Transition Toolbox

Target Selection and Task Analysis:

In what contexts does the student need to display this skill, now and in the future?

Identifying and addressing environmental stressors allows an individual to meet one of their most basic needs across multiple settings: comfort. For example, while modifying the lighting system at a large department store is unlikely, someone who has learned coping strategies, such as carrying sunglasses or a hat, can overcome what may otherwise be a truly debilitating barrier.

What are the steps that comprise this skill?
individuals often have difficulty with abstract concepts, including linking stress triggers to responses. While environmental triggers may be more concrete than some anxiety triggers (e.g. intrusive thoughts), the myriad of events occurring within one’s environment can make it difficult to distinguish “what” exactly causes a maladaptive response. Subtle flickering of an overhead light, the hum of an outdoor air conditioning unit, muffled conversations heard through a wall, or the clicking of a co-worker’s keyboard down the hall are but a few scenarios involving environmental triggers; all of which also come from only the “noise” element. For an individual who does not outwardly show signs of stress until completely distracted or overwhelmed, identifying environmental triggers can be incredibly difficult.

As you approach the teaching of this skill, the first step is for you to identify any known, or suspected, environmental triggers. Recording and analyzing behavioral data prior to teaching this skill can help you identify potential environmental stressors. One of the two data sheets below might assist you in collecting this information:

In addition, the student should complete the Environmental Assessment (see Priming section) to indicate any self-identified concerns.

Break down the larger concept of “environment” using descriptors that the student can understand:

Sounds (what sounds bother me – noises, noise levels, vibration, pitch?)

Smells

Sight (are there things I see that bother me - lighting, colors, reflections, movement?)

Temperature (am I okay with being cold, hot, sweaty?)

Touch (how do certain things feel on my skin, when I touch something or when something touches me?)

Physical activity (would I prefer moving around, using my muscles, being still and seated?)

Work tasks (do I need different tasks, or the same tasks each day; doing tasks in the same order, or in a different order?)

Scheduled shifts/hours (how long can I work at this point – all day, half of the day? Work in the morning, work in the afternoon, work at night?)

Social demands (am I comfortable working near/next to others, talking to people during the day, being quiet most of the day, meeting new people?)

Note: For a student who does not recognize any environmental stressors via the self-assessment instrument, or if the instrument is beyond their capacity, it might be necessary to approach the skill from a slightly different angle:

What are the physical signs in my body that something feels bad (e.g. too loud in my ears, my eyes hurt, feel shaky)
What do I do that shows I feel bad (e.g. put my hands to my ears, shut my eyes, run out).
What are the triggers for those behaviors (what causes me to do those things)?
What can I do to get rid of the feeling OR what do I do to stop the behavior?

As a result of the information yielded from your assessments and from the student’s self-assessment, you now have a sequence of steps to teach:

Help the student recognize stressors.

Help the student identify how and when to label those stressors to others and identify who can assist. It is often important to determine ‘how, when and to whom’ as a separate step before actually labeling the stressors and seeking a solution.

Next, help the student actually label those stressors in the appropriate manner and environment in order to seek a solution. Will he self-advocate within the IEP team to seek out formal accommodations under the IEP or 504 Plan? Or will he seek solutions by direct contact with specific personnel in the immediate environment? Guide the student in advocating for particular accommodations (e.g. requesting preferential seating, separate setting for testing, early release from class). See Self-Advocacy topic for more.

Guide the student in practicing response strategies to any anticipated environmental stressors, such as using ear plugs in noisy environments or requesting an opportunity to work on a project alone, rather than with a group.

The student may need to apply coping strategies when faced with unavoidable and otherwise non-adaptable environmental elements. This may include being prepared for known triggers (e.g. keeping sunglasses on-hand, a light jacket in his bag), but also involves relaxation strategies such as breathing exercises, requesting a break outside of the immediate setting, etc.

Teach him to recognize and seek out work environments, recreation and leisure settings, and post-secondary environments that are a good match for him, and to avoid those that are not a good match. Note that this is a career goal that will often be beyond the capacity of many of our students while they are in high school. Because of this, the first four steps of this process should be your primary focus in intervention. Your goal is to support the environmental design of settings to reduce stressors so that the student can succeed in self-advocacy around environmental stress.

It is important to help the student recognize the environments that he should avoid altogether (the environments that make him feel “bad,” “overwhelmed,” “anxious”). In school, while the student might be taught to mitigate stressors associated with the regular education setting via accommodations and coping strategies, does the student need to transition between classes with the rest of the student body, does he need to attend all assemblies, and does he need to wait in the cafeteria line with dozens of other peers? As he explores work opportunities and career paths, what environments are likely to support his goals towards independence, happiness, and productivity? Does he need to work in a retail setting, is that a good fit? Does he need to work in a more predictable setting?

Examine the Self-Advocacy topic as you break down and teach aspects of steps #1 through #5.

What sub-skill should you target first for the student to initiate? Given what the student can do presently, how will you present the task so that the student can perform steps within his capacity while learning a new step?
It will help to use the self-assessment tool (see Priming section) when determining where to launch instruction for this skill. If the student indicates awareness of environmental preferences, helping him identify and label triggers may be an appropriate sub-skill to target first. For a student who is already able to identify environmental elements that pose a challenge, it may be possible to begin instruction by identifying where and how to label and to whom, finding a solution through labeling, or exploring adaptations and coping strategies.