Behavior Management Plans for Autism: All You Should Know

Firstly, you might be asking, “What are behavior management plans?” Well, a behavior management plan (BMP) is designed to help a student or child overcome or change negative behaviors into positive and more appropriate behaviors.

Also known as a behavior intervention plan (BIP), it is important for both parents and teachers of children with autism to follow it so there is consistency between both environments when eliminating challenging behaviors.

Behavior management plans can work well for parents of autistic children because difficult behaviors are often part of a developmental delay or other challenges that parents encounter each day.

If you would like to learn more about different behavior interventions for autism, you can download your free guide here:

What should behavior plans for students with autism include?

A behavior management plan should be thorough so that any possible influencing factors that could be triggering behaviors are accounted for and planned for.

A behavior management plan should include some identifying information about the student or child, such as:

• What is their home environment like?
• Who do they live with?
• Do they get along well with their siblings?

All of these factors could influence behaviors in positive and negative ways. Here are some other things to consider.

Description of negative behaviors

A behavior management plan should also include a description of the difficult behaviors that you want to address and change. These behaviors should be clearly described so that other individuals who may come to work with your autistic child will be able to recognize them.

A goal should be clearly defined. What do you want to replace the behavior with? Simply not doing a specific behavior is not effective in teaching children with autism because they don’t often have the social skills to understand why you want them to alter behaviors.

Giving replacement behaviors is easier for them to understand because you are providing clear instructions that they can act upon.

Potential triggers

Identifying triggers that cause negative behaviors is also noteworthy in a behavior management plan. It can help maintain a happy and stable environment at school and with new individuals, such as therapists and babysitters, who may work with your child. 

For example, if your child starts tearing up or chewing assignments during school, it could be anxiety and sensory-seeking behaviors. Telling the child to stop doing that won’t be productive because you are not providing a clear and alternative choice.

Children stopping the negative actions but not knowing what to do instead of them could lead to more stress and other challenging behaviors.

Potential alternatives

When noticing the disruptive behavior in a class, having a plan in place, like a stress toy or bubble wrap to pop for sensory input, can make a huge difference.

The behavior management plan helps the teacher say, “You look stressed and anxious. Let’s pop bubble wrap instead of tearing up our assignment.” It maintains a positive and happy environment while giving clear direction and a more appropriate replacement behavior.

Data collection and duration

Other sections that a behavior management plan should have are data collection procedures so that you have a measurable way to see if your behavior intervention plan is working.

If you are not tracking data, it’s hard to see or remember which days were worse and if any exterior factors contributed to the behaviors recorded. A good behavior plan should also have a duration section that states you want the support to continue.

As children grow up and require different levels of support, having a duration section helps them see that they are working on goals with scientific evidence to prove that goals were mastered.

A defined timeline

Having a defined timeline of events also helps keep parents, teachers, and the child on task knowing that they are working on a common goal together and with a purpose whose growth can be measured.

With time, the autistic child will learn to self-advocate and may even become aware of their triggers so that they can ask for different accommodations to help them achieve success throughout their lifespan.

Developing an effective autism behavior management plan

The first step that should be done when wanting to develop an effective management system for improving positive behaviors is to collect data. Consider the following questions:

• What problem behaviors do you want to address?
• Is the negative behavior school-wide or does it only happen in specific situations?
• Do the behaviors happen at home as well?
• What are the expectations of the child and does the child understand them?

Identifying the problem behavior and writing it down is the first step of any program to ensure that all parties involved in the child’s education and at home agree with the process.

The next step is to have a formal meeting scheduled with the team or staff that sees your child every day to discuss behavior that is affecting the classroom and emotional health of the child.

During this meeting, teachers and parents will discuss classroom rules, expectations, and the consequences of breaking them. They will also talk about whether your autistic child needs special education support to reduce negative behavior in the classroom.

Positive reinforcements or rewards should also be discussed to encourage a child to repeat appropriate and preferred behaviors. Once everyone agrees on their roles for the new procedures, the new management system can be used in the class.

The student will have a dedicated team working together based on the report that was written and agreed upon in the meeting. Rewards and consequences will be used to help alter and shift challenging behaviors into more appropriate and functional ones. 

Different environmental factors can influence behavior. If anything new is happening at home or in the classroom, the parties involved in the behavior management plan should always communicate with each other about new changes they see to adapt the plan accordingly.

The main components of a behavior plan

The five components of a behavior management plan are:

• Observe and collect data on behaviors
• Identify the function of the behaviors you want to change
• Create a behavior intervention plan or BIP
• Implement new strategies to help support positive behaviors
• Adjust the plan as needed by keeping open communication with all parties involved

What are some behavior management techniques?

Behavior management techniques can be used in the classroom and at home to promote more functional and acceptable positive behavior. There are a variety of techniques that can be used at school, in the classroom, or at home, and each child will have a unique and personalized behavior management plan or behavior intervention plan.

Mindfulness

One effective technique for increasing positive behavior is to be mindful of your body language and facial reactions. Autistic children tend to be more empathic and can easily pick up on body language and facial reactions, even though they may be unable to verbally express them.

For example, if you are a caretaker of a child and tell them that you are having fun yet sit with your arms and legs crossed and look off into the distance disinterested, the child will pick up on that. The negative behaviors may increase with the function of attention-seeking.

Maintaining a positive attitude

Another technique is to maintain a positive attitude to promote positive behavior. If a child is having a challenging day and has tantrums, maintaining a positive demeanor can help balance the child’s mood.

You could say, “I feel stressed sometimes, too. I like to take deep breaths to help calm myself down. Come take some deep breaths with me.” This would take the focus off the negative behavior and provide a healthy alternative or replacement behavior that teaches the child healthy coping skills.

Respecting boundaries

Understanding the boundaries and limits of the child or student is also an important skill with challenging behaviors. For example, autistic children with sensory disorders may be in sensory overload when they have a meltdown or tantrum.

Even the slightest background noise could be excruciating for a child with sensory processing disorder. This could contribute to negative behaviors that function as escape and avoidance.

There may be times when the child needs to be placed in a quiet, sensory-friendly room until they calm down. Keeping the child in a classroom or continuing to try to engage with a child in this condition could cause more harm than good.

Use the behavior management plan as a guide, but be flexible as needed with techniques and team communication.

Behavior management plan in short

Behavior management plans, or behavior intervention plans, can be used to teach students more appropriate and functional replacement behaviors. Using positive reinforcement or rewards helps students understand the consequences of negative behaviors and strive for positive changes. Behavior management is best used by both teachers and parents so there is continuity of rules and guidance.

FAQs

Q: What is the behavior intervention plan (BIP) for autism?

A: A behavior intervention plan (BIP) for autism outlines strategies and interventions tailored to address specific challenging behaviors. It includes goals, methods for teaching alternative behaviors, and ways to reinforce positive behavior.

Q: What are the behavioral interventions for autism?

A: Behavioral interventions for autism involve techniques like Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to teach new skills and reduce challenging behaviors. These interventions focus on reinforcing desired behaviors and modifying environmental factors that contribute to problem behaviors.

Q: How do you write a behavior management plan?

A: To write a behavior management plan, start by identifying the target behaviors and their triggers. Then, develop strategies for teaching alternative behaviors, setting up reinforcement systems, and monitoring progress.

Q: Who writes a behavior management plan?

A: A behavior management plan is typically written by a team that may include a behavioral therapist, special education teacher, and other relevant professionals. Input from parents or guardians is also crucial to ensure the plan is effective and personalized.

For further reading:

• Types of Autism Behavior Interventions