Interpersonal Skills 10

Nonviolent Crisis Intervention

Violent Behavior

refers to aggressive actions or conduct that pose a threat of physical harm or injury to oneself, others, animals, or property.

• Violence may be displayed in the form of physical aggression, verbal threats, self-harm, or destruction of property.

***Many Local Education Agencies (LEAs) require the special education staff and designated administrators to participate in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training.

Participants learn to recognize the stages of an escalating crisis and techniques to de-escalate crisis situations appropriately.

***Students with disabilities are not inherently any more violent or aggressive than other students; however, violent behavior may arise as an indirect result of their disability.

Possible Underlying Cause of Violent Behavior:

Communication Difficulties

A student may have difficulty expressing their needs, and may act violently out of aggression, or as a means to seek attention.

Sensory Issues

A student may be hypersensitive to sensory stimuli, triggering aggressive reactions as a way to manage overwhelming sensations.

Emotional Dysregulation

A student may struggle to regulate their emotions and may have a violent outburst due to difficulty managing stress, anxiety, or anger.

Lack of Impulse Control

A student may have difficulty regulating emotions, inhibiting impulsive responses, and considering the consequences of their actions.

Mental Health Issues

A student may have a co-occurring mental health issue, such as depression, anxiety which can lead to violent behaviors.

Environmental Factors

A student may be exposed to bullying, violence in the home or community, or may be abused or neglected, potentially creating or worsening aggressive tendencies. Also, consider medications with side effects that include aggression.

***In many cases, the school or district will provide specific safety procedures to follow, or there may be a Crisis Intervention Plan (CIP) outlined in an individual student's Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP). 

***Restraint, physically restricting a student's movement, and seclusion or isolating students in a particular space with the inability to leave, can be stigmatizing and traumatizing and should be reserved for the most extreme circumstances.

What practice is less invasive than restraint or seclusion but can be disruptive if employed frequently?

An alternative to these strategies is a classroom evacuation, which involves the teacher facilitating the safe and orderly exit of all other students from the classroom, allowing the student to calm down alone or with an adult.

List some common strategies for de-escalating behavior:

• give positive attention to desirable behaviors and ignore minor disruptions

• establish rapport and trust with students

  • consequences should be implemented consistently and without emotion

• understand and address the behavior's underlying cause (trauma, sensory overload, etc.)

• remain calm as the teacher's emotional state can influence the situation

• maintain a non-threatening and approachable demeanor by attending to language, posture and tone of voice

• acknowledge and validate a student's feelings and perspective to help them feel heard and understood

• show empathy by paraphrasing the student's statements and reflecting their emotions

• offer choices to help the student regain a sense of control, reducing feelings of frustration or powerlessness

• be patient and give the student time to calm down and process their emotions

• use positive reinforcement for any attempt to self-regulate

• redirect attention away from the source of agitation to a neutral or calming topic

• distract with calming objects or activities like deep breathing exercises, mindfulness strategies, or sensory tools

• involve additional professionals who might be able to assist or have a strong relationship with the student

Manifestation Determination Review (MDR)

A legally required meeting that is held when a student with a disability faces disciplinary action that would result in a change of placement for more than 10 consecutive school days, such as suspension, expulsion, or assignment to an alternative school.

• The purpose of the MDR is to determine whether the behavior that led to the discipline was caused by, or directly related to, the student's disability.

• Federal law prohibits schools from punishing a student for behavior that is a manifestation of their disability.