ACHIEVE Parent Training Curriculum
Category: Fundamentals of Behavior Change
Introduction to Behavior Reduction: What is Challenging Behavior?
ABOUT THIS LESSON
You're probably taking this lesson because your child is engaging in some behaviors that you feel unprepared to manage on your own. Challenging behaviors usually start out gradually without parents even realizing that a problem is developing. This doesn't make you a bad parent, just a normal one.
While some behaviors may feel challenging in the moment, they might be developmentally appropriate for your child. It's important to understand between a behavior you don't like and one that is truly problematic. Tantrums are common among 2- and 3-year-old children because they lack the language skills needed to communicate effectively. As children get older and develop effective communication skills, they often outgrow these tantrums.
The Center for Parenting Education provides resources to help you understand what behaviors you might expect depending on your child's age. Click here to access their list of expected behaviors by age.
Not every challenging behavior needs to be addressed using behavioral interventions. Most challenging behavior, like driving 5 miles per hour over the speed limit, happens within reasonable limits. Set realistic expectations for your child and avoid aiming for perfection.
References
Chow, J. C., & Wehby, J. H. (2019). Profiles of problem behavior in children with varying language ability. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 27(2), 110-118.
Kiernan, C., Reeves, D., Hatton, C., Alborz, A., Emerson, E., Mason, H., ... & Mason, L. (1997). The HARC challenging behaviour project. Report 1: Persistence and Change in the Challenging Behaviour of People with Learning Disability. Manchester.
Oliver, C., McClintock, K., Hall, S., Smith, M., Dagnan, D., & Stenfert‐Kroese, B. (2003). Assessing the severity of challenging behaviour: psychometric properties of the challenging behaviour interview. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 16(1), 53-61.
The Context of Behavior
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ABOUT THIS LESSON
All behavior, desired and undesired, develops based on an individual's personal experiences with the world around them. My perception of circumstances differs from yours which differs from your child's. To understand your child's challenging behavior, look at the context within which that behavior most often comes up.
Looking at the events or situations that provoke and follow challenging behavior offers insight into why your child's behavior persists, despite all your current efforts to "discipline" or correct the behavior. Answer the following questions to determine what your child is telling you with his behavior:
✔ What happens right before the behavior?
✔ What happens right after the behavior?
✔ Are there factors that make the behavior more or less likely to occur?
✔ If you wanted to immediately make the behavior occur, what would you do?
✔ If you wanted to immediately make the behavior stop, what would you do?
References
Alberto, P., & Troutman, A. C. (2006). Applied behavior analysis for teachers (pp. 1-474). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.
Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2001). Applied behavior analysis (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Ellingson, S. A., Miltenberger, R. G., Stricker, J., Galensky, T. L., & Garlinghouse, M. (2000). Functional assessment and intervention for challenging behaviors in the classroom by general classroom teachers. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 2(2), 85-97.
Why Does My Child Do That?
ABOUT THIS LESSON
All behavior happens for a reason and serves some purpose. This is true for your behavior, your child's behavior and that person who cut you off in traffic. Understanding why your child engages in a specific behavior that has become problematic for him allows you to determine how best to help him.
We all engage in behavior because we get something good or escape something bad. Sure, it's a bit more complicated than that, but taking an objective look at behavior hopefully removes some of the stigma commonly associated with it. Challenging behavior continues not because you're a bad parent or your child is a bad child but because the behavior works for your child. Think of behavior as a form of communication and your job is to figure out what he is telling you.
Take some time to look at the context surrounding your child's challenging behavior. What is he telling you with his behavior?
References
Cipani, E. (2019). The Cipani Behavioral Classification System For Children and Adolescents.
Leaf, J. B., Leaf, R., McEachin, J., Taubman, M., Ala’i-Rosales, S., Ross, R. K., ... & Weiss, M. J. (2016). Applied behavior analysis is a science and, therefore, progressive. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 46(2), 720-731.
Wood, C. L., Kisinger, K. W., Brosh, C. R., Fisher, L. B., & Muharib, R. (2018). Stopping behavior before it starts: Antecedent interventions for challenging behavior. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 50(6), 356-363.
