Learn to Deal Behaviorally With StressPresenter: Briana Tingler

Agenda

•Why we get stressed•The effects of stress•The behavioral approach to dealing with stress

▫Pinpoint behaviors▫Functional Analysis▫Short term plan▫Long term plan

Why do we get stressed out?

The Nature of Our Work

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Reasons #1, #2, and #3

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Has anyone been…

•Bit?•Scratched?•Kicked?•Punched?•Had your hair pulled?

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Reason #4

•We typically work in the public eye and are subject to criticism.▫Critics may be not well versed in our methodology,

poorly trained, or lacking in any similar background.

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Reason #5

•External factors that contribute to stress may be:▫Traffic▫Urgent phone calls▫Clients that live in remote areas or in a less

appealing environment▫Getting lost while commuting▫Parents expectations▫Supervisor expectations

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Common Symptoms and Effects

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Standard Solutions

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Standard Solutions

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

The Big Three Factors

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Organizational Change to Handle Stress

•Behavioral Perspective▫Review the tips from Chapter 17 on time management.▫Employ new methods that may be time savers.

Downloading new software, using the Premack Principle, better training methods using videos rather than in vivo models.

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

The Behavioral Approach: Step 1

•Pinpoint the stressful emotions, feelings, and behaviors.▫Are your symptoms medical? Get a check-up.▫Have you developed symptoms that could later

interfere? Make data sheets.▫Analyze data using standard ABC analysis with the

addition of “Setting Event.”

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Behavior Analysis of Stress

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

The Behavioral Approach: Step 2

•Perform a Functional Analysis▫Record instances of problematic behavior and

troublesome emotional states Scatter plots▫Once you think you have found the controlling

variable, test your hypothesis Change it up!•“Apply what you know to solve your own personal

problems.”

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

The Behavioral Approach: Step 3

•Develop a short term intervention▫Depending on the results of your functional analysis, it

may be possible to develop a short term plan that results in relief. Better time management record TV shows, schedule

phone calls Be assertive Say no to increasing work load, consult

with a supervisor about dissatisfied parents.

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Step #1 Step #2 & #3

Step #4

The Behavioral Approach: Step 4

•Develop and adopt a long-term plan.▫This could involve major life changes that involve

short term stress but long term relief. Moving out of a noisy apartment. Breaking up with an argumentative partner. Setting up your own practice.

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

In Conclusion

•“Being a behavior analyst can be both a blessing and a curse.”▫We have a deep understanding of human behavior and

everyone around you expects you to solve your own behavior problems.

▫We should be able to analyze our own behavior and create positive changes by implementing appropriate interventions.

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

References

Bailey, J., & Burch, M. (2010). 25 essential skills and strategies for the professional behavior analyst. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.