Generalization and Sustainability in Positive Behavior Support

Learning is an ongoing process which means that to really make a plan sustainable, ongoing coaching and mentoring is needed. Coaching and mentoring is provided during the routines where interventions are being implemented. This applied approach helps people reflect on their learