PROACTIVE STRATEGIES Strategy Brief Description What does this look like? When to use it What does this look like for the person you support? Positive Positive or neutral social Throughout the day, staff Problem behavior attention given functions to get Attention initiate positive on behavior and attention interactions with the occurs more frequently than person, regardless of what problem behavior occurs. they are currently doing. Pre-specify Before asking the person to Talking about tasks in terms Problem behavior do a task, identify a desirable of preferred activities or functions to avoid reinforcer activity or item that will occur items that will occur after tasks/activities after completing the task. the task is done. Emphasize the reinforcer instead of the task. Collaboration Working with the person on a Knowing a person tries to Problem behavior difficult or unpleasant task in avoid doing dishes, offer help functions to avoid order to make them easier, completing the task when tasks/activities or quicker, more fun, and presenting it. maintain attention increase the chance they complete the task. Offer help BEFORE problem behavior occurs. Schedules Written schedule or pictures Have a sequence of activities Problem behavior to indicate what activity is or tasks available to help the functions to avoid first, what is next, and what person see what they’re day task/activity comes later. looks like when they have termination or sudden trouble switching from one activity changes task to the next.
PROACTIVE STRATEGIES Strategy Brief Description What does this look like? When to use it What does this look like for the person you support? Positive Attention Positive or neutral social attention given on behavior and occurs more frequently than problem behavior occurs. Throughout the day, staff initiate positive interactions with the person, regardless of what they are currently doing. Problem behavior functions to get attention Pre-specify reinforcer Before asking the person to do a task, identify a desirable activity or item that will occur after completing the task. Emphasize the reinforcer instead of the task. Talking about tasks in terms of preferred activities or items that will occur after the task is done. Problem behavior functions to avoid tasks/activities Collaboration Working with the person on a difficult or unpleasant task in order to make them easier, quicker, more fun, and increase the chance they complete the task. Offer help BEFORE problem behavior occurs. Knowing a person tries to avoid doing dishes, offer help completing the task when presenting it. Problem behavior functions to avoid tasks/activities or maintain attention Schedules Written schedule or pictures to indicate what activity is first, what is next, and what comes later. Have a sequence of activities or tasks available to help the person see what they’re day looks like when they have trouble switching from one task to the next. Problem behavior functions to avoid task/activity termination or sudden activity changes
proactive-strategies-planning-worksheet.docx