An investigation of the effectiveness of family-centred positive behaviour support of young children with disabilities

Abstract

Positive Behaviour Intervention and Support (PBIS) is an evidence-based approach that has been proven to be effective in remediating problem behaviours in children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the family-centred PBIS approach when involving Taiwanese families in the treatment of off-task and non-compliant behaviours of three young children with disabilities. The single-subject design utilised multiple measurements to monitor dependent variables. Data of two targeted behaviours were collected in both centre and classroom settings from baseline to follow-up phases, though to meet the participating families' needs, intervention was primarily implemented in the centre setting. The results revealed that participants exhibited immediate and significant gains (i.e. a decreasing trend in the targeted behaviours) upon implementation of the intervention and that those gains were maintained after the cessation of intervention. Further evidence of efficacy of this intervention was found in the improvement in parents' ratings of acceptance of the PBIS approach and levels of parental stress. The follow-up data implied that PBIS may represent effective practices worthy of consideration for use with children in inclusive classrooms.