Behavior Plans 101

Most children need some sort of structure in order to learn to monitor their own behavior and behave in an appropriate manner. Behavior plans can be extremely helpful in providing that structure and reinforcing positive behaviors. However, plans are most effective when they are simple, don't try to accomplish too much at once, have the child's input in the development of it, are consistently enforced, and have appropriate incentives/consequences integrated into the plan.

While a whole chapter or even a book could be devoted to explaining how to develop and implement a behavior plan, here are some basic strategies to use when developing your own plan:

1) Identify three target behaviors that you most want to address with your child. For instance, this may be hitting his or her sibling, name calling when angry, and not showering unless repeatedly prompted to do so. It is important for a plan not to focus on more than three behaviors to start, because it can be overwhelming for the child and parents to monitor more than three behaviors initially. Once the initial behaviors are under control, you can replace a behavior with an additional one that needs to be addressed.

2)Sit down with your child, explain your concerns about specific behaviors, and talk to him or her about wanting to help them to avoid getting into trouble and being better able to manage their own behavior/activities. Ask your child for suggestions on things that they want to work on, and if they are reasonably appropriate, include that as at least one of the three target behaviors to include in the initial plan. Write out criteria with your child's input for what constitutes appropriate or inappropriate behavior related to a target behavior. For instance, if hitting his or her sibling is a target behavior, you could list out any physical contact that uses force or is inappropriate (i.e., hitting, pinching, kicking, punching). For showering as an example, you could give your child three warnings when it is time to shower and if they do not willingly begin preparing to shower by the third warning, they do not earn points towards the incentive. 

3) A formal points system should be developed as part of the behavior plan. A child should earn a specific number of points (determined before the plan is implemented) for completing target behaviors appropriately (i.e. showering, not hitting sibling when upset if he or she normally would). Your child can also lose a pre-specified amount of points for not following the criteria of the behavior plan (i.e., having to be asked more than three times to shower). Before the plan is implemented, you should sit down with your child and develop incentives that can be "bought" by earning a set number of points. A set of consequences for losing points due to misbehavior should also be decided upon before the plan is implemented. Consequences need to be appropriate for the severity of the infraction. These should all be written down before the plan is implemented. 

4) Incentives should be small initially and provided daily to start. To determine incentives, figure out what your child really likes, but does not normally receive. If you choose items that your child can easily get normally, they will not be as motivated to participate in the behavior plan. Possible small incentives include: a special dessert, extra video/screen time (if you regulate this time normally), and playing a game with you after dinner. Slightly bigger incentives that could be used for multiple days or a week of earning points may include: renting a movie of his or her choosing (as long as it is appropriate), ordering pizza/going out to dinner at a restaurant of your child's choice, and renting a video game. Bigger incentives for longer term adherence to the plan could include: getting a new movie, video game, being taken to an arcade/amusement park, or new clothing/accessories.

5) Consequences for misbehavior should fit the severity of the infraction. They also should clearly dictate how long the consequence is valid for (i.e., no TV time for the rest of the evening). Small consequences may include: limited TV/video game time, loss of ipod for a specific period of time, no dessert, or slightly earlier bedtime. Bigger consequences may include: not being able to participate in a sports game (use this one with caution, especially if your child has self-esteem issues), not allowed to spend time with friends for a specific period of time (should not be for more than a day or two or a weekend), and loss of video games for multiple days.

6) Make sure the list of incentives and consequences, as well as the corresponding number of points, are clearly written out and put in a chart or table. This will help both you and your child remember the specifics of the plan. 

7) To keep track of points, there are a few options. If you have a smartphone, you can use apps such as Kid Pointz to record points and children can view their points on an ipod, tablet, or computer at home. You can also use a paper chart with the following titles: Target Behavior, Points Earned, Points Lost, Reward/Consequence Used. You can hang the chart in a specific place in your home or create a version that you can carry with you. 

These are just some basic suggestions to get you started with creating your own behavior plan for your child. This list is not exhaustive of things that you could include or ways to develop and implement the plan. Regardless of how you choose to develop and create a behavior plan, make sure to keep it simple and if you find that you cannot easily keep track of points, revamp the plan. Consistency with this type of plan is crucial to changing problematic behavior. If you find that you need assistance developing or implementing the plan, you can always seek out a psychologist or other mental health professional to assist you.

For daily updates on useful articles, you can also follow The Heller Psychology Group on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HellerPsych and 
Facebook: Facebook.com/HellerPsychology

Dr. Carey Heller is a licensed psychologist with The Heller Psychology Group LLC in Bethesda, Maryland. He specializes in work with children, adolescents, and young adults, and is happy to answer questions and provide consultations for individuals who are considering pursuing treatment or an evaluation for their child, adolescent, or themselves. Dr. Heller can be reached at (301)-385-2610 or careyheller@thehellerpsychologygroup.com.

For appointments, please call the office at (301) 385-2610 or email The Heller Psychology Group at appt@thehellerpsychologygroup.com with your contact information and availability for appointment times.

*Disclaimer: The previous information is intended as general guidance based on my professional opinion, does not constitute an established professional relationship,  and should not replace the recommendations of a psychologist or other licensed professional with whom you initiate or maintain a professional relationship*