PSYCHOLOGY - MyHope

Creating Meaning

Say you are in your 20s or 30s or 40s, and feeling depressed and hopeless. Perhaps you feel your situation is so bleak and hopeless that you are considering suicide. Now imagine yourself in your 80s. Looking back, how would your 80-year-old self tell your life story? Perhaps you have a pet that you rescued […]

Taking Responsibility

Step up to the plate. Take charge. Make it happen. Do something. Speak up. You’ve heard these admonitions and probably many others. But it’s always easier said than done. Whether you’re concerned about the state of the world, the nation, your neighborhood, or your organization, you probably know the feeling. You’ve found a problem and […]

Workshop Intake Sheet

Teacher’s Name (optional): ______________ 1. How many children are in your classroom? 2. What is the age range of the children in your classroom? 3. How many children in your classroom have a diagnosis of Autism or PDDNOS? 4. How many children in your classroom could serve as peer models for socialization? 5. For the […]

Behaviors Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ADS) in School Situations

Definition of Autism Eligibility in IDEA According to the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (http://nichcy.org/disability/categories): “The IDEA’s disability terms and definitions guide how States in their own turn define disability and who is eligible for a free appropriate public education under special education law. …Note, in order to fully meet the definition (and […]

Autism Spectrum Disorders – Lecture for Physician Assistants

Autism Spectrum Disorders A Lecture for Physician Assistants (August 2013)Presented by: Susan Hepburn, Ph.D., Assoc. Professor, Depts. Of Psychiatry & Pediatrics/JFK PartnersUniversity of Colorado School of Medicine. e-mail: Susan.hepburn@ucdenver.edu Objectives: To provide future health care professionals with a succinct overview of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), including signs & symptoms at different ages and basic facts […]

Activities for Teaching Behavior Management

I. Theories of Behavior 1. Observe a child trying to complete a task (e.g., toileting, completing a puzzle, etc.) Write a list of all of the discrete behaviors which are linked in the completion of that task. Observe another child completing that task and record for each step if the child performed the task independently […]

Tips For Using Peer Partners Effectively

Provide training for peer partners and allow opportunities for practice Conduct play sessions every day Keep play sessions brief Conduct play sessions in a well-defined free play area Limit the number of toys available Use preferred toys and activities Have a specific objective for each play session (e.g., put a puzzle together, play nerf basketball) […]

Three Methods for Increasing Desired Behaviors

1. Catching the good behavior when it occurs naturally and reinforcing it. Your child learns best when reinforcement is: Immediate Natural to the situation Frequent Predictable 2. Teaching the good behavior by setting up situations when it can occur. Your child learns best when: Expectations are concrete, small Rewards are predictable and consistent He/she always […]

Behavior Management: Resources

Durand, V.M. (1990). Severe Behavior Problems: A Functional Communication Training Approach. New York: Guilford Press. Foxx, R.M. (1982). Decreasing Behaviors of Severely Retarded and Autistic Persons. Champaign, IL: Research Press. Foxx, R.M. (1982). Increasing Behaviors of Severely Retarded and Autistic Persons. Champaign, IL: Research Press. Koegel, K.L., Koegel, R.L., & Dunlap, G. (1996). Positive Behavioral […]

Techniques for Reducing Problem Behaviors

I. GENERAL INTERVENTION GUIDELINES 1. Always try these techniques at home first, where you have greater control over your environment. 2. Be prepared for your child’s behavior to get worse before it gets better. 3. These techniques become more effective over repeated, consistent use. 4. The best way to judge whether the intervention is working […]

Main Points of Behavior Management Training

I. Theories of Behavior 1. Behaviors are observable phenomena which can be: A. Defined in concrete terms B. Altered by changing aspects of the environment 2. Behavior is influenced by the interaction of these factors: A. Characteristics of the child (e.g., learning style, motivation, etc..) Effects of autism includes discussion of social, communication, and sensory […]

Supporting Persistence in Children with Developmental Disabilities

“Persistence,” “mastery motivation,” “goal-directedness,” “causality,” “agency” are all terms that can be applied to understanding how an individual perceives his or her competence in impacting the environment or responding to task demands. Although the terminology differs depending upon one’s theoretical orientation, there is consensus across conceptual fields on the following concepts: (1) The processes of […]