How might a child use a socially appropriate response to request a break?

A request for a break may be accomplished by using spoken, gestural, and/or graphic symbols. A child may verbally indicate a desire for a break by saying I need to rest. Another child may touch a graphic symbol for Break, please. A third child may indicate this desire by signing Break.

How do you teach a request for a break?

Reinforce the absence of challenging behavior. The interventionist should use the time or minimum number of discrete tasks prior to escape-motivated challenging behavior that was identified during functional assessment procedures to determine when to deliver a break opportunity. The interventionist should require a duration or frequency of engagement prior to offering a break that is apt to result in success with no challenging behavior during most instructional opportunities. As the interventionist approaches the point at which a break is to be offered, he or she should say Wanna take a break? To enhance the value of break time, arrange a choice of preferred activities in which the child might participate during his break. This will provide negative reinforcement (escape from task) as well as positive reinforcement (access to preferred activities).

• If possible, select reinforcers that can be accessed during break that are consumed or that naturally dissipate to minimize the struggle associated with disengagement.
  
• Select reinforcer(s) that can only be obtained contingent on successfully returning to work. (They should not be able to be obtained at other times.)

Prompt the request a break response. Once a history has been established in which the child can successfully be released from the activity without challenging behavior, the interventionist can begin to teach the child to request a break. The form of the prompt selected will depend on the communicative mode that has been selected. When relying on speech, it is important that the child reliably act on an adult spoken model. Alternatively, raising one's hand is a very functional gesture that is readily understood in classroom settings. Often, with candidates for an augmentative communication system, a graphic symbol has been useful.

Just prior to the critical event, the interventionist should deliver an instructional prompt for the child to request a break. With a graphic symbol, this can be accomplished by placing the symbol in front of the child just prior to release from break. Allow several seconds for the child to touch the symbol. If he does not, deliver the least intrusive prompt that results in him quickly touching the symbol. As soon as the symbol is touched, release the child to his break. Typically, most-to-least prompts are used if the child is willing to receive the instructional prompt. Being able to quickly prompt a response approximation during the early phases of intervention typically enhances the efficiency of the new communicative alternative from the child's perspective.

It is important for the interventionist to avoid prompting the child to perform the request for a break response following the occurrence of the challenging behavior. This could lead to the chaining of the communicative replacement to the challenging behavior. For example, consider this sequence of events: (1) child throws his materials onto the floor, (2) teacher prompts the child to produce the request a break response, (3) teacher release child to a break. It is likely that the child will begin to chain the behaviors each time the child engages in this behavior (throw materials + touch symbol) as a request for a break. Another undesirable possibility is that the child will learn to first engage in throwing materials and then, if not immediately reinforced, produce the desired request a break response of touching the Break symbol.

If challenging behavior is produced before the desired response is produced, the interventionist may follow either one or a combination of the following procedures:

• Refrain from releasing the child to a break.
  
• Wait until challenging behavior has subsided prior to providing another opportunity to produce a request for a break (the length of time the interventionist waits is determined on an individual basis).

Increase the degree of participation in the activity. Eventually the break symbol should be available at the beginning of the activity. At some point, the interventionist may wish to teach the child to more carefully consider when to use a break symbol. This may be accomplished by manipulating the consequences associated with a break symbol and with increased activity participation. The goal of this procedural step is to make the reinforcement value much greater if the child decides to persevere in the activity. By doing so, the child not only gains negative reinforcement (release from the activity), he/she also gains positive reinforcement (a highly reinforcing item/activity during the break).

Alternatively, if the child finds it necessary to request a break, he/she receives negative reinforcement (release from the activity). However, during the break, powerful positive reinforcers are not made available.

The interventionist should approach the child and explain that a highly preferred reinforcer will be available contingent upon completing a prespecified amount of work without taking a break. The interventionists should also explain that it is okay to take a break if it is needed but that the negotiated reinforcer will not be available if a break is taken.

Specify an amount/duration of work that the child should easily be able to accomplish. If the child meets the criterion, deliver the agreed-upon positive reinforcer.

If the child requests a break, honor it but make sure that few positive reinforcers are available during break time.

Dropdown menu

Joe Reichle, Ph.D., Co-Principal Investigators
LeAnne Johnson, Project Coordinator
Phone: 612-626-9528 Fax: 612-625-6619 E-mail: chaf0032@umn.edu

[Home] | [Personnel] | [Presentations] | [Strategies] | [Case Studies] | [Discussion] | [Links] | [Contact Us]