Behavior Modification
Behavior Management
 Begin by defining the unwanted behavior in a
specific manner free of value judgments (such
as lazy).
 Define the desired behavior in terms of
observable actions.
 Use positive reinforcement as often as possible.
Positive Reinforcement
 A consequence that is designed to increase the
frequency of a given behavior.
 Reinforcers happen after the desired action.
 Positive reinforcers may be primary (unlearned) or
secondary (learned).
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 Primary = food, water, shelter, warmth
 Secondary = social, activity, token
 Also link “un-fun” activity with fun activity such as
swimming after cabin clean-up.
Positive rewards
 Behaviors that are reinforced are more likely to be repeated –
so reward only desired behaviors.
 Reinforce positive actions as quickly as possible.
 Be specific: You really stayed on task during crafts!
 Be excited: your tone of voice matters.
 Make the praise about them: You must feel so proud vs I am
proud of you.
 Be mindful that some campers would rather be praised
privately, especially teens.
Consequences
 When you must use a contrived consequence or
punishment, make it a logical consequence.
 Hitting a peer results in having to do something nice
for that peer.
 Refusing to follow directions in an activity results in
having to sit out for that activity tomorrow.
 Important point: It is not the severity of the
consequence that matters (it is the certainty).
Consequences
 Do not give out consequences while you are angry.
 Do not make threats you cannot or will not follow
through on.
 Giving too many chances actually makes
consequences that occur seem more arbitrary.
 Rules must be uniform for all campers.
 Praise something as soon as possible after giving a
consequence.
Negative reinforcement
 Use ignoring and extinction as often as possible
 Important point: negative attention also acts as
a reinforcer. SO, yelling at an undesired action
is just as likely to result in the action being
repeated as praising the action.
 Use natural consequences: not cleaning craft
area = more time spent cleaning after the
session = less time to do a fun activity.
MOST IMPORTANT IDEAS
 Catch your campers doing the right thing.
 Praise, praise, praise
 Make general positive statements about
the group. (Wow I am so glad that I have a
group of campers who listens so well!)
Challenges
You May
Encounter
as a Camp
Counselor
Challenges/ Problems
 Don’t get too upset when you face challenges…
 these are the true growth experiences both for
you and the campers.
It is okay to tell a child that you aren’t sure how to
best handle a situation right now but that you will
think about it/ talk with someone you trust and
get back with them before the end of the day.
How might this be a good thing to do?
Hint: modeling
NEVER FORGET
1. YOU are the adult when working with camp kids.
2. You are NOT a therapist… don’t stumble in and do
damage.
3. Often kids will tell you things and need a listener….
not someone to advise.
4. Children who act out are needing an adult (you) to
make efforts to get close to them.
“Normal Behavior”
 Changes with situation and culture
 Dependent upon age group
 Dependent upon life circumstances
Good mental health simply means adjusting well
to others and situations: being able to solve
problems in ways that are acceptable to both
the individual and society at large.
Be Insightful
 Don’t get too caught up in labels.
 Consider “why” a child is behaving poorly: don’t take it
personally.
 Children often learn poor behavior patterns at home/ school/ etc
and they unconsciously carry these forward.
 Ex: Bully may actually want status so scolding or belittling will
be counterproductive to what you want.
 When you do not act as the people who have previously
reinforced negative patterns, children will get confused and
redouble their efforts. (That tantrum did not work so I should
throw a bigger tantrum to get what I want.)
Be Insightful
 Your job is to gently but firmly teach campers new and more effective
ways of behaving…
 (Even though you get your way by hitting everyone, have you noticed
that people hardly ever choose to play with you? I think you are fun and
can really be a good friend. So, are there other ways you can try to get
people’s attention because I want them to see all the cool things I see
in you?)
 Don’t spend too much time asking “why”– this can be helpful but
usually not.
 Children rarely have insights into their own actions (Thank you
counselor, you are correct, I was trying to meet my unconscious needs
for control by acting out. I will avoid this action in the future.)
Withdrawn Campers
 Less annoying than aggressive campers so they are easily
overlooked
 Often feel insecure or inadequate and withdraw as a defense
against perceived failure
 The best way to handle those who withdraw is to set them up
for success by finding ways that they can comfortably
 Participate and begin to take responsibility for their own actions.
 For instance, shy persons may be asked to sit in the circle while
a group discussion is occurring or may simply need to be asked
a simple direct yes/no question.
Why MUST we address bullies?
 Everyone loses when bullies are allowed to go
unchecked.
 Victims can lose their sense of safety and trust.
 A boy who is a bully at age 8 is 3x more likely to
be convicted of a crime by age 30 and less likely
than others to finish college and locate a good job.
 Girls who bully are more likely to raise children
who bully.
