conceptualising 'behaviour' in schools Flashcards
1
Q
why is beh a big deal?
A
- beh can impact CYP e.g. lost learning time, anxiety, distress
- can impact teachers: mental health, burnout, professional attrition
- DfE (2016) statutory duty of schools to enure strong beh policy
2
Q
beh being challenging to define
A
- emotional beh difficulties
- social emotional & beh difficulties
- social emotional mental health difficulties
- beh understood in relation to internal life of child –> beh & its management is understood & perceived differently by diff people
3
Q
EP involvement & behaviour
A
- important to remember difficult beh is an interplay of factors
- CYP often have other needs, learning, comm, social & emotional needs
- SEN are high risk factor for school exclusion
4
Q
law & woods (2018) - EP involvement and behaviour
A
- consultation: provided teachers with organised time to discuss behavioural concerns, share information and learn from one another, which in turn enhanced their behaviour-management skills
- assessment: classroom-based observation of individual children, orr whole-class behaviour, including that of teachers
- interventions: structured manualised interventions and those devised by eps in collaboration with schools, parents and young people
- training: aid delivery of interventions and problem-solving groups relating to behaviour management
5
Q
EPs & problem solving models
A
- student identified/raised as a cause for concern
- assessment of the student’s problem or what it is
- formulation of the student’s problem or why it happens
- intervention or ways of dealing with the problem
- eval of the interventions or its effectiveness
6
Q
psychological approaches EPs & problem solving models
A
- biological
- behavioural
- cognitive(-behavioural)
- social learning
- psychodynamic
- humanistic
- ecosystemic
- ecological
7
Q
biological approach & beh
ayers et al. (2015)
A
- biological and biochemical processes in accounting for behaviour (sometimes referred to ‘within-child’ or medical explanation)
- considers mental disorders to have underlying physical or organic causes. Various approaches within the perspective (behavioural genetics, brain biochemistry, brain anatomy, endocrinology)
8
Q
behavioural approach & beh
ayers et al. (2015)
A
- overt, observable and measurable behaviours and their reinforcement from the environment/others in accounting for behaviour shaping
- based on the theory that an individual’s overt and observable behaviour unless genetically influenced is the result of the individual’s learning. classical, behaviourism, operant
9
Q
cognitive(-behavioural) approach & beh
ayers et al. (2015)
A
- cognitive processes (beliefs, attitudes, expectations and attributions) in accounting for behaviour. combine cognitive and behavioural perspective to link the environment with individual’s thoughts
- different bases (cognitive processes are associated with behaviours; can bring about changes in behaviour; can be assessed, changed and evaluated)
- cline et al. (2023): helpful role in supporting individual change, and group-based interventions, to support social and behavioural development in children
10
Q
social learning approach & beh
A
- observational learning (e.g. role models/others), perceived self-efficacy and expectancies (in & of the social context)
- learning influenced by observational learning; behaviour, cognition and the environment are interconnected and influence each other (reciprocal determinism)
11
Q
humanistic approach & beh
ayers et al. (2015)
A
- self-esteem and potential problems in coping with and exploring feelings in accounting for behaviour
- concerned with the way people function as whole beings that have thoughts and feelings. maximise a pupil’s inherent motivation to learn by minimising factors that undermine or inhibit this process
12
Q
psychodynamic approach & beh
ayers et al. (2015)
A
- unconscious conflicts in early childhood as accounting for current behaviour and the notion of transference & projection of roles
- locates the origin of the maladaptive behaviour in the unconscious functioning of the psyche
13
Q
ecosystemic approach & beh
ayers et al. (2015)
A
- +ve & -ve interactions between teachers and
- students within and outside the school and, relationships and interactions at different levels - are seen as accounting for behaviour
- school behaviour and classroom behaviour as having a reciprocal influence
14
Q
ecological approach & beh
ayers et al. (2015)
A
- the influence of various systems and the broader environment influencing behaviour
- concerned with the functions of the system as a whole and its subsystems; school can be analysed with component subsystem or as a multi-level system
15
Q
application of psychological paradisms to support beh in schools
A
- behavioural approaches: including ABA & FBA
- cog behavioural approaches (Beck, 1976)
- attribution theory (Weiner, 2000; Miller, 2003)
- eco-systemic consultation (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006)
- person-centred (Rogers, 1973)
- psychodynamic approaches (Geddes, 2006; Boorn et al., 2009)
16
Q
applied behavioural analysis
A
- beh depends on & is controlled/influenced by the response it receives
- environmental antecedents make the beh more or less likely to occur
- beh are also increased or decreased by its reinforcing consequences
- Whedall & Merrett (1985)
17
Q
antecedents & consequences
ABA
A
- troubled & challenging serves a function
- may be triggered by particular “setting” conditions
- is sustained by reinforcement
- T&C beh is therefore best understood & addressed by
- B = f(P/E)
- Lewin (1936)
18
Q
rational for ABA in educational settings
A
- Madsen et al. (1968) first published study demonstrated:
