Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You continue seeing Sue as a client.
"OK, Sue. You've been doing really well. Now, suddenly, you're
getting in fights, talking back and wanting to leave. What's really going
on with you?" You want to hear what is going on directly from Sue -- and learn
how you could help.
Sue's mouth instantly drops open and she starts to cry. No one's
ever asked Sue what was really going on. Most times, people just start screaming
and kick her out.
Then Sue starts talking. Apparently, your reinforcement rewards were causing
it. You thought special house privileges would make Sue feel special. And
they did -- for a while.
Then her friends started picking on her and calling her "Queenie" and "Princess."
Sue realized her friends were jealous -- but it didn't make any difference.
She knew she wouldn't fit in as long as she was receiving special house
privileges. That's why she was fighting.
Talking to Sue made all the difference. You realized that changing Sue's
rewards may improve her actions -- and your old rewards were reinforcing the
wrong behavior. Instead of special house privileges, Sue named what she really
wanted as her reward -- a new library book.
Success! You changed Sue's reward and her behavior changed. Sue later
left your program and went back to school. Congratulations!
"The way I deal with 'treatment stalls' is to sit and review
my case notes, where I will often find the answer in front of me. I meet with
my staff to see if they can identify where the stall lies. Following this,
I sit down with the client or the family and we confront it as a team. Progress
is not always defined by the tangible," says Tannis Antonio,
behavioral analyst.