools: A Guide To Providing Appropriate Interventions To Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders National Autism Center 2009
Pilot study of a parent training program for young children with autism: The PLAY Project Home Consultation program
SAGE Publications and The National Autistic Society Vol 11(3) 205–224
Can one hour per week of therapy lead to lasting changes in young children with autism?
Autism January 2009 vol. 13 no. 1 93-115

While not all children are likely to make the gains in skills exhibited in some best practice models such as evidenced in a recent study of the Early Start Denver Model, most children with autism, as well as other behavioral concerns, can make significant behavioral progress if the right intervention is provided under the right conditions.

Randomized, Controlled Trial of an Intervention for Toddlers With Autism: The Early Start Denver Model
PEDIATRICS Vol. 125 No. 1 January 2010, pp. e17-e23

Most of the best practice and less expensive interventions have some common threads which are essential to success.
1. They are specific to the age, diagnoses, and functioning level of the child.
2. They contain goals and objectives which are clearly and well written contextually mediated to the natural routines of both the child and family.
3. They include extensive parental, and at times other caregiver involvement which, occurs during the natural routines of the child and parent. (This does not mean that a parent must drastically change their schedule and devote all of their excess time to providing direct intervention for their child. It does mean that they way they interact with and support their child during both the parents and child’s natural routines in adjusted for therapeutic value for the child.
4. They often incorporate more natural (logical) reinforcers and fewer (artificial) contrived reinforcers.
5. The service provider is expert in both the model of delivery and in effectively working with families according to the basic values and norms of the family.

Working with Families of Young Children with Special Needs (What Works for Special-Needs Learners) R. A. McWilliam PhD (Editor)
The Entry Into Natural Communities of Reinforcement Control of Human Behavior (Vol.2, pp. 319-324)
Contextualized Behavioral Support in Early Intervention for Children with Autism and Their Families Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Volume 32, Number 6, 519-533
Coaching Families and Colleagues in Early Childhood Brookes Publishing