Functional Behavior Assessment
Jacob is a 6-year-old male, diagnosed with autism, who engages in physical aggression in the form of hitting, scratching and kicking his parents when required to utilize expressive language to obtain desired reinforcers. The current circumstance have lead the parent’s to request an assessment and behavior plan to enable them to reduce his level of aggression and improve his expressive language. This paper will present various factors to consider prior to acceptance of a client as well as actions that may be necessary before treatment may be implemented. Further, it will discuss several methods of conducting a functional behavior assessment, including strengths and weaknesses of both indirect and direct methods
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His expressive language is limited to single-word requests for preferred reinforcers. Parent concerns include Jacob’s engagement in aggression in the way of hitting, kicking, and scratching his parents when demands are placed on him in the way of structured sessions aimed at increasing his use of expressive language; as well as increasing his expressive language. Jacob, when met with a new word, or completing a few trials of known words, engages in aggressive behavior directed towards the parent issuing the demand. In response to this behavior, parents frequently stop lessons and allow him to play and escape the demand. Interactions between Jacob and his parents have resulted in several scratches to the faces and arms of the parents, as well as bruises to Jacob’s arms. Parents state bruises sustained by Jacob are the consequence of parents protecting themselves as well as utilizing restraint procedures to do so.
Description of Targeted Behavior(s)
Aggression: defined as any occurrence of any of the following:
• Hitting is defined as any occurrence of swinging the hand in a directed manner and contacting any part of another person’s body with an open hand or closed fist from a distance of 4 inches or more; includes when strikes are blocked; does not include giving high-5’s, or engaging in games, such as, tag, which require physical contact with
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Behavior analysts have a responsibility to act in the best interests of the client and in doing so, if they do not have the experience, education, or resources necessary to influence positive changes in the specific behavior, they refer to a colleague or request supervision from a behavior analyst who possesses the necessary training and knowledge (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.[BACB], 2016; Bailey & Burch, 2016). Prior to inception of services a risk analysis needs to be completed to determine the risks versus benefits of implementing a treatment plan and if specific supports introduced would reduce the risks. Currently, Jacob is occasionally being restrained by his parents in response to his aggression; resulting in bruises on his arms. Questions of the use excessive force, or if his parents are trained in the proper use of restraint methods are brought up when clients display bruising under these conditions. Behavior analysts ensure the safety of the client, and when there is more than one client, they identify the primary client, in this case Jacob, and take necessary steps to ensure no harm (Bailey & Burch, 2016). As mandated reporters, BCBA’s are required to report any unexplained injuries or those which seem to be the result of
Thank you Mrs. Stephanie Smeltzer, for providing the team with the recent incident of Aki. To the school and treatment team, as Aki is receiving OPT/TSF services through New Behavioral Network in his school and family session (only provided by his Therapeutic Support for Families (TSF) worker) on Thursday due to his foster mother’s availability. It is noted, Aki has started to display more frequent aggressive behaviors in his classroom which has been observed by his TSF worker along with school officials, to which the Aki’s behaviors has become a concern as it is putting others at risk of his tantrums as his exhibiting behaviors of throwing objects which last for a period of 2 hours.
She noted that he has been more responsive to her rules and expectations. His grandmother stated that his social skills are not the best. Braydon agreed to work on his communication skills. Braydon stated that he enjoyed the worksheet on anger management. No at-risk indicators noted.
Furthermore, Abbey may have unintentionally caused harm to the client through the incompetence of working with a diverse population. Taillieu, Afifi, Mota, Keyes, and Saree (2014) indicate that both physical abuse and punishment are decreasing and are experienced equally across racial groups. Although the counselor instilled her beliefs, she probably felt it was her duty to report what Sonya stated to the school counselor about how her mother slapped her. However, without knowing how many times the child has been slapped and to whether there were markings it may be creating more harm to the family. According to Jent et al.
