Aversive Stimuli in Academic Interactions between Students with Serious Emotional Disturbance and their Teachers

Abstract

This manuscript presents a review of the growing body of research concerning the influence of negative reinforcement on student and teacher behaviors. Negative reinforcement strengthens behaviors that result in escape from, or avoidance of, aversive stimuli. It is argued that negative reinforcement is a variable in the academic interactions of students with serious emotional disturbance and their teachers, Although both desired and undesired behaviors may be outcomes of negative reinforcement, because of the academic deficiencies of students with serious emotional disturbance and the instructional behaviors of their teachers, the escape and avoidance behaviors exhibited by these students more often may be undesired. The authors call for research to investigate sources of aversive stimuli within academic interactions between teachers and students with serious emotional disturbance as well as the potentially aversive stimuli present in academic activities. Implications for teaching practices also are presented.

Classroom behavior management practices in kindergarten classrooms: An observation study.

“…Moreover, teachers who create positive rules as a basis for their classroom management system, create a positive environment that facilitates rule-following behavior and helps minimize negative cycles of inappropriate behavior by shifting teacher attention from inappropriate to appropriate student behavior (Gunter, Denny, Jack, & Shores, 1993).…”

An examination of teacher instruction and student engagement involving adolescents with and without challenging behavior.

“…Components of the instructional sequence are further specified. Gunter, Denny, Jack, Shores and Nelson (1993) recommend a teaching instructional sequence for students identified with behavioral concerns including presentation of information, questions or action requests, feedback including corrective feedback if the student provides an inaccurate response, and active engagement throughout the sequence. Although in great need of strong academic instruction, the use of effective instruction practices occurs less with students exhibiting behavior concerns Wehby, Symons, Canale, & Go, 1998).…”

“…When students fail, school becomes aversive and, often, students' disruptive behaviors may be displayed as an avoidance of the academic tasks presented in the classroom environment (Carr, Taylor, & Robinson, 1991). Under such conditions problem behaviors tend to deter student interaction, resulting in limited engagement with the teacher and instruction Gunter, Denny, et aL, 1993;Tice, 1990).…”

“…Teacher/student interaction incorporating the use of negative feedback can result in the development of unintended avoidance of interactions when the aversive behaviors are displayed by either student or teacher. For example, teachers may engage in the use of negative feedback solely as a strategy for avoiding student behavior that is found to be aversive (Conroy et aL, 2008;Gunter, Denny, et aL, 1993;. Results from over 5,000 minutes of classroom observation noted findings approximating 20% of the interaction time between teachers and students with behavioral concerns was negative in nature (Gunter & Coutinho, 1997).…”

Teacher motivation as an enhancement to the first step to success early intervention program for children with tertiary level behavioral challenges.

“…Each transaction shapes and reinforces children's behavioral orientation, increasing the likelihood that similar processes will be utilized within and between future environments and individuals (i.e., school and teachers). From this perspective we can trace the influences of coercive parent-child relationships from home to school, where a child learns to use coercion in interactions with parents/caregivers and these patterns are subsequently replicated in the school setting with teachers (Gunter & Coutinho, 1997;Gunter, Denny, Jack, Shores, & Nelson, 1993;Gunter et aI., 1994; see also Jerome et aI., 2009;Myers & Pianta, 2008).…”