Archive for the 'Reducing responding' Category

Iwata wkshop Sep. 09

Professor Brian Iwata, who has extensively studied functional behavior analysis, will conduct a two-day workshop entitled “Functional Analysis & Treatment of Severe Behavior Disorders” in Philadelphia (PA, US) on 28 – 29 September 2009. Psychologists may earn 11 CE credits, BCBAs & BCABAs 12 Type 2 CE credits. Walt Antonow, who manages these workshops, advised me that as of 2 Sep there were only 15 seats available, He has a brochure available.

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Physical punishment repudiated

Over on 60-Second Science Blog, the news source of Scientific American, Karen Schrock reported that a task force of the American Psychological Association (APA) released a report recommending that caregivers eschew physical punishment. Ms. Schrock noted that at least one member of the task force disagreed with the recommendations, but that most members endorsed it.

Corporal punishment has long been a hotly debated subject, with conflicting study results and opposing ideologies feeding the fire. Now the results of a five-year effort to review the scientific literature are in: a task force appointed by the American Psychological Association concludes that “parents and caregivers should reduce and potentially eliminate their use of any physical punishment as a disciplinary measure.”
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Notes about reducing misbehavior

The recent discussions in the press and the US Congress about seclusion and restraint prompted me to draft these preliminary notes about alternatives that are available to school personnel. Generally, one does not need to resort to putting students in isolation or holding them to the ground.

Schools that employ evidence-based practices have a wealth of alternatives to physical seclusion or restraint. These methods range from plain, old good teaching to systematic analysis of the functions that misbehaviors serve. In the next few paragraphs, I present laconic descriptions of these.
Continue reading ‘Notes about reducing misbehavior’

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Seclusion and restraint on TOTN

Teases for the US National Public Radio show “Talk of the Nation” (TOTN) say that it will devote a segment of today’s show to seclusion and restraint. TOTN usually features a guest or two who discuss the topic with host Neal Conan and answer questions from listeners who call or send e-mail to the show.

The Web page for TOTN does not indicate the contents of today’s show, so things might change (or I might simply have it wrong). However, it is noted elsewhere on the NPR site:

Teaching Troubled Kids

When it comes to teaching children with behavioral disorders, handcuffs, tape, and isolation are tools of discipline used in some classrooms. NPR reporter Joe Shapiro reported on these disciplinary methods for Morning Edition earlier this week. Shapiro will continue the discussion in our second hour and take a look at how teachers discipline students with learning disabilities.

If TOTN does devote a segment to seclusion and restraint, I shall be listening and, perhaps, participating. I hope others will, too. And I hope that Mr. Conan and Mr. Shapiro help parents and educators acquire balanced, sensible, humane perspectives on the use of behavior modification procedures. The live segment of the show is recorded from 2:00-4:00 PM, Eastern US time.

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US Congress hearings follow-up notes

Representatives of Democrats on the US House Education and Labor Committee provided me with a list of resources covering the hearing held 19 May 2009. These hearings were about the use and misuse of seclusion and restraint in managing students’ behavior. Here’re items from that list:

Links to some earlier posts on this topic: “Seclusion and restraint: US hearings coverage” (19 May 2009), “US House to review seclusion and restraint” (here 13 May 2009) and “Seclusion and restraint: NDRN report” (15 January 2009 on Teach Effectively)

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Seclusion and restraint: US hearings coverage

Reporting for US National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, Joe Shapiro covered the debate about disciplinary methods in schools. In “Discipline Methods Endanger Disabled Kids,” Mr. Shapiro presented different views ahead of hearings that were to be held later today in the US House of Representatives.

The hearings were prompted by the distressing report by the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) about seclusion and restraint in US schools. Although there’s going to be plenty of opportunity for demagoguery and people who follow the hearings will need to separate fact and opinion carefully, the topic is an important one and hearings are merited.

In some cases, the Government Accountability Office report notes, children have died or been injured when they have been tied, taped, handcuffed or pinned down by adults or locked in secluded rooms, often to be left for hours at a time.

The report looking at restraint and seclusion in schools will be released Tuesday at a hearing by the House Committee on Education and Labor. Committee Chairman George Miller, who asked for the GAO report, says it begins to give lawmakers a sense of the frequent use of those methods.

As reported here on Behavior Mod Info previously, there is virtually no need for harsh punishment, seclusion, or restraint in working with children. Mr. Shapiro’s report includes quotes about alternative methods for addressing behavior problems (e.g., functional behavior assessment).

Read Mr. Shapiro’s report. See my notes about “US House to review seclusion and restraint” (here 13 May 2009) and “Seclusion and restraint: NDRN report” (15 January 2009 on Teach Effectively).

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