Behavior can be termed as the way human beings act which may be according to different environments that a person socializes with. One can develop positive or negative behavior depending on the factors present in a particular environment. Behavioral interventions are steps taken so that they can enforce the positive behaviors learned. Also, they try to reduce and eliminate the negative behaviors that disturb a person's way of conducting him/herself in their environments (Dequinzio, Townsend, Sturmey, & Poulson, 2007). When conducting such an experiment a behavior intervention plan is created so that it is easy to monitor the patient and check whether there are improvements. This essay takes a look at some of these behavioral weaknesses such as autism. It will, therefore, address this behavior and state procedures taken to solve the weakness.
Problem Definition
Kim a 6-year old child has lately been diagnosed with autism where he had difficulty in socializing with others and also talking to them. After the child had been diagnosed he started receiving the intervention therapies on speech and some developmental therapies. After these therapies, his length of words is not more than 2 words and has started engaging in daily living skills. Despite this change, the mother to this child says that he is very choosy when it comes to meals where it also takes him time to complete the food after much struggle (Dequinzio, Townsend, Sturmey, & Poulson, 2007). His favorite food if French fries and if they are not provided he runs away from the table and throws the food away. If his parents continue to tell him to eat, the behavior changes and he starts to kick and bite his parents. The parents further tried to tie him with a karate belt on his chair so that he would stay on the table. Since that incident, the child never went to the table and his parents have to seclude a plate of French fries on the coffee table so that he can eat at his own time. Three weeks passed and the child barely ate anything else apart from the French fries and his health started to suffer from improper diet. His doctor has confirmed that he had no allergies to any type of food or any problems affecting his food passage and the chewing process.
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Problem Analysis
According to my results on functional behavior assessment, it clear that his behaviors are maintained by the negative reinforcement by having to escape to eat the food he less prefers (Wiley Interscience, 2010). His behavior is not enforced by the providence of French fries and this behavior of disliking some foods ends when this non-preferred food is taken away even when there are no French fries at that time. His behavior of avoiding some foods may be caused by intense and unknown fears such as talking to people or he may even fear insects such as spiders. His fears may be the main cause of this behavior. I, therefore, carried out a behavior avoidance test on him since it would help solve his several phobias (Williams, & Vollmer 2014). With the help of the parents, I noticed that from the time Kim was toddler no one paid attention to talking to him and he, therefore, become slow to speak. I also realized that the child was never rewarded or appreciated even when he is right which has resulted in his behavior of being choosy and has been his greatest weakness (Harrison, & Pyles, 2013). It was a great task but bit by bit I had to intervene and help change his behavior which would also help improve the other therapies he was undergoing.
First I provided him a set of toys and played with him with the toys which he seemed to enjoy and was very energetic throughout the time we played. As we played I would pick stickers of insects and he would become furious since he could not differentiate the real insect and the presented picture. I would then show him that it cannot do any harm to him and he would be satisfied. As I interacted with him, I would sometimes take peanuts and eat where after I ate he would ask for some. I ate a different kind of food together with him and he seemed to take interest in other foods as long as none forced him to take it (Jerome, Frantino, & Sturmey, 2007). Depending on what was presented to him he behaved differently which was an improvement to his previous behavior. About the change of Kim's behavior, operant conditioning is occurring where depending on what is provided in the environment he is interacting with it influences his actions positively and negatively. Therefore, to maintain the improvement of Kim towards his choosy behavior on other foods apart from French fries, the person who is with him during his mealtime should not force him to take the food as this would make him reluctant but should give him company and eat the same type of food he is taking.
Conclusion
Taking into consideration on Kim's, behavior assessment tries to find out what conditions in the environment leads to certain behaviors. In the assessment personal differences are considered and may sometimes be the reason behind the adaptive behavior depending on the environment presented. Behavior interventions have helped to teach Kim that other types of food are also good despite his constant interest in French fries. I would there recommend that the person taking care of Kim during his mealtime should be appreciating his after taking any food. Rewarding him would also help to positively reinforce the behavior.
References
Dequinzio, A. J., Townsend, D. B., Sturmey, P. & Poulson, C. L. (2007). Generalized imitation of facial models by children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40 (4), 755–759.
Jerome, J., Frantino, E. P. & Sturmey, P. (2007). The effects of errorless learning and backward chaining on the acquisition of internet skills in adults with developmental disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40 (1), 185–189.
Harrison, A. M. & Pyles, D. A. (2013). The effects of verbal instruction and shaping to improve tackling by high school football players. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46 (2), 518–522
Williams, D. E. & Vollmer T. R. (2014). Essential components of written behavior treatment plans. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 36 (2015), 323-327.
