Understanding the STAR method to help manage behaviour

INTRO

Understanding the STAR method to help manage behaviour – managing behaviour in early years

When I first started in nurseries, the typical behaviour management approach was using the ABC approach.

The ABC model is a useful way of generating a pattern of the behaviour that your children are displaying. It helps you to analyse the circumstances and consequences of a child’s behaviour. The ABC. The ABC stands for antecedent (A), behaviour (B) and consequence (C). It is an observation tool that teachers can use to analyse what happened before, during and after a behaviour.

This method has been updated, and many nurseries and other childcare providers now use the STAR method to help understand and manage behaviour.

How this differs is what we will discuss in this video.

But, before we get into what the star method is.

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But, in this video we are going over what the STAR method is and how it can help to understand and better manage children’s behaviour.

What is the star method?

A STAR analysis is a helpful way of assessing what happens before, during and after an episode of unacceptable behaviour, and is similar to an ABC chart. The STAR framework was set up by the National Autistic Society to reduce the behavioural problems that so many parents of children with an autistic spectrum disorder face. The STAR approach focuses on those with an autistic spectrum disorder rather than children with general behavioural difficulties, although it can still be helpful for this group. The basis of the STAR approach is that all episodes of problem behaviour need to be seen as actions with a purpose to receive a specific response.

The star approach is generally more detailed than the ABC method.

All behaviour happens for a reason . It’s really useful to understand the triggers and/or possible purpose behind behaviours that challenge. Keeping records for a period of time – ideally at least a month – is a good way to build up a picture of what can lead to difficult episodes and points us towards the approaches that may be helpful in minimising them. It’s also useful information to share with clinicians during an assessment process.

STAR stands for:

Setting Trigger Action Result/ Response

Setting

This is something critical but often underestimated. These are the contexts in which the unacceptable behaviour takes place. Considering the setting where the behaviour takes place and potentially adjusting the setting is important, and can also work as a way of preventing particular behavioural difficulties.

The setting could be environmental or personal and can include:

· the physical environment: how busy/noisy was it? what about lighting levels or sensory sensitivities?

· social interactions and relationships within the environment: was there a perceived lack of control, fear of uncertainty or any conflict?

· the activities that the child was doing

· the child’s physical state: hunger, thirst, tiredness, illness, communication difficulties, anxiety…

· the child’s thoughts and mood, self-esteem, boredom …

· any life events (loss, change, trauma …)

Trigger

These are the signals or stimuli that ‘set off’ a specific action, occurring immediately before the episode of unacceptable behaviour.

However, it’s also important to remember that a trigger can also be something that happened some time previously, or a build-up of ‘somethings’. It may not be possible to complete the ‘triggers’ section initially, as the trigger may not immediately be evident. This could be completed later on reviewing several days of recording.

Reasons that trigger sets of the behaviour may include:

Expressing a need – for example, smelling dinner cooking might signal food to a hungry child

Expressing something the child does not want – for example, seeing a spider nearby triggers a wish to avoid it, or wearing a particular outfit could trigger the need to avoid something the child finds too difficult, such as a family gathering or somewhere new.

Emotional overload – something relatively insignificant triggers the feeling that this is ‘the last straw’.

Things to consider when thinking about the triggers are:

· had the child been asked to do something?

· were they requesting something from you, something they wanted?

· had the activity just finished/started?

· was something happening that the child dislikes or fears?

· was it something the child associates with a particular event?

· where there any additional factors, like time pressures?

Action

Action is the behaviour that actually happens and is a very important part of the chart.

Result/ Response

These are the events that follow an action, and are often the part of the process that can be controlled. Response to an action can indicate the appropriateness of an action and influence the likelihood that the child will do the same thing at some point in the future.

The result/ response is where you record what follows the action. These may include:

· social result: a child gains attention/comfort or succeeds in avoiding unwanted social contact or successfully avoids a demand

· occupational result: a child gets to do a desired activity or escapes an unwanted activity

· sensory result: a child gains sensory satisfaction or avoids sensory overload

· Did the behaviour result in them getting something they didn’t have before, e.g. object/food?

Results can be positive, negative or neutral and influence the likelihood of the action happening again (i.e. if the results are ‘rewarding’, they increase the chances of the behaviour happening again).

The hope is that over time you may begin to see more of a pattern in behaviours and triggers/purposes which may then help in understanding how to reduce the frequency and severity of escalations.

Hopefully now you have a better understanding of the STAR method and can use it to help support and understand children’s behaviour in your care.

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Plus, get a free copy of a star approach chart that you can use in your setting using the link on the screen now or clicking the link in the description.

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Thank you for watching and I wish you all the best.

God bless.