Preschool Behavior Project


Early Childhood Behavior Project	Preferred Item as a Distractor

Skip navigation	What is using a preferred item as a distractor? Using a preferred item as a distractor is an intervention strategy that consists of presenting an activity or a preferred item to a child during an activity in which challenging behavior occurs. The preferred item is intended to distract the child from conditions (i.e., setting, activity, etc.) that provoke challenging behavior. Who would benefit from using a preferred item as a distractor? A preferred item as a distractor is useful for children who engage in challenging behavior to: escape a task. Each day the children in Thomas's kindergarten class must wait in line by the lunch counter until it is their turn to be served. To avoid standing in line, Thomas hits and pokes other children. avoid a task. Maggie begins swinging her arms and slapping when she is approached with a coat to get ready to go home. obtain or maintain attention. Becky engages in challenging behaviors to gain her teacher's attention when left to work independently at science or art time. While engaging in painting or making a collage, the teacher stops helping Becky so she can attend to others in the group who need help. Throughout this activity, Becky interrupts her teacher by yelling out to get her attention: "Help me” and "Teacher, here.” However, the teacher is not able to provide Becky with immediate attention and thus Becky engages in challenging behavior.

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	Early Childhood Behavior Project Center for Early Education and Development (CEED) University of Minnesota Joe Reichle, Ph.D., Co-Principal Investigators LeAnne Johnson, Project Coordinator Phone: 612-626-3457 E-mail: chaf0032@umn.edu


	College of Education and Human Development	University of Minnesota

	Send questions or comments on the web site to Karen Anderson, Web Site Coordinator. http://pebbles.cehd.umn.edu/ceed/projects/preschoolbehavior/strategies/prefer.htm This page was last updated on November 27, 2007. © 2005 by the Regents of the University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Online privacy statement



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