Why Autism Behavior Charts Fail

When using a behavior plan, there are a few items to determine and consider.

Behavior plans, reward plans, success plans, extrinsic motivators—whatever you want to call them—can be very powerful tools when utilized correctly.

As an educator with a Master’s in Special Education and soon another in Clinical Social Work (May 2022), I’ve spent the past 20+ years using these tools in classrooms, resource rooms, as a consultant, as a professional development facilitator, parent coach, and therapist. I have a love-hate relationship with all things “behavior chart.”

I’ve watched as these strategies lead to further frustration for the child, the parents, and professionals. By skipping any of the following key steps, you can accidentally build on a child’s already faltering self-esteem, and your own feelings of failure.

It took many years of failed attempts, confusion on my part, and digging into the process to understand where I was going wrong. Now, when I work as a consultant in a classroom, a parent coach, as a psychotherapist, or create training for professionals, I always emphasize these key steps.

1. Determine what a child is actually capable of

Sounds simple, but this step has many levels. If a child/teen is struggling with underlying issues such as lack of impulse control or poor language skills, simply communicating what you want them to change is not enough.

Sure, you may have endless team discussions about whether a traditional plan is best, or maybe use “first, then”, allowing the child a clear expectation for just the immediate future. Those conversations are very important. However, you guessed it. It still won’t work if the child/teen isn’t capable of the expectation.

Determining this can be messy. Simply looking up developmental milestones is not going to cut it, as all parents of children with disabilities know. It is vital to hone in on the individual child/teen, and determine where they are in their own development and capabilities.

Maybe the goal is sitting for 15 minutes on the carpet for calendar time. Ok, that’s a great goal! However, if the child has not been successful in staying seated for 30 seconds yet, I’m going to put that aside as a long-term goal, break it up into several small short-term goals, and teach some skills. This is where the work truly happens.

We need to experiment and ask ourselves some vital questions here:

• How can this student learn how to sit appropriately for circle time
• Should we incorporate a sensory item, like a weighted lap pillow, or a fidget toy
• Does this student have the core strength to sit up on the carpet, or should they use a special chair
• Do they know exactly where to sit
• Maybe a special yellow circle will be helpful, since yellow is their favorite color, and right now they are very interested in shapes.

Once these accommodations are put in place, education and practice on the skill required have been completed. Then, and only then, can the behavior chart be successfully created.

2. Determine the “why” behind the negative behavior

Ok, you’ve taught the skills, or feel very confident that the student possesses the ones required for the expectation, great! With renewed confidence, you pick a developmentally appropriate behavior chart strategy that incorporates a motivator just perfect for this student, and it doesn’t work.

That’s ok. It’s frustrating, disheartening, and sometimes, just sad. The good news is we can rule out the expectation being appropriate. Most likely because the needed skills have been taught, and the student appears ready for the expectation. Now it’s time to look for a different “why” behind the negative behavior.

You may choose not to believe me, but children (teens, too) don’t really want to constantly disappoint and frustrate the adults around them. Remember, behavior is always communication! Oftentimes, the negative behavior is a result of them communicating an area of struggle.

I like to ask myself, what needs does the child have that are not being met? What are their frustrations? What is getting in the way of their success? Here is where I step back, way back to my early training in writing behavior intervention plans, and remember it’s as easy as ABC.

Ok, it’s not always easy. However, it is usually eye-opening.

Think about the A–antecedent, what happened before. This could be directly before. Examples may include a sleeve that got wet when washing hands, which is creating sensory discomfort, a music class that left the student very overstimulated and upset, or an argument with a peer.

Sometimes we must think back further. Perhaps the student had a poor night’s sleep, perhaps they were quarantined for 10 days, and are struggling to remember classroom norms?

Next, we want to look at the B – behavior objectively and state it: i.e., “The student took their wobbly stool and moved it from the carpet to the back corner of the classroom.” By stating that behavior objectively and removing all judgment, this simple task will help me to have some pretty clear guesses of the message being communicated here.

Lastly, we look at the C – consequence. Not a “man-made” consequence, like a time-out or removal of a reward. Here we are focusing on the effect of their behavior.

For example, “Student takes a wobbly stool and moves to the back corner of the classroom, all the students turn their bodies to watch.” Or, “Student removes a wobbly stool and moves to the back corner of the classroom, the teacher doesn’t call on them to take a turn sharing their weekend highlight.”

Hmm, those consequences of the student’s action give me even more information about what the intention may have been. Once we creatively address the need not being met, we can try again with the behavior plan.

3. The child MUST be included!

Yes, your powers of observation and using a team approach are all helpful, but if you are not including your child in the process along the way, they are less likely to be successful. Including your child in the problem-solving process helps them to have “buy-in” and work hard with you, and for you, in implementing the solution.

It empowers them! It’s a great time to remind them that they have many amazing strengths that you are going to use in helping them modify the more undesirable behaviors.

This is also a “teachable moment” to focus on self-reflection by asking questions such as: “Why do they think circle time is hard? What do they think may help them do better? What kind of support do they want? How do they want it? Who do they want to help them?”

You may be thinking how I would include a child/teen with cognitive impairments or one who is nonverbal. Choices work well!

For example, you may place several different types of seats in front of the student and watch their cues to see which one is most comfortable. Similarly, you could provide three reward choices and wait for them to point to their favorite. Everyone can be involved in this process at the appropriate developmental level.

Once you’ve followed all those steps, are you done? Can you be 100% confident it will work and sit back and admire the results? Not exactly.

Humans are tricky and can be unpredictable, and tweaks will most likely be needed. However, by going through this process you will be starting way closer to the finish line!