Principles for Safe Management of Disturbed and /or Aggressive Behaviour and the Use of Restraint. 2015. 2. QAS. Clinical Practice Guideline The physically restrained patient.pdf>. 2015. 3.
instance “[...Chay was being pinned against lockers,] Franklin Smith punched him in the stomach [as well] pressed his forearm against [Chay] until he fell unconscious” (78-79). Those have been the few of the “incidents” that keep going on including the red spray painted textbook that Chay payed for. After all childhood made have been fun while it lasted but eventually reality and adulthood will sneak
In the essay “Angry Fathers” by Mel Lazarus, the author talks about a part of his life, a day with his friends. Artie, Eli, and him were bored and decided to do something they haven’t done, something new, leave their mark on the wall of the new casino. Mr. Biolos the owner appeared furious, he would tell their fathers; Artie’s father arrived first, when he found out he took off his belt and whipped Artie. Eli’s father showed up next, he knocked Eli off his feet with a slam to the head, he kicked him on the legs, buttocks and back. By this time the author was nervous of his father reaction, when he arrived his reaction was a surprise for the author; instead of corporal punishment, his father punishment was a lesson.
Hello. I have a concern in regards to an ongoing situation that includes a specific incident today. Today on the playground during lunch recess Jacoby was pushed and his face hit something, sounds like it may have been another boy's head. Jacoby's cheekbone is bruised up and so is around the top of his left eye's orbital bone.
The three distinctive behaviours of Autism are: Repetitive behaviours, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction. When parents realize that their child has autism they should be emotionally strong. Being consistent in your child’s learning environment is very key to reinforce learning. Also they should be able to find non-verbal ways to communicate with their child. You just have to learn their language of communication.
Occasionally, he acts violently by attacking others. For example, while on the golf course, he and Beth get into an argument. He blames all of the family’s problems on Beth, raising his voice and
In the United States, about one in six children between the ages of three and seventeen have one or more developmental disabilities. With such a high rate one must wonder what causes these problems to happen to so many children. The point of this paper is to show how things children go through at home affect the way they develop. From looking at where a child lives, their parents, and whether they have experienced abuse, it is clear that a child's home life can affect their development in many ways. There are four types of development, physical, cognitive, emotional, and social.
For example, in the article “Psychopaths, Children, and Evil” by Nancy Darling it says “For years he’s been hard to handle- spitting, punching, running around, and saying the crudest and most sexually repugnant things that might emerge from anyone’s mouth, never mind that of a child not yet close to puberty” (Darling 1). The boy is showing violence when he
Beating. This type of abuse taught Mr. Matthews that it is right to beat your child with all you have got and it is right to be angry. Even when you are in a meeting. When Cole and his family were meeting with the whole community Mr. Matthews was angry. Anger just controls him front the top of his head to the tip of his toes.
The issue Khazan discusses in “No Spanking, No Time-Out, No Problems”, parents need to change their own behavior, before wanting to change their child’s behavior. Khazan confronts the issue of punishment along with behavior using a persuasive writing style to share her thoughts on punishment: “Punishment might make you feel better, but it won’t change the kid’s behavior” (Khazan 25). Khazan presents a child psychologist, Alan Kazdin’s to speak on parenting interventions. Along with parenting intervention, Khazan utilizes her interview with Kazdin, presenting a more of an understanding towards the issue of punishment. Utilizing Kazdin’s parenting interventions, he uses examples to prove that; punishment should not be used to fix negative behavior.
Children that exhibit such behaviours are most likely to become teenagers who are severely affected by problems associated with aggression, substance abuse, and mental health issues. In their adulthood, the situation
"Child Abuse and Neglect" says that Physical abuse can include "striking a child with the hand, fist, or foot or with an object, burning, shaking, pushing, or throwing a child; pinching or biting the child, pulling a child by the hair or cutting off a child’s air." However, physical abuse is considered to be a use of punishment in wrecked as well as normal families such as the use of physical force with the intent of inflicting bodily pain, but not injury, for the purpose of correction or control or discipline. Yet, there is a thin line between physical punishment and abuse which many parents seem to lack notice of. "Child Abuse and Neglect" explains that the level of force used by an angry or frustrated parent can easily get out of hand and lead to injury. Emotional or verbal abuse is one of the worst forms of mistreatment due to its invisibility.