At times we all experience frustrations and challenges to achieving our goals. At times we can be our own worst enemies allowing anger and aggression to get the best of us. While everyone struggles from time to time with bad behaviour you may know someone who acts out in a way that is damaging to themselves and others.
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is a philosophy for helping individuals whose problem behaviours are barriers to reaching their goals. It is based on Applied Behaviour Analysis which postulates that behaviours occur for a reason and can be predicted by knowing what happens before and after those behaviours
Who Is Trained in PBS?
Mental health professionals such as psychologists and behaviour analysts are trained to complete assessments and design PBS interventions.
The assessments determine when, where and why problem behaviours occur. For example, a teenage girl is acting out at school and in danger of getting expelled. The assessment would try to determine what the student is trying to achieve by bad behaviour.
The assessment would strive to identify the locations and triggers that predict when those behaviours will and will not happen. By interviewing the student, family members, teachers, friends and others to answer questions about the problematic actions.
At that point, the professional would develop treatments and routines that match the reason the student is using the problem behaviours. These treatments include developing strategies to replace problem behaviours with appropriate behaviour.
By learning new skills, the person can stop using problem behaviours. The subject might learn coping skills like mindfulness, deep breathing, journaling, asking for help, or muscle relaxation. These tools give her other more acceptable options to use the next time she wants to act out.
Benefits of a PBS Approach
PBS emerged in the 1980s to understand and address problem behaviours.
Person-centred. Using this approach addresses the individual and respects his or her dignity. This includes listening to the individual and recognizing the person’s skills, strengths and goals with the belief that they can accomplish their goals. Treatments are developed to fit the specific needs of individuals rather than a “cookbook” approach.
Positive Change
This approach minimizes the need for punishment, restraint, seclusion or the removal of privileges. Through environmental changes and reinforcement of adaptive behaviours and coping mechanisms, the individual can modify their own behaviour.
Outcome Focused
PBS places an emphasis on outcomes important to the individual and society. These behavioural changes have a positive impact on homes, communities, schools, and hospitals safer
Collaborative Support
PBS involves coordinating with everyone who supports an individual including parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers and team leaders. Keeping everyone involved allows for new behaviours and skills to be supported in all settings.
Everyone needs to be supported to grow, develop skills and participate in their social, school, and community life. Implementing a Positive Behaviour Support program is an ongoing activity. Continuous monitoring to assess the effectiveness of the strategies, reassess goals, and make adjustments when necessary is required.
The aim of PBS is to reduce and eliminate any restrictive practices by teaching and developing better patterns of behaviour.
