The student may:

• • Lash out verbally at others

  • Engage others in arguments and conflict

  • Unwilling to let issues go or drop them

  • Dislike being told what to do

  • Do the opposite of what told

  • Smile, cross arms, stomp feet, etc when reusing to follow directives

  • Become aggressive and act out when told to do something

  • Only do tasks or activities they like or enjoy

  • Strong verbal protest

  • Tantrums and meltdowns when told to do something

  • Quietly refuse to do as told

  • Remaining in place and refusing to move

  • Scowl, appear angry, agitated, irritated, etc

  • Withdraw (emotionally or physically)

  • Challenge the authority of adults

  • Refuse to comply with adult requests

  • Refuse to follow classroom routines

  • Project blame onto others

  • Denies the obvious

  • Unable to admit a mistake

  • Poor judgment

  • Difficulty going from Point A to Point B

  • Enormous energy and persistence

  • Often plays out scenes of control

  • May ask the same question over and over

  • Prefers to focus with intensity on one task

  • Often have only a couple of friends they seek to control

  • Inflexible in their emotions

Additional Reading

Staying on track: Successful communication with your defiant child- Link

Tier I Interventions

Before you start, a few important points:

• Try multiple interventions

• Try each intervention for a minimum of 4-weeks and over 1 intervention may be implemented at the same time.

• Further details on each intervention is linked here.

Interventions:

• • Acknowledging positive behavior

  • Avoid power struggles

  • Clear and concise directions

  • Clear, consistent, and predictable consequences

  • Give choices

  • More structured routine

  • Praise when cooperative and well behaved

  • Praise when good attitude and involvement occur

  • Rewards, Simple Reward Systems, & Incentives

  • Teach conflict resolution skills

  • Teach coping skills

  • Teach relationship skills

  • Teach relaxation techniques

  • Teach social skills

  • Use calm neutral tone