Smart
Ideas
The Anxiety Curve
Buron
and Curtis
The anxiety curve model has been used by
Kari and Mitzi for almost a decade to visually illustrate
the power of anxiety and its influence on student behavior.
Below is an example of how Mitzi uses this model to teach
educators and parents to process explosive incidents:
Practical Use of the Anxiety Curve
One of my favorite, and a very practical use of the anxiety
curve, is in a worksheet format. I sometimes call it the
behavior plan 'cheat sheet' or cliff notes. Simply, empty
text boxes are placed beside each number (5 point scale
of course) on the curve for the author to describe the
most important details of each 'level' of anxiety. This
worksheet then can be easily shared not only with teachers,
but parents, babysitters, paraprofessionals, substitutes
and anyone else who is significant to the individual with
autism. There is a similar but slightly different worksheet
for school (teacher/student) and home (parent/child).
There is an accompanying instruction sheet that goes along
with the worksheet. Box '1' is meant to identify typical
anxiety producing triggers such as loud noises, illness,
late bus, etc. Box '2' holds basic information about how
the person looks, what they might say/do when their anxiety
is starting to increase. It is also a place to direct
the person to the individual's calming sequence and or
other relaxation strategies that are known to be (at least
somewhat) effective. Boxes '3' and '4' are primarily for
the caregiver to assist with the calming process in a
very quiet and calm manner. The individual with autism
at a '4' is not able to manage many choices or decision-making.
Box '5' represents the crisis or most heightened stage
of the individual's anxiety. It is important for people
to know what this might entail, so they can respond in
a positive and effective manner. Such as, does the person
run away; pull the fire alarm; hurt themselves; etc. It
is also a place to identify how the person with autism
feels the most protected and safe. The 'other side' of
the crisis on the curve gives room for describing what
the calming individual may feel or need, eventually returning
to the 'typical' daily routine.
I often use this worksheet at meetings when
learning about a new student, or when consulting with
parents or teachers about a student having difficulty.
It is also a tool I have used with the individual with
autism when helping them understand their own behavior,
or having them help me understand them.
This use of the anxiety curve reinforces
the belief that the individual's 'tough' behavior is a
manifestation of their anxiety and that a person with
autism is often in a heightened state of anxiety when
compared to people without autism even during less stressful
times.
Finally, the worksheet has an anxiety curve
drawn for the caregiver. This is a visual reminder that
we too go through increased stress when people we care
about are highly anxious. It is meant to prompt us to
take care of our own needs so that when it is imperative
that the individual with autism has assistance from someone
they can trust, that we can indeed provide it.
Click
for a larger view of this image.
Stress Free Kids
When Mitzi Curtis and I first started using
relaxation in our social skills groups, we started with
a wonderful children's relaxation book called A Boy
and a Bear by Lori Lite. Lori has written other great
resources that can be found at Stress
Free Kids or by clicking this
link.
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