Emerging Research and Issues in Behavioral Disabilities by Landrum Timothy J.;Cook Bryan G.;Tankersley Melody;

Author:Landrum, Timothy J.;Cook, Bryan G.;Tankersley, Melody;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited
Published: 2018-11-07T00:00:00+00:00

Individualized Prevention

As previously mentioned, behavior is functional and communicative (Rose, 2017), where bullying represents a specific subset of peer aggression (Swearer & Hymel, 2015). Given the functionality of aggression, including bullying, the behaviors are reinforced and maintained by external controls (Cooper et al., 2007). To determine the functionality of aggressive or bullying behaviors, as well as devise a specific strategy for increasing skill development, teachers could conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and craft behavior intervention plans (BIPs). In brief, the FBA process includes operationally defining the target behavior, establishing a hypothesis regarding the functionality of the behavior, assessing the context in which the behavior occurs (and does not occur), reviewing broad sources of data (e.g., interviews, record reviews, behavior rating scales), and collecting observational data that evaluates the antecedents, behavior, and consequences (i.e., actual consequence, perceived function; Hirsch, Bruhn, Lloyd, & Katsiyannis, 2017). These sources of information are used to establish a BIP that is individualized, based on student need, and designed to increase socially appropriate skill development. Overall, the BIP is designed to provide students with socially appropriate and functionally equivalent skills, provide direction on environmental modifications and behavioral prompting, and establish adequate and appropriate reinforcers (Hirsch et al., 2017). The FBA/BIP process is commonly used for youth with BD, and it can be a valuable tool for teachers to determine the function of aggressive, or bullying, behaviors and devise a plan for decreasing bullying involvement, while increase socially appropriate skills (Rose, 2017).

In addition to the FBA/BIP process, teachers can use the individualized education program (IEP) to address concerns regarding bullying and to systematically evaluate skill acquisition for youth with BD. Specifically, the IEP is designed to provide students with disabilities meaningful educational benefit (Yell, 2012), and involvement in bullying can impede the educational outcomes for youth who are involved (Cornell et al., 2013; Espelage, Hong, et al., 2013). PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center (2016) offered guidance for addressing bullying within the IEP. Strategies recommended by PACER (2016) include identifying an adult to whom the student can make a report, establishing a reporting and documentation protocol, increasing education, and awareness opportunities for students and staff, educating and enforcing district bully prevention policies, and establishing safeguards where the student feels supported within the social and educational environment. In addition to supportive strategies, the IEP can be used as a tool to increase skill development. For example, the IEP team can craft annual, measureable goals and short-term objectives designed to teach, monitor, and increase social and functional skills (Rose, 2017). Therefore, the mechanisms by which students receive special education services can also be used as targeted approaches for increasing skill development and decreasing involvement in bullying.

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