Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Chapter Four Managing Challenging Behaviour
Groden, J., and LeVasseur, P.(1995)
“Cognitive picture rehearsal: A system
to teach self-control,” in Teaching
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders:
Strategies to Enhance Communication
and Socialization.
• identifying the reinforcers that follow the appropriate behaviour
(e.g., a special treat at the end of the gym class)
• providing the student with pictorial or photographic representations
of this chain of events and giving instruction using these
pictures so that she or he is familiar with the sequence of the
antecedent, the behaviour, and the reinforcer
• rehearsing this sequence before going into the stressful situation
(e.g., provide practice going to the gym, experiencing a loud
noise, putting on headphones, and returning to class for a special
treat), and support with pictures
• using the sequence in the situation where there was a problem
with self-control and keep the pictures close by so they can be
referred to if needed
The individual should identify his own responses to distressing
situations. One effective means of doing this is Tony Attwood’s use
of a pictorial thermometer to identify stressors and responses.
Strategies for promoting independence and self-management are
outlined in the “Strategies for social skills training” section in
Chapter 3, Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Reactive or consequence-based interventions
Positive programming strategies that focus on increasing student
competence and making the necessary accommodations to physical
setting, materials, and instruction are the most successful in facilitating
long-term behavioural change. However, designing a planned reaction
to a behaviour to maintain order and safety in the classroom is essential.
Everyone involved with the student must be prepared to react to
specific behaviours in a consistent way and with the same consequences.
Likewise, staff responsible for carrying out the plan need to have the
skills and knowledge about behavioural principles to set up and carry
out the planned consequences.
In general, there are three major types of reactive techniques:
• ignoring the behaviour
• using redirection, and
• removing the reinforcements.
62 Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders