Parties and Parties and GatheringsGatheringsAngela Mouzakitis MS Ed., BCBAAngela Mouzakitis MS Ed., BCBA

Does this sight give you Does this sight give you major anxiety?major anxiety?

Assessment of the Assessment of the SituationSituation

What is happening now and…What is happening now and… Why is it happening?Why is it happening?

Is it over-stimulation?Is it over-stimulation? Is it a learned behavior?Is it a learned behavior? Why is the behavior occurring?Why is the behavior occurring? Is the behavior getting worse, or staying the Is the behavior getting worse, or staying the

same?same?

Write down what is going Write down what is going on?on?

How long can you stay at the party?How long can you stay at the party? What are the behaviors that you are What are the behaviors that you are

seeing?seeing? Is your child having fun?Is your child having fun? Are your other children having fun?Are your other children having fun?

What do you wish would What do you wish would happen?happen?

Participate?Participate? Play by himself?Play by himself? Play with friends?Play with friends? Enjoy himself?Enjoy himself? Last long enough so you can have a cup Last long enough so you can have a cup

of coffee with an old friend?of coffee with an old friend?

Assess the EnvironmentAssess the Environment

Is there a part of the environment that is Is there a part of the environment that is more problematic than others?more problematic than others? Ex. Birthday song?Ex. Birthday song? Ex. Camera sensitivityEx. Camera sensitivity Ex. Food preferences?Ex. Food preferences?

If you can pinpoint an area, your strategy If you can pinpoint an area, your strategy might be very specific to one target.might be very specific to one target.

Link Strategies to the Link Strategies to the EnvironmentEnvironment

Once you have identified what the Once you have identified what the problem is, and why the behavior is problem is, and why the behavior is occurring, you can develop a plan of occurring, you can develop a plan of action. action.

Intervention to target camera phobia/anxiety

Parent PreparationParent Preparation

Before you go, find out everything you Before you go, find out everything you need to know about the partyneed to know about the party Ex. Will Santa be there?Ex. Will Santa be there?

Be honest. Let people know you need to Be honest. Let people know you need to have the details of the party to better have the details of the party to better prepare your child to have a good time. prepare your child to have a good time.

This will help you know how to tailor your This will help you know how to tailor your strategies. strategies.

Preparation for ChildPreparation for Child

Many ways to do this:Many ways to do this: VerballyVerbally Visual supportsVisual supports Social StorySocial Story Trade books (Barney goes to a Party)Trade books (Barney goes to a Party) CalendarCalendar List of activitiesList of activities VideosVideos

Communication Communication StrategiesStrategies

Request for BreakRequest for Break Request for “time to goRequest for “time to go

More to Come in a More to Come in a Bit…Bit…

Parties and Camera’s: Parties and Camera’s: James and the Giant Flash!James and the Giant Flash!

Parties and Events and Parties and Events and Camera’sCamera’s

James would become completely James would become completely withdrawn in the presence of a camera.withdrawn in the presence of a camera.

What does this mean for a family?What does this mean for a family? What events DON’T involve a camera?What events DON’T involve a camera? Can you modify the environment?? Not Can you modify the environment?? Not

really. really. A plan is needed. A plan is needed.

Steps of De-sensitization Steps of De-sensitization PlanPlan

Meet with teamMeet with team Identify the problem behaviorIdentify the problem behavior List a hierarchy of anxiety behaviors identified List a hierarchy of anxiety behaviors identified

by team, but mostly parent. by team, but mostly parent. Create a planCreate a plan

Create a hierarchy of exposure to various levels Create a hierarchy of exposure to various levels Slowly introduce first level while pairing the Slowly introduce first level while pairing the

environment. environment. Measure anxiety at that levelMeasure anxiety at that level Move to next level when anxiety is 0. Move to next level when anxiety is 0.

Stages of Anxiety Stages of Anxiety Identified – CameraIdentified – Camera

10. Complete shutdown, fetal 10. Complete shutdown, fetal position, crying.position, crying.

9. Eyes closed, no response to 9. Eyes closed, no response to others, not re-directableothers, not re-directable

8. Eyes closed, no response, 8. Eyes closed, no response, verbal perseverationverbal perseveration

7. Eyes closed, responding, 7. Eyes closed, responding, verbal perseverationverbal perseveration

6. Eyes squinted, focus on 6. Eyes squinted, focus on camera, not redirectablecamera, not redirectable

5. Eyes squinted, verbal camera 5. Eyes squinted, verbal camera perseveration, responding perseveration, responding to other questions, to other questions, requesting to leaverequesting to leave

4. Eyes squinted, verbal focus 4. Eyes squinted, verbal focus on camera, redirectable with on camera, redirectable with highly preferred activityhighly preferred activity

3. Focus on camera, eyes not 3. Focus on camera, eyes not squinted, asking about future squinted, asking about future camera eventscamera events

2. Some questions about 2. Some questions about camera, redirection possible.camera, redirection possible.

1.1. 1 comment on camera, focus 1 comment on camera, focus returns to task at handreturns to task at hand

0. Unaffected by camera, 0. Unaffected by camera, focused on original task. focused on original task.

Use stages to identify Use stages to identify when to move on. when to move on.

As you introduce a level, stay on that As you introduce a level, stay on that level until anxiety behavior is at a zero for level until anxiety behavior is at a zero for several days in a row. several days in a row.

Identify activitiesIdentify activities

As you introduce each anxiety related As you introduce each anxiety related area, pair the environment with preferred area, pair the environment with preferred items and activities. Keep this going until items and activities. Keep this going until anxiety rating is at a 0. anxiety rating is at a 0.

Stages of Environment Stages of Environment for Systematic Exposurefor Systematic Exposure

1.1. Arts and crafts of Arts and crafts of cameracamera

2.2. Looking at magazine Looking at magazine clippings of cameraclippings of camera

3.3. Creating camera’s from Creating camera’s from craftscrafts

4.4. Holding play camerasHolding play cameras5.5. Pretending to take Pretending to take

pictures with play pictures with play camerascameras

6. Pretending to add a flash 6. Pretending to add a flash to the camerato the camera

7. Pretending to take a 7. Pretending to take a picture with play camera picture with play camera using camera vocabularyusing camera vocabulary

8. Holding a real camera8. Holding a real camera9. Turning a real camera 9. Turning a real camera

on.on.10. Pretending to take a 10. Pretending to take a

picture with a real picture with a real camera.camera.

ETC..etc…etc. ETC..etc…etc.

Desensitization of Camera Phobia

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Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6

For More InformationFor More Information

Angela Mouzakitis MS Ed., BCBAAngela Mouzakitis MS Ed., BCBA

Queens CollegeQueens College

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