Case Studies in the Management of Inappropriate Behaviors during Prevocational Training

Abstract

This paper presents four case studies that demonstrate the use of different management strategies to decrease or eliminate the undesirable behaviors of clients in a prevocational training program. The presentations and discussions focus upon the simultaneous pursuit of skill training and behavior management rather than working towards these two objectives sequentially, e.g., first behavior management and then skill training. The rationale for this approach is that discouraging inappropriate behaviors should be accompanied by procedures that encourage appropriate ones. In the prevocational program, appropriate behavior was defined as correct responses to specific training tasks. The four cases include such problem behaviors as excessive out-of-seat and running behaviors, incessant and irrelevant verbal behavior, screaming and shrieking, excessive hysterial laughing, refusal to work, self-biting, self-pinching, violent tantruming, and noncompliance. The tactics that were employed to control, decrease, and/or eliminate these behaviors include shaping, differential reinforcement of other behaviors, ignoring, timeout, and negative reinforcement. In all cases, the management strategies were in effect while new skills were trained. The clients received positive reinforcers for appropriate task responses while being discouraged from responding inappropriately.