On 29 May 2003, Mark A. Casteel wrote: > A former student from my developmental psych class contacted me via > email last week with a problem she's having in the day care where she > works. The problem involves a young girl who is biting other children.
As an armchair psychologist, in reading over the description of what was done, I wonder whether the aversive used (very brief in-class time out) was too timid for this severe behavior problem. It's important to use the least restrictive treatment that will work before applying something stronger, but it should not be so gentle that it's ineffective, as has occurred here. For example, the student's description says this: > Removing the child from the room could possibly work, but we are not > allowed to do that. David Campbell made the sensible suggestion that the child be expelled from the daycare. But while this protects the other children, it does little to help socialize this child, to her detriment. But if the parents are faced with the possibility that their child will be banned from the day care, perhaps they could be persuaded instead to give permission for the child to receive a time- out in which she is removed from the room. A time-out in isolation is likely to be more effective than the in-class one described here, which requires an adult to give attention to the child while trying to make her sit in the corner. In fact, the description of the time- out and the child's response suggests that it's very unlikely to be effective. To quote from the description: "Time outs have been used in a chair in the corner (she refused to sit unless someone was right on top of her giving her direct attention (reinforcing the wrong behavior, because she was getting attention for misbehaving)" and "She has resorted to swinging her arms trying to hit who ever is putting her in time out" That kind of attention-getting tussling is not what time-out is supposed to be. And although it will provokes controversy, if the alternative is being kicked out, it might be possible to get agreement to try a cold water spray as a stronger aversive. It has the additional advantage that its application could be applied much sooner after an incident, and it will certainly get her attention in a way that a time-out never could. > One thing we found that worked the > best (but did not stop the behavior)was putting her in a high chair > facing the wall, but that associates the eating chair with bad > behavior not eating. I think that concern is misplaced. I would be surprised if the use of a high chair for restraint had any detrimental effect on the child's eating in a high chair at a table at mealtime. If the high chair technique shows promise, I'd give it another shot. >She is being made to sit for a minute in a half > if not more. A minute and a half is a very brief period of time out. I'd suggest extending it to up to 10 minutes, and ensuring that the time-out isn't ended until the child is calm and collected. I also wonder whether enough is being done to explicitly "catch the child being good". Is there an an attempt to reinforce the child when she's observed in appropriate social play? This is not quite the same thing as the child "getting lots of attention" as is claimed. My final suggestion is to find some alternative behaviour that might keep her mouth busy. It's a long shot, but I wonder if chewing gum might do it (I know, against the rules, but so is biting, and the school unwillingly tolerates that). Or perhaps a pacifier? In summary: Consider more effective time-outs. Make them longer, give the high chair method another chance and, if it fails, move to time- out in isolation. If that fails, try a stronger aversive, such as a cold water spray. Simultaneously reinforce her for appropriate social behaviour, and try to find some alternative response that will keep her mouth busy. Otherwise I endorse Paul Brandon's suggestion that an expert in child behaviour management be called in. Stephen ______________________________________________________________ Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Dept web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy TIPS discussion list for psychology teachers at http://www.frostburg.edu/dept/psyc/southerly/tips _________________________________________________________ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