Deciding How to Intervene
ABOUT THIS LESSON
Your child engages in challenging behavior because it works for him and because he doesn't have a better way of getting what he wants. Using the competing behavior pathway provides a straight-forward way to work through the context within which the challenging behavior usually occurs and decide how best to intervene. Most of the time simple solutions provide the best outcomes, especially if you help your child get what he wants.
Take some time to think about the context within which your child's behavior most often occurs. What are some accommodations you can make when the setting events show up? What are some antecedent and consequence (reinforcement) interventions you can use to support your child in developing the skills he needs to become successful?
References
Borgmeier, C., & Loman, S. (2011). Training School Personnel to Facilitate Brief FBA/BIP through Problem-Solving Teams.
Loman, S. L. Developing Function-based Interventions.
O'Neill, R. E., Albin, R. W., Storey, K., Horner, R. H., & Sprague, J. R. (2014). Functional assessment and program development. Cengage Learning.
Sugai, G., Lewis-Palmer, T., & Hagan-Burke, S. (2000). Overview of the functional behavioral assessment process. Exceptionality, 8(3), 149-160.
Responding with Compassion
ABOUT THIS LESSON
As parents, you want to support your child in the best way possible when they face challenges with their behavior. It can be hard to know what to do when your child acts out—whether they’re yelling, hitting, or throwing things. For years, people thought the best way to handle these situations was to ignore the behavior until it stopped. But research has shown that ignoring behaviors can sometimes make them worse or even harm your child emotionally, especially if they are already feeling overwhelmed or misunderstood.
In this lesson, we’ll focus on compassionate and effective strategies you can use instead of ignoring behaviors. These strategies rely on teaching your child better ways to communicate their needs while making sure they feel safe and supported. You’ll learn about how positive reinforcement can help reduce problem behaviors without punishment, and why building trust is the first step toward real change. This approach not only helps your child grow but also strengthens your relationship with them. Let’s explore how you can use these tools to make a big difference in your child’s life!
Take some time to think about the context within which your child's behavior most often occurs. What are some accommodations you can make when the setting events show up? What are some antecedent and consequence (reinforcement) interventions you can use to support your child in developing the skills he needs to become successful?
References
Barrett, L. F., Wilson-Mendenhall, C. D., & Barsalou, L. W. (2019). Assessing the impact of trauma on behavior through a neural lens. Trauma, Psychology, and Neuroscience, 15(4), 389–401.
Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). (2022). Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts. Littleton, CO: BACB. Retrieved from https://www.bacb.com
Hanley, G. P., Iwata, B. A., & McCord, B. E. (2003). Functional analysis of problem behavior: A review. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36(2), 147–185. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2003.36-147
Lattal, K. A., Smith, M. M., & Armstrong, K. A. (2020). Extinction bursts: Misconceptions, realities, and how they influence treatment. Journal of Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 113(3), 389–403.
Lebois, L. A. M., Seligowski, A. V., Wolff, J. D., Hill, S. B., & Ressler, K. J. (2019). Augmenting extinction and inhibitory learning in anxiety and trauma-related disorders. Biological Psychiatry, 85(1), 4–12.
Lerman, D. C., & Iwata, B. A. (1996). Developing a technology for the use of operant extinction in clinical settings: An examination of basic and applied research. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29(3), 345–382. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1996.29-345
How Do I Know If This Is Working?
ABOUT THIS LESSON
You're a busy parent without a lot of extra time. Changing your own behavior is hard and takes time and energy you don't necessarily have to spare. You must know that the interventions you're using are working to change your child's behavior.
You might already have a sense that things are either getting easier/better or harder/worse. The challenge is that sometimes things might feel harder but your child is actually doing better. To know for sure, you must have some type of data.
Data can be a scary word, but it doesn't have to be. It simply means measuring the behavior in some way.
Make sure whatever data collection method you choose is easy to use. You just need something that will help you make informed decisions.
References
Helton, M. R., & Alber-Morgan, S. R. (2018). Helping parents understand applied behavior analysis: Creating a parent guide in 10 steps. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 11(4), 496-503.
Schwartz, I. S., & Olswang, L. B. (1996). Evaluating child behavior change in natural settings: Exploring alternative strategies for data collection. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 16(1), 82-101.
Smith, T., Buch, G. A., & Gamby, T. E. (2000). Parent-directed, intensive early intervention for children with pervasive developmental disorder. Research in developmental disabilities, 21(4), 297-309.