Managingfrustrationandanxiety,andteachingsocialskills

JedBaker,Ph.D.www.socialskillstrainingproject.com

Firsthelpcaretakershavetherightattitude

Understandwhy

studentsmisbehave

Manageyourownemotions

asaprovider

De-escalatecriseswith

yourstudents

Setuppreventionplansforanyrepeatproblems

DifficultiesAssociatedwithChallengingBehavior

• LowFrustrationTolerance– Limbicsystem:Controlsemotionsandfight,flightorfreezeresponse

– Forebrain:Reasoningandplanning– Limbicsystemcanhijacktherestofthebrain• IncredibleHulkvsDr.Banner

– PreventmeltdownanddistractwheninHulkzone.

HandlingOurOwnFeelings• Howdowethinkaboutbadbehavior• Hope!• Attributionalstyle:temporarynotstable• Specificnotglobalcharacterflaw

• Noone’sfault(internalattribution):• Attributionalstyle:externalnotinternal

Inthethrowsofameltdown

Traditionaldisciplinemayescalateproblemfor30%ormore

Whenlogicisgone:Distract• Novelitems• Specialinterests• Sensoryactivities

Whenthereisarepeatproblem

• Askwhyithappens– FunctionalBehavioralAssessment– Triggertellsyouhowbesttoprevent– NoMoreMeltdownsAPP,availableatAPPstoreorwww.symtrend.com/nmm

TypicalTriggers

• Internalissues:hunger,tiredness,illness,grief• Sensoryissues:over-stimulation,boredom• Lackofstructure• Challengingwork,fearsandphobias• Havingtowait,notgetwhatonewants,disappointments

• Threatstoself-esteem:losing,mistakes,criticism

• Unmetwishesforattention:ignored,wantotherstolaugh

ComponentsofaBehaviorPlanseewww.apbs.org

1. Changethetriggers:sensory/biological,structure,taskdemands

2. Teachskillstodealwithtriggers:

3. Rewardnewskills

4. Losssystemifnotalreadyfrustrated

DemandsforWork1. Changethetriggers– Modelitalltoavoidearlyfrustration– Explaingrowthmindset– Visuallysupportlanguage– Reducelength,usetimer

2. Teach“TryingWhenIt’sHard”– Tryalittle– Asktowatchfirstoraskforhelp– Takeabreakandtryagain– Negotiatehowmuch

CarolDweck’sMindsets

Mindset Preferred task difficulty

Response to Mistakes

Acceptance of help

Learning outcomes

Fixed Easy Lose motivation

Avoid Lower

Growth Hard Stay motivated

Welcome Higher

DemandsforWork

3. Rewardsystem– Fortrying,notforbeingcorrect– TryingPoster

4. Avoidlosssystemwhenfrustrated

DealingwithFear• Changethetriggers– Canavoidfearedsituationwheneasy,butsome

situationswemayneedtoface• Teach“Dealingwithfear”– Winthemovertoworkingonissue– Explainanxiety:Trueversusfalsealarms– Gradualexposuretofear:createaFEARLADDER

basedonself-reportorobservedbehavior– Thinklikeascientist:Overestimatinglikelihoodor

dangerofnegevent?– Addexercise,meditation/relaxation– Considerneurofeedback,medsifneeded

DealingwithFear

3. Rewardsystem– Forfacingeachstepofafear

4. Avoidlosssystemwhenanxious

Waiting,AcceptingNo,StoppingFun

1. Changethetriggers– Useavisualtimerandshortenwaittime– Createavisualschedule.Usea“todo”box– Highlightrewardforwaiting/acceptingno&prime

ahead2. Teachskills(invisiblepayoff)– Waiting:getsomelater– Acceptingno:getsomethingelselater– Stoppingontime:gettogobacklater

Waiting,AcceptingNo,StoppingFun

3. Rewardsystem– Pointsforwaiting,acceptingnoandstoppingon

time– Disappointmentposter

4. Naturallosssystems:– Can’tstop,can’tdoitagain

Self-esteem: Mistakes,Losing,Teasing

1. Changethetriggers– Offerchoice:letthemwinornotseemistakes– Primeahead– Protectfromteasing

2. Teachskills(invisiblepayoff)– Mistakeshelpuslearn– Wintheinvisiblegame:friendship/self-control– Teasing:checkitout1st,stop,ignore,report

Self-esteem: Mistakes,Losing,Teasing

3. Rewardsystem:– Rewardsforhandlingimperfectionaregreater

thanrewardsforwinningordoingworkright.4. Avoidlosssystemswhenfrustrated

UnmetNeedsforAttention1. Changethetriggers– Scheduleattention:specialtime– Useatimerandred/greencards– Provideanappropriateoutlet:theatre,presentation

