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SMA Webinar – Reinforcement Systems at School: Effective Implementation with Students with Selective Mutism
November 14 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EST
Live Webinar with Q & A! General registration is free!
Speakers: Taylor Hicks-Hoste, LP, NCSP & Katelyn Reed, MS, LLP
This webinar has been approved for 1 CE credit. For those seeking CE credit, registration is $20.
This webinar is geared toward school and clinic-based treating professionals, however parents and caregivers may also find the information valuable.
For more information and to register, click below:
Description Reward systems are a widely utilized behavioral intervention strategy to encourage individuals with Selective Mutism to talk to new people and new places. Indeed, reward systems are incorporated into SM treatment packages much more frequently than other common behavioral intervention strategies such as shaping, hierarchical exposure, and stimulus fading (incorporated in 90% 57%, 48%, and 43% of treatment studies on SM between 2005-2015 respectively; Zakszeski & DuPaul, 2017).
Many schools employ a Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework in order to effectively match a student’s level of need with an appropriate level, and type, of support. This often includes the use of reinforcers (e.g., tangible items, special privileges, tailored praise) to help reinforce a student’s use of a new skill and/or progress they make towards an individualized goal (Center on Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports, 2021). While school staff may have familiarity with rewards-based systems, they may have less experience in tailoring these approaches to best benefit students with selective mutism. Furthermore, school staff may encounter barriers in the adoption and implementation of reward systems.
This is evidenced by current research, which suggests that most students with SM have received accommodations and/or intervention supports via an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), Section 504 Plan, or an informal plan (Boneff-Peng, et al, 2013). However, targeted behavioral reinforcement techniques, such as reward systems, are not reported to be frequently employed in school settings for students with SM (Boneff-Peng, et al, 2013).
Katelyn Reed and Dr. Hicks-Hoste will offer rationale for the inclusion of a reward system in a robust intervention program for students with SM. They will discuss strategies to maximize effective adoption and implementation for school staff, as well as provide examples of reward-based strategies at both the class and individual student level. Finally, they will address common barriers for its use (e.g., aligning stakeholders, managing concerns about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, guarding against “bribery,” etc.)
Learning Objectives
- Identify specific measurable goals and possible reinforcement systems for students with SM in the school setting.
- Determine appropriate means to implement and track progress over time when implementing a reward system in the school setting.
- Identify means to gradually reduce the level of reinforcement support over time in reward systems.
Taylor Hicks-Hoste, LP, NCSP
Taylor Hicks-Hoste is a licensed psychologist (LP) in the states of Michigan and California, as well as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). She received her Ph.D. in school psychology from Michigan State University. Her professional experiences span across both school and clinic settings. As a school psychologist, she has serviced students, families and teachers, grades preschool through twelfth grade. She has also worked as a countywide behavioral health consultant, in which she has partnered with local districts in the promotion of mental health awareness and in the direct provision of school-based mental health supports to students. Taylor’s clinical work at Thriving Minds in Michigan includes the treatment of children, teens, and families with an emphasis on anxiety-based disorders such as selective mutism, separation anxiety, and school refusal.
Speaker: Katelyn Reed, MS, LLP
Katelyn Reed, M.S. is a Limited Licensed Psychologist at Thriving Minds Family Services, located in Chelsea, MI. She completed her Master’s degree in Clinical Behavioral Psychology at Eastern Michigan University where she focused on evidence-based behavioral and cognitive behavioral interventions for children and adolescents. Through her work at Thriving Minds, Katelyn specializes in treating children with Selective Mutism via traditional weekly therapy, intensive therapy (i.e., 15-20 hours of treatment in one week), and group therapy models. Through an exposure therapy model, children with Selective Mutism are encouraged to be brave in talking with new people and in new settings. Katelyn emphasizes collaborative care and frequently works in partnership with parents and schools to best assist clients and to promote growth through education on appropriate goals and interventions. Katelyn is also the Assistant Director for Confident Kids Camp, an intensive week-long treatment program for children with Selective Mutism. In addition to her work with children with Selective Mutism, Katelyn provides evidenced-based therapy for children with other anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and disruptive behavior disorders.
Katelyn has been a professional member of the Selective Mutism Association since 2013 and joined the Board of Directors in 2017. Currently she serves as the President of SMA. She is passionate about spreading awareness about Selective Mutism and about effective treatment techniques and is excited to contribute to the mission of SMA through her involvement on the Board of Directors.
