8. Joey, a five-year-old student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), has limited verbal skills. When painting on an easel at the art center, the teacher observes Joey yelling and pulling aggressively at his shirt when he gets paint on it. The teacher plans to teach Joey to point to ask to get a smock whenever he is at the art center. Which of the following best describes the behavioral strategy the teacher will use?
Answer: A
Replacement
The teacher will implement a replacement strategy by teaching Joey to point to ask for a smock when he starts painting. This approach aims to replace his aggressive behavior with a more appropriate method of communication.
A) Replacement
This option is correct because it directly addresses the need to modify Joey's behavior by teaching him a functional communication skill. By replacing his yelling and pulling at his shirt with the action of pointing to request a smock, the teacher is providing Joey with a constructive way to express his needs and reduce his frustration.
B) Planned ignoring
Planned ignoring is not applicable in this scenario as it involves intentionally ignoring undesirable behavior to decrease it. However, Joey's aggressive behavior is a sign of distress, and ignoring it would not provide him with the support he needs to communicate effectively or prevent future incidents.
C) Punishment
Punishment refers to implementing a consequence to reduce unwanted behavior. In this case, the teacher is not focusing on punishing Joey for his aggressive actions but rather on teaching him an alternative behavior to help him cope with the situation, making this option incorrect.
D) Reinforcement
While reinforcement involves encouraging desired behaviors, the main strategy being employed here is to teach Joey a new skill to replace his challenging behavior. Thus, reinforcement does not accurately describe the primary approach the teacher is taking, which is focused on replacement rather than merely reinforcing existing behaviors.
Conclusion
The chosen answer, replacement, is the most suitable strategy for addressing Joey's behavior by promoting a more suitable communication method. All other options either misinterpret the goal of the intervention or do not align with the intent to teach Joey an appropriate way to express his needs in a challenging situation.