Positive Behavior Support Essay

Positive Behavior Support Essay

In essence, Positive Behavior Support or PBS refers to the general approach for providing a resolution to problems involving behaviors which are shown or manifested by individuals with certain disabilities (“Fact Sheet: Positive Behavior Support”, 2005). These behaviors deemed problematic may include but is not limited to: self-inflicted injury, aggressive behavior, and other similar destructive actions; tantric behavior and other disruptive physical responses; irritating conducts which are repeated in excess which include behaviors that interfere with an individual’s social or learning interactions.           Positive Behavior Support is founded on values which are focused on the individual which necessitates methods that are considerably positive and respect the individual’s sense of dignity. Moreover, interventions through the use of PBS are done on an individual basis and are taken from the comprehension of the individual and the individual’s surrounding environment. Interventions through the use of PBS are commonly characterized of many strategies which entail collaboration between two or more support providers and care givers. Lastly, the tasks under the PBS methods should involve developments in terms of social relationships and other variants of enhancements to the person’s ‘lifestyle’ and declines in behavior problems (Jackson & Warren, 2000, p. 1441).           PBS starts with the recognition and establishment of a support team consisting of people who are most related to the life of the individual in need of PBS. Apparently, the support team may be composed largely of the members of the family, friends, classmates and school teachers and other people who are related in a certain way to the person and to the person’s problem behavior (Amado & Rivera, 1999, p. 375). The PBS plan is usually under the helm of the responsibility of the members of the support team.           After the team has been identified, an agreement concerning the general goals or PBS vision is agreed upon by the team through the method termed as “person centered planning”. After identifying the vision, the team begins with the scheme to obtain information regarding the problem behavior.Consequently, the team then jots down the PBS plan which is comprised of several components or which include strategies for: preempting the problem behaviors before they take place; teaching and giving increments to skills which are designed to change the problem behaviors; handling the problem behaviors if or when these behaviors do occur, and; for checking and observing progress in order to evaluate the progress of the PBS plan and to create adjustments accordingly.           For instance, Tary J. Tobin (2007) argues for the use of PBS in identifying “ways to assess and measure behavior support practices in schools”, in developing processes which support classroom teachers, and contributing to sustainable “positive behavior support systems for students” with behavior problems which place them “at risk for emotional and behavioural disorders” (p. 2).The author specifically showed evidence on the application of PBS specifically Project FIVE or Functional Interventions in Versatile Environments in the development and sustainment of PBS in various systems such as School Wide System, Classroom and Non-Classroom Systems (Tobin, 2007, p. 2). The author was able to arrive at the conclusion that PBS benefits the aim of not only resolving problem behaviors but also preventing the occurrence of problem behaviors.           Another case example is that of the observations of Lise Fox, Susan Jack and Linda Broyles (2005) which arrived at several notable conclusions. It was found out that PBS initiative has paved the way for life-changing results for children such as the decrease in the “number of children identified as having challenging behavior” who were then referred for mental health services (p. 13).The authors were also able to determine the conclusion that children are capable of understanding and following “behavior expectations” inasmuch as they “support each other in following classroom expectations”, are capable of making transitions from one classroom to another classroom with minimal or zero difficulties with regard to the observation that children “adjust to the classroom more quickly” (p. 13).           The findings of the reviewed articles relate to the rationale for using PBS— to provide a resolution to problems involving behaviors which are shown or manifested by individuals with certain disabilities—inasmuch as the methods used for meeting the goals of PBS directly meet the objectives. Tobin’s (2007) methods, arguments and findings were able to substantiate on the general application of PBS in schools and its desired effects on the resolution of problem behaviors. On the other hand, Fox, Jack and Broyles (2005) focused on a less general scope in the application of PBS—school children in the classroom setting.           The two articles are only some of the many studies conducted in reaffirming the effect and effectiveness of Positive Behavior Support in providing answers to the problem behaviors of children especially young students with disruptive behaviors and in preventing the occurrence of these behaviors. Further, PBS is shown as a means of lessening the hindrances in the learning environments of students and children alike. Since PBS primarily involves the people who are closest or who are directly related to the individual in need of PBS, there is strong reason to believe that the individual will be able to overcome problem behaviors in the process.ReferencesAmato, P. R., & Rivera, F. (1999). Paternal Involvement and Children’s Behavior Problems. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61(2), 375.Fact Sheet: Positive Behavior Support. (2005).  Retrieved December 5, 2007, from http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:IQEnuBe9mtEJ:www.ucf-card.org/uploads/factsheets/1187875091_eng.pdf+Positive+Behavior+Support&hl=tl&ct=clnk&cd=13&gl=phFox, L., Jack, S., & Broyles, L. (2005). Program-Wide Positive Behavior Support: Supporting Young Children’s Social-Emotional Development and Addressing Challenging Behavior [Electronic Version], 1-17. Retrieved December 5, 2007, from http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:sCY8zBaOfjEJ:challengingbehavior.fmhi.usf.edu/Kansas_Book_Web.pdf+Positive+Behavior+Support&hl=tl&ct=clnk&cd=11&gl=phJackson, Y., & Warren, J. S. (2000). Appraisal, Social Support, and Life Events: Predicting Outcome Behavior in School-Age Children. Child Development 71(5), 1441.Tobin, T. J. (2007). Systems of Individual Support: The Functional Interventions in Versatile Environments Project’s Pilot Study of Evaluation Tools [Electronic Version], 1-46. Retrieved December 5, 2007, from http://www.uoregon.edu/~ttobin/measure.pdf