- beh learned
- pupils can learn acceptable & productive classroom beh
- changing the env can create the conditions for new beh to be learned
- studied the effects of praise; ignoring & clear statements of rules on inappropriate behs
19
Q
example of reinforcers
A
- material
- symbolic
- activities
- social
- intrinsic
20
Q
dangers of behavioural overkill
wheldall (1981)
A
the use of very powerful reinforcers where a more ‘natural’ reinforcer would suffice
21
Q
punishment
ABA
A
- Madsen et al. (1968) gave prominence to classroom rules, many early subsequent studies (& popular perceptions) became bound up with rewards & punishments
- ABA strategies can be successful without inclusion of punishments
- society’s tolerance for punishment of children steadily decreasing (with some exceptions)
- non-aversive approaches work, staff increasingly vulnerable if they advocate use of punishments
22
Q
sanctions, school exclusion and equity
A
- suspension rate for pupils with an EHCP is 17.63 compared to 4.69 for pupils without SEN
- permanent exclusion rate for pupils with an EHCP is 0.13 compared to 0.05 without SEN
- DfE (2023)
- exclusions within different ethnic groups and poverty as well
23
Q
using ABA in good classroom management
A
- limited classroom rules
- Tsoi & Yule (1976) - using break times as a reinforcer
- Williams (2012) - illustrated ABA underpinnings & +ve effects of differential reinforcement of alternative beh strategy - ‘fair pairs’
- Gable et al. (2009) review of ABA highlighted following features: pupil name, clear praise, statement of specific beh
- good classroom management also included: classroom rules, enforcing rules, +ve expectations, praise for specific beh, planned (safe) ignoring of undesirable behs
24
Q
criticisms of ABA
A
- subjectivity & can lead to observer effects
- teacher & child may behave differently when observed
- difficult to identify direct cause-effect relationship within complex environments
- costs, resources & time involved in assessing & intervening
- ethical concerns re-oppressive practice & misapplication
25
Q
cline et al. (2023) on ABA
further reading
A
- 3 main types of aba strategy: DRA, DRO, differential reinforcement of lower rates of responding
- practice in aba has seen an evolution from a focus on ‘on-task’ behaviour encouraged by changed consequences to a concern with more socially valid and academically useful behaviour and a greater focus on environmental antecedents, and on positive behaviour supports
26
Q
CBT
A
- involves person’s intepretation (thoughts/constructs) of events
- considers the link between these thoughts & feelings & behs
- involves identification of a person’s “faulty” thinking triggering any “dys” functional feelings &/or beh
27
Q
using cog beh interventions to support beh change
A
- be aware of, & manage, their thoughts, behs & emotions
- develop problem-solving skills
- alternative constructive & +ve thinking
- children taught rationale for rules; self-awareness is taught through self-monitoring, self-recording, self instruction & self-restraint skills (Porter, 2005)
28
Q
teacher attributions
attribution theory
A
- attribution = how a beh is explained or what is described as the underlying cause/s
- Weiner (2001) identified 3 dimensions where attributions lie:
- locus - whether cause is internal/external to the person
- stability - whether cause is fixed or can vary
- controllability - whether person is able to control the cause
29
Q
caution & consideration
attribution theory
A
- historically - measuring attributions has been difficult due to challenges of construct & ecological validity
- attribution retraining literature around beh in education setting is minimal. Effect size & duration of impact?
- eliciting cross-system attributions & supporting joint work & objectivity requires skills & careful handling (Miller, 2003)
30
Q
cline et al. (2023) on attribution theories
further reading
A
- attribution theories are concerned with the antecedent conditions to causal attributions, and consider the psychological consequences of these
- significant association between children’s ‘hostile attribution of intent’ towards peers and their aggressive behaviour
31
Q
eco-systemic consultation aims
A
- provide a punctuation point
- bring attributions to surface
- acknowledge & use emotions to facilitate change
- resolve boundary tension
- ‘squaring the triangle’ (Gibbs & Miller, 2014)
32
Q
cline et al. (2023) on ecosystemic approaches
further reading
A
ecosystemic consultation by psychologists can bring different parties together, to include exploration of the implication of differing attributions
33
Q
person centred approaches to beh
A
- child involved in DM
- enhances relevance of curriculum
- using authentic & genuine feedback
- collaborating to solve the problems
- creating reciprocal agreements - how can child be involved
- giving time for reflection
- collaborating with parents
sanderson et al. (2007)
34
Q
psychodynamic approaches to school discipline
A
- beh in school can be managed by understanding a child’s “IWM” & current patterns of family relationships
- establishing +ve & secure relationships with key school staff
- establishing a ‘nurturing’ envs & a sense of belonging in school
- use of Nurture principles, Nurture groups (Bennathan & Boxall, 2000), nurture class or school
- behs in context of an unmet need
- attachment to schools/school belonging promotes acceptance inclusion and respect
35
Q
moore et al. (2019)
further reading
A
- research suggests that both: (1) understanding of pupil behaviour and (2) how best to train and support teachers to manage pupil behaviour is contested
- ineffective classroom management can lead to pupil disengagement, aggression, low attendance and bullying
