Lesson 2: Dignity and Behavior Support

Attention

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:

  • Discuss why Behavior Management can sometimes make it difficult to achieve the goals outlined
  • Identify instances where you may not support the Values of Behavior Management
  • Create three examples of ABC relationships that naturally occur in your world

Teaching

In this Lesson we are first going to learn about the Goals and Values of Behavior Management and then we will introduce the ABC Contingency Theory Model that formulates the backbone of the rest of this course.

Goals

The Goals of Behavior Management are pretty much the same as the goals of any model of helping others:

  • Enjoy their lives
  • Live as independently as possible
  • Have a "normal" life
  • Overcome problem behaviors

Consider this though...what if you are working with someone who does not WANT to live independently? How enjoyable is "working on your issues" anyway? What is "normal"...i.e. is MY definition of normal the same as YOURS?

Values

The Values of Behavior Management are pretty straighforward as well:

  • Respect for all citizen's (civil) rights
  • Person-centered support and services
  • Treating all people with dignity
  • Freedom from abuse and neglect

But even these are difficult sometimes...clients may have the RIGHT to lead their lives as they wish, but what if these decisions are self-destructive?

ABC Contingency Theory

The goals of every psychological theory are as follows:

  • Describe
  • Explain
  • Predict
  • Control

Behavior Management, and specifically the ABC Contingency Theory have been the most successful at reaching each of these goals. We will be learning how to manipulate the factors associated with the ABC Contingency Theory in order to bring about behavior change in others.

The ABC Contingency Theory (called the ABC Theory from this point on) defines three components to any behavior observation:

  • Antecedents (the circumstances, place, or situation in which the behavior occurs)
  • Behavior (the actual behavior itself)
  • Consequence (the results of that behavior)

For now we can think of the theory as simply a great way to describe what goes on around us all day:

  • I'm at a store and I'm thirsty
  • I buy a soda
  • I quench my thirst
  • The alarm clock rings
  • I get up
  • I make it to work on time

Can you see how it simply describes and explains out behavior in the world?

Assessment

Lesson 2 Discussion

In this discussion we should review the instances in which it will be difficult to keep true to the Goals and Values of Behavior Management. If these were not a challenge, then we would not need to talk about them! See if you can come up with a unique instance in which it may be difficult to remain true to a goal or value.

Lesson 2 Quiz

  1. In this quiz you are to write out 1 examples of how the ABC Theory manifests in the real world naturally. DO NOT INCLUDE BEHAVIOR PLANS...just naturally occuring example....this is the Descriptive goal of the Theory.