Individualized Behavioral Intervention in Preschool Settings: The Case of a Child with Physical Aggression

Abstract

Children engage in a multitude of problem behaviour and managing such behaviours is an unavoidable responsibility of teachers in today’s schools. This study is conducted to assess the impact of an individually tailored behavioural intervention plan to eliminate the physical aggressive behaviour of a child. The intervention plan includes restructuring the environment, physical restraint, verbal reprimand and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA). The subject of the study is a three year and five months old boy of a nursery program. Following an ABAB withdrawal research design, the intervention is carried out in two settings concurrently, classroom and playground, with the teachers of the child assuming as co-interventionists. The intervention result in elimination of physical aggressive behaviour and follow-up data confirm the maintenance of the intervention gains. As a by-product of the intervention, a few socially desirable behaviours could be strengthened. The implications of the findings are discussed with special emphasis to the ongoing inclusive education move in Ethiopia.