During the epidemic period and after school resumes, due to changes in the way of living and learning caused by home restrictions, coupled with the psychological pressure, many parents have reported that their children have repeated behavior problems of varying degrees such as non-compliance, temper tantrums, and even aggression towards others or themselves. These behaviors not only hinder children’s learning and socialization, but also affect their emotion, safety, other people and the surrounding environment. Hence, the behaviors must be addressed as early as possible.
Behavioral issues are complicated, constantly changing and are affected by many different factors. Behavior management strategies are diverse and vary from person to person. The following ten steps hopefully can help address different behavior problems of children with autism:
1. Understand the child’s physical condition and background
For example: age, growth and development, diagnosis history, physical condition, preferences, strengths, weaknesses, learning style, etc.
2. Establish behavioral problems and severity
Clearly define behavioral issues: What does it mean to lose your temper? Crying? Screaming? Whining? Hitting someone with a fist? Rolling on the ground? Analyze the negative consequences of behavior problems, that is, risk factors, directly affect the intensity and urgency of behavior management strategies.
3. Analyze the nature and function of the behavior
Is the behavior problem involuntary? Or is it a means to achieve certain goals?
4. Assess child abilities
Knowing what a child can and cannot do help us to identify socially significant behaviors that children should learn to do.
5. Develop reactive and procative behavior management strategies
If the behavior problem is involuntary, it is necessary to relieve the child’s anxiety and improve their ability to resist stress. If the behavior problem is manipulative, the focus is to identify possible functions and to teach alternative or replacement behavior according to the child’s ability.
6. Effective use of reinforcement
Reinforcement motivates learning and is the backbone of teaching.7. Ensure consistency
The family and significant others work together and help each other.
8. Stay calm and positive
The prerequisite is to have a positive relationship with the child and have enough reinforcement to motivate children to learn. When behavior problems occur, react calmly. The best time is to teach and manage the issue when the child behaves well.
9. Objectively measure progress, review results and make adjustments
Check whether the child’s behavioral problems have decreased, and more importantly, whether the desirable behaviors have increased. If the effect is not good, we must change the strategies. If the progress is good, we should increase expectations and facilitate the child to perform in different situations.
10. Seek professional assistance
If no significant progress is being observed, it is recommended to seek the assistance from qualified and experienced professionals as soon as possible.
Information provided by:
Raymond Fung, M.S. ABA, BCBA (Autism Partnership Training Director) |
Raymond Fung Raymond is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with a Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from St. Cloud State University, and currently pursuing his doctoral degree at the University of Bristol in education. Raymond was the clinical director of 2 AP international offices, a conference chair of Hong Kong Association for Behaivor Analysis (HKABA), and a part-time lecturer of a master program of ASD in the Open University of Hong Kong. For over 20 years, Raymond has been teaching individuals with ASD of different ages and functioning levels in 1 on 1, group and school settings at Autism Partnership under the on-going training from Dr. Ron Leaf and his associates. Since 2004, he has been specializing in professional training for therapists, supervisors, schoolteachers, and parents internationally. In 2014-15, Raymond developed 6 mobile applications for individuals with ASD. He consults in China, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Korea, South Africa, and Russia. Currently, he is the training director of AP Hong Kong, and the voluntary consultant of AP Foundation. Raymond has been actively promoting autism awareness and effective treatment by conducting workshops, writing articles for his 2 columns, and hosting a radio program. |
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[:zh]對於患有自閉症的兒童，都會表現出不同程度的行為問題，例如：發脾氣，尖叫，大吵大鬧，離座，亂衝亂撞，隨處抓東西，擲物，甚至打人和自殘等。這些滋擾性行為，不但防礙孩子的學習和社交能力，而且會影響個人情緖、自身安全，別人和周圍環境，必須及早正視。
疫情期間及開學復課後，由於居家限制引起的生活學習方式變，加之心理壓力的相互作用，很多家長都反映孩子出現了不同程度行為問題的反復。行為問題複雜多變，受不同因素影響；管理方法多樣，因人而異。以下十個步驟，希望有助管理患有自閉症兒童不同的行為問題：
1. 了解小孩生理狀況和背景
例如：年紀，成長發展，診斷歴史，身體狀況，喜好，強項，不足，學習模式等。
2. 確立行為問題和嚴重程度
清楚定義行為問題：發脾氣是什麼意思？哭？尖叫？罵人？用拳頭打人？在地上滾來滾去？分析行為問題的負面後果，亦即風險因素，直接影響行為管理策略的強度和急切性。
3. 分析行為的性質和功能
行為問題是身不由己？還是一種手段以達到某些目的？
4. 評估小孩能力
了解小孩能夠做什麼，和不能夠做什麼，可以幫助制定小孩學習應做的行為。
5. 制定即時及積極的行為管理策略
若行為問題是身不由己，便要舒緩小孩的不安，和提升他們的抗壓能力；若行為問題是一種手段，重點是要治本，根據小孩的能力，教導應做的行為。
6. 有效運用強化物
強化物是小孩學習的動力來源。
7. 確保一致性
一家人和相關人士，同心合力，互相幫忙。
8. 冷靜正面實行
先決條件是要跟小孩有正面關係，並有足夠的強化物作鼓勵；當行為問題出現時冷靜作出即時對策，但最佳時機還是要在小孩沒有行為問題時正面進行教導和管理。
9. 客觀量度進度，檢討效果及作出調整
檢視小孩的行為問題有沒有減少，更重要的是該做的行為有沒有增加。效果不佳，便要改變對策；效果良好，應調高目標，期望更佳表現，和讓他們在不同情況表現出來。
10. 尋找專業人士協助
若小孩的情況沒有明顯改善，建議及早尋找合資格有經驗的專業人士協助。
資訊提供:
馮耀文 應用行為分析碩士, 國際認證行為分析師 (Autism Partnership 行為分析治療培訓總監) |
馮耀文 馮耀文(Raymond)為國際認證行為分析師 (BCBA)，擁有聖克勞德州立大學「應用行為分析」碩士(M.S. ABA)學位，現正修讀布里斯托大學的教育博士(EdD)課程；他曾任2所AP海外支部的臨床總監，香港行為分析學會 (HKABA) 會議主席，香港公開大學自閉症碩士課程兼任講師。Raymond自2000年香港大學畢業後便加入Autism Partnership (AP) 成為行為分析治療師，同時繼續進修並接受自閉症治療權威專家Dr. Ronald Leaf 和其顧問團隊的培訓。Raymond治療不同程度患有自閉症的兒童、青少年及成年人超過20年，不僅為本地個案、小組及學校提供支援，亦定期前往世界各地培訓治療師及提供諮詢服務，包括新加坡、日本、南韓、菲律賓、中國、馬來西亞及南非等地。 他現正擔任香港AP的行為分析治療培訓總監，愛培自閉症基金義務顧問。2014-15年，Raymond開發了6個以「應用行為分析」(ABA) 概念而設的iPad互動學習應用程式。2016年，開發了一個專為中學生而設的到校社交課程 ACTION! 。近年，Raymond積極推廣關顧自閉症，曾為香港電影擔任自閉症顧問，並為《親子頭條》及《Oh!爸媽》定期撰寫專欄。2018年與幾位自閉症成年朋友製作廣播節目《星球人有話兒2》，節目於香港電台廣播。 |
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