This is something that How to ABA uses to debrief with students after a melt down/ tantrum/ [insert other negative behaviour here].

Typically, this flexibility log would be filled out jointly with the student and instructor together. (Note: It used to be referred to as the “hassle log” but we don’t love that term as we’d rather focus on the positive)

It should be filled out within the same day of the negative behaviour occurring. However, the student has to be CALM for at least 30 minutes before this can be filled out.

Students have to be fairly verbal in order to use this.

When completing the Flexibility Log, it is important to focus on the positive, not the negative. (e.g., You may have had a melt down, but, you took deep breaths! Way to go!)

Be careful! If there is too much negativity surrounding the hassle log, then students will be reluctant to fill it out again for future instances of negative behaviour (who wants to talk about their own faults?!). In addition, if a hassle log harps on the negative, then it may increase negative behaviour instead of reducing it.

If a student engages in something positive that you have been teaching him/her (e.g., deep breathing), pull out a Hassle Log immediately following the positive behavior and review what that student did correctly.

For more ideas, here’s another version and another one.