FAB Coping Card Strategy

The FAB Coping card gives clients, teachers and therapists a visual support strategy for achieving their goals. Based on Power Cards, coping cards use the child’s preferred interest to guide goal-directed behavior. Clients use an index card to depict their preferred interest, behavioral goal, coping strategies, and reinforcement schedule. Constructing and displaying the coping card focuses the client and staff on their individual goal, coping strategies, and reinforcement schedule while using their preferred interest to help achieve the goal.
For example, a student who frequently bit his hand constructed a coping card by depicting his goal (e.g., keep safe hands by not biting myself when I get upset), preferred interest (e.g., Sponge Bob), coping strategies (e.g., chewy, weighted blanket, and basket ball) and reinforcement schedule (e.g., 10 minutes of safe hands=1 sticker). The goal is written and/or drawn, stickers or drawings depict the preferred interest, and coping strategies are visually represented (colored, cut out, and pasted on an index card using the FAB Trigger & Coping forms).

 

On the reverse side of the coping card the reinforcement schedule is written: “Safe hands for 10 consecutive minutes earns one sticker, while five stickers=1 toy car)”.  The index card is laminated and fastened to the desktop or worn as a necklace. Through their process of constructing the coping card clients and staff develop an effective functional goal, preferred interest, coping strategies, and reinforcement schedule.
Making a coping card helps teach clients how to use adaptive equipment to achieve their goal. The process of constructing the coping card focuses the client and staff on the goal and plan for achieving it.  The coping card helps to quickly remind clients and staff of the individualized program for achieving their goal.  Coping cards quickly guide busy teachers and therapists in addressing functional goals of students with significant behavioral challenges. Coping cards also encourage professional collaboration in goal development and implementation.
Reference:
Spencer, V., Simpson, C., Day, M., Buster, E. (2008).  Using the power card strategy to teach social skills to a child with Autism.  Teaching Exceptional Children Plus, 5(1), 1-10.