Aggressive Campers
 Bullies/ aggressive children tend to lack compassion for
others and feel justified in their actions.
 They tend to have an overly positive self-image that reflect a
need to dominate with power and threats.
 Generally they ARE NOT anxious children who “don’t mean
to hurt” the other children.
 Boys or girls may be bullies but they tend to use different
tactics. Boys more often use physical actions and girls are
more often use social alienation and humiliation.
Aggressive Campers
 Keep a close watch on campers interactions. Children who are
bullied frequently fear retaliation if they tell.
 Praise kindness and cooperation in the campers: this will create
an atmosphere of belonging.
 Make certain that you do not yell at or ignore misbehaving
children.
 Provide healthy outlets for feelings and aggression such as art
projects, talking, practicing conflict resolution skills, exercise,
etc.
 Involve bullying children in charitable activities such as doing
something nice for others or the person he/she harmed.
How else can I manage an
aggressive child?
 Teach the child to recognize and express emotions nonviolently. (privately or
in group setting)
 Emphasize talking out the issue rather than hitting (with everyone and revisit privately as needed).
 Model the kind of behavior you want children to exhibit. Be clear that
aggressive behavior will not be tolerated. (always always always!!!)
 Promote empathy by pointing out the consequences for others of the child's
verbal and physical actions (generally in groups and specifically with the
bullying child).
 Teaching other children to physically fight back will only lead to escalating
aggression and fights.
Homesick Campers
 Many campers get homesick upon getting to camp and may
experience “relapses” when camp is at a lull time.
 Some parents may accidentally make homesick campers worse by
holding on, talking too much about how the child will be missed or
sharing too much about “all the fun the camper is missing at home.”
 Get the camper involved as quickly as possible, especially in things
he/she is good at.
 Normalize feelings of homesickness as normal and try to get the
camper to agree to try the camp and all activities for a number of days.
 Prepare parents in how to interact in ways that will decrease
homesickness in the child.
Sex Education
 Touchy issue
 Most agencies require a signed permission form from
parents before starting a sex ed program.
 Most kids want to talk about sex at some point.
 If your camp does teach sex ed, you must be able to
talk about these issues without becoming visibly
embarrassed or judgmental.
 Know your own sexual mores.
Substance Abuse
 Studies show that the earlier children experiment with
drugs and alcohol, the greater the likelihood they have
of becoming addicted.
 Educate yourself about drugs, slang and street names
(ex: methamphetamine use and tweaking).
 DO NOT talk about things you have seen/ done in
college, at parties etc. You must be a role model.
 Be watchful for signs that your campers are hiding
things from you or are acting strangely.
Substance Abuse
Potential signs:
 Drug paraphernalia- pipes, rolling papers, eye drops,
butane lighters
 Stealing
 Abrupt mood changes
 Withdrawal, depression or fatigue
 Temper flare ups
 Over or under sleeping/ eating
 Intense secrecy about possessions
 Befriending other drug users
 Interest in drug culture and lingo
ADHD
 Give 1 direction at a time
 Offer short tasks with immediate rewards/
feedback
 Help with organization
 Help other children see the positives
 Keep in mind that lack of follow-thru is not
usually defiance in these kids
 Find ways to offer inconspicuous reminders to
stay on task
Upside of ADHD
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Quick-witted
Speedy grasp of the big picture
Enthusiasm for life makes for good motivators
Creativity allows new problem-solving
Hyper-focus for areas of interest
Empathetic
Intuitive
Abuse
 If you suspect physical or sexual abuse of a child, you
must report your suspicions to Department of
Children’s Services.
 Call 1-877-237-0004
 You will speak with a trained professional who will ask
you details such as the child’s name, age and
address, signs of abuse, what the child has told you,
name of the abuser, etc.
 You do not have to tell your name.
Abuse
 If a child tells you he/she has been abused,
listen calmly to all they have to say.
 Ask a few questions about the details but be
mindful not to make it appear that you do not
believe them.
 Tell the child 1- the abuse was not his/her fault
2- how brave it was to tell 3- you feel glad that
he/she talked with you.
What if she/he asked me not to tell?
 You simply cannot make this promise.
 Tell the child that you will keep private anything
he/she tells you so long as no one’s safety is at
risk.
 Tell the child that the only reason you would
ever tell the things he/she shares with you is to
keep him/her safe. ** this is your job as an
adult**
Can I call you?
 Good-byes are a part of life.
 Don’t promise to stay in touch after camp is through.
 Talk about how happy you are to get to know the child
even though it may be for only a short time
 You need to model how to “do” good-byes: A good
idea is to have a closure ceremony of some sort.
 Group photo, campfire time, “friends forever” song, etc
YOUR QUESTIONS…..