Social, Emotional, & Behavioral Challenges

Chapter 6

SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, & BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES

Social Challenges  1/3rd of students w/ learning

disabilities have social challenges.  Social challenges are characteristic of autism, Asperger’s.  Lack sensitivity, poor perception of social situations, suffer rejection, & poor social traits.  Can do well academically. *Our job: help students learn how to respond appropriately in social situations.

Emotional Emotional Challenges Challenges Relationship between Learning Disabilities & Emotional Challenges

 Difficult to focus

academically  Internalizing: 

Refuse to learn, resist pressure, cling to dependency, quickly discouraged, fear of success, sadness, withdrawal.

 Externalizing: 

Hostility, acting-out, excessive anger, fighting, defiance toward teachers.

Characteristics of Emotional Challenges

 Depression 

Reaction to stress & frustration of school demands.  Loss of energy, Loss of interest in friends, Difficulty in concentration, Feelings of hopelessness

 Lack of Resiliency  Need a support system

which increases nonacademic talents

 Anxiety  Events beyond their

control are happening to them.  Feel hopeless and become frozen & panicked because of feelings of intense

Functional Functional Behavioral Behavioral Assessment Assessment & Positive & Positive Behavioral Behavioral Supports Supports FBA:

determining what triggered the child's behavior.

PBS:strategies to changes a

ABC: antecedent, behavior, consequence. Important Outcomes:

Steps for developing positive behavioral interventions: 2. A desirable replacement behavior. 3. Modify the environment. 4. Teach the appropriate behaviors.

3.

Clear description of problem behavior.

4.

Identification of when a problem behavior will/will not occur.

5.

Identification of the consequences that result in the maintenance.

6.

Development/hypothesis of problematic behavior.

7.

Collection of data.

student’s behavior & increase positive change.

Improving ImprovingSocial SocialCompetencies Competencies Self Perception: Scrapbook Nonverbal Communication: gestures, stance, facial expression. Social Maturity: role playing, encourage independence, problem solving strategies, ethical judgments.

Cognitive Learning for Social Skills Many students respond impulsively; act without thinking. • “What am I suppose to be doing?” • “What are three possible solutions?” Cognitive learning strategies can teach students: 6. Stop & think before responding. 7. To verbalize & rehearse social responses. 8. To visualize & imagine the effect of their behavior.

Behavioral Challenges  Develop an effective behavioral

intervention plan.  Positive learning environment.  Errorless learning techniques:  Fading: giving student maximum cues to

begin, then fades those cues away until the student is independent at that task.  Backward chaining: a reverse order of things.

Making Academic Work Friendly  Build choice in assignments.  Where they sit to work.  What they can write with.

 Use response cards.  White board.  Index cards.

 Travel assignments.  Break a task into small steps.

Self Management Strategies  Students manage their behavior.  Clearly state expectations.  Contracts for self monitoring.  Random checks.  Praise!

Goal Setting  Model the strategy.  Teacher assist in

writing the goal.  Write own goals & monitor progress.

Passive Aggressive Behaviors •Combined passive & aggressive behavior that is both conforming & irritating to others. •Behavior that is more destructive to inter personal relationships than aggression. •Acts of passive aggression that can last a lifetime. •Anger that is expressed indirectly.

 Recognize the passive

aggressive behavior.  Avoid engaging in “begging” behavior.  Acknowledge normal feelings of anger.

Behavior Management Strategies  Contingency Contracting  Written agreement between student &

teacher.

 Time-Out  1-5 minutes, ignore the student, directly

engage the student in ongoing activities.

 Attribution Training  Train students to attribute their successes

to their own efforts.

Behavior Management Strategies continued…  Cognitive Behavior Modification  Talking aloud to themselves.  Giving themselves instruction on what

they should be doing.  Rewarding themselves verbally.

 Using Reinforcements  Stars, stickers, tickets, tokens, prize box.

Case study: Mario, a student with behavioral challenges

 5th grade  Urinates on himself & others  Becomes upset when people get close    

& when he gets dirty. Has Asperger’s & ADHD. 1 of 2 kids @ home. Doesn’t know father. Obsessed that if he gets dirty his arms will fall off.

 Special interest in Superman.