Positive Behavior Support

Abstract

Positive behavior support (PBS) represents a problem-solving framework that embodies research-based practices. Originating from a societal need for nonaversive behavior intervention for people with disabilities, PBS focuses on positive, educative procedures that foster the development of adaptive behavior repertoires, in contrast to aversive punishments for behavioral suppression. PBS is a practical technology intended for use by typical intervention agents in typical settings. As such, the unit of analysis is homes, schools, workplaces, and other complex naturalistic settings. Within PBS, intervention is emphasized on a broad scale and goes beyond the immediate environment to classroom, group, and systems-level contingencies that may impact behavior. A principal objective of PBS is to assist individuals in achieving goals in a socially acceptable manner, thereby removing all relevancy and effectiveness of problem behavior, thus reducing or eliminating problem behavior episodes. A hallmark of the technology is focusing intervention on the problem context as well as the problem behavior. It is representative of behavior support with a greater emphasis on comprehensive supports including teaching of replacement behaviors that make problem behavior inefficient, manipulation of consequences to ensure appropriate behaviors are more satisfying, and design of effective environments to make problem behaviors irrelevant. PBS is increasingly expected to be the standard for behavior support within the area of developmental disabilities and is also being extended to many other disciplines (i.e., emotional behavioral disorders, mental health, etc.). As well, the essential elements of PBS such as its focus on behavior-based education, environmental redesign, and accountability have expanded to larger units of analysis (i.e., families, schools, workplaces) in more comprehensive and preventive methods.