2. Teach“PositiveWaystoGetAttention”– Howtogetadultattention– Howtogetpeerattention:Publicversusprivate

topics– Rulesofcomedy:Can’tmakefunofvulnerable,use

slapstick,randomthoughts,andself-deprecation

Public/PrivatePublic Private

Past:Howwas____? Avoidsensitivetopics:

Future:Whatareyougoingtodo____? Sex,Violence,Race, Religion,Politics

Present: Whatareyou_______? Avoidinsults

Common/otherinterest:Didyou____? Avoidcurses

UnmetNeedsforAttention3. Rewardsystem:– Rewardsforappropriatetopics

4. Losssystems:– Responsecost

Warning

Loss of:10 min

Simpsons

Warning Loss of:snack

Loss of:20 min

Simpsons

Loss of:30 min

Simpsons

SensoryNeeds:Self-Stimulation

1. Changethetriggers– Altersensoryenvironment– Forboredom,reducewaittimeandengage– Scheduleregulatingactivities– Lotsofselfstimmaymeaninstructionalmethodnot

engaging2. Teachskills– Alternativeways/timestoself-stim– Howtobeaself-advocateforbetterenvironment

SensoryNeeds:Self-Stimulation

3. Rewardsystem– Rewardnewwaystoself-stim

4. Losssystems:– Mayberesponsecost

UnexpectedTriggers:Self-Calming

1. Prepareforunexpected– Collaborateonwaystodistractandsoothein

preparationfortheunexpectedupsets.Createarelaxationfolder.

– Establishasafeperson2. Teachskills– Self-talk:“Allproblemscanbesolvedifyoucan

waitandtalktotherightperson.”– Draworwritethethingthatdistracts/soothesyou.

UnexpectedTriggers:Self-Calming

3. Rewardsystem:₋ forusingcalmingstrategies

4. Naturallosssystems:– outburstswilllimitcontinuedparticipationin

certainevents.

TieredModelofSocialSkillsTraining• Tier1:School-wide

– Addingstructureandoptionsatlunch/recess– Trainingofaides,staff– Peersensitivitytraining,creatinginclusionenvironments

• Tier2:Caseconferencestudentsinneedofskillenhancement– Lunchbunches,socialskillgroups,themebasedgroups– Consultationwithspecialists

• Tier3:IndividualizedSocialSkillActionPlansfor504/IEPs– TargetRelevantskills:parentalinput– Establishmotivationtosocialize– Teachskills– Generalization:teacher/aide/parentprompts– Peersensitivitytraining,peerbuddies– Evaluatingoutcome:teacher/aide/parentinput

AutismSpectrumDisorder1.SocialCommunicationDifficulties– Initiating/Reciprocating,one-sidedconversation– Non-verbal:lackofeyecontact,gestures– Deficitsindeveloping/maintainingfriends

2.Repetitivepatternofbehavior(2of4):– Stereotyped/repetitivemovements– Insistenceonsameness:routines,rituals,transitions

– Fixatedinterests– HypoorHypereactivitytosensoryinput

SpecifySeverityLevelforeachaboveSpecifyifintellectualandlanguageimpairmentIf#2ismissing:SocialPragmaticCommunicationDisorder

Level3:SignificantlyChallenged

• Challenge:Cannotsimplyexplainwithwordsabouthowtodothingsorwhy.

• Interventionsneedtobevisual,concrete,andpromptedinthemoment– StructureofTeacch,pictures,maybevideo– ABA(DTT,PRT,VBT)emphasisshouldnotjustbeonexternalrewards,butintrinsicaswell

– Playbasedprograms,especiallythosecombinedwithABA,likeEarlyStartDenverModel(RogersandDawson,2010)

Level2:Challenged• Challenge:Understandsbasicdirectives,canrequest,butlanguageisstillconcrete,tiedtopresentmoment.Cannottalkaboutsituationsintheabstract.

• InterventionssimilartoLevel1,yet...– Canaddverbaldirectivesandverbalimitation.Example,Say,“CanIplay?”

– Canbegintoworkonconversationprerequisiteslike“wh”questions

– SocialSkillPictureBooks(Baker2001,2006)– Videomodeling

Level1:Emerging• Challenge:Hasabilitytotalkaboutactualsituationsintheabstract.Yetstillproblemswithabstractionslikeperspectivetaking.

• Interventionscanbevisuallysupported,yetonecannowexplainnotjustwhattodo,butwhy;howotherpeoplethinkandfeel.– SocialThinking– Explaining,modelingandrole-playing– Video-modeling(withhighlightingothersthoughts,feelings,reactions).

ResourcesMusicCD

Social Skills Books

Elementary Level Middle, High School and Beyond

Challenging behaviorDVD

Now an APP too!

Social skill picture book Social skill picture book for high school

MoreResources• NoMoreVictims:ProtectingThosewithAutismfromCyberBullying,

InternetPredators&Scams(Baker,2013)

• OvercomingAnxietyinchildrenandteens(Baker,2015)

MoreResources• SchoolShadowGuidelines(Liau&Baker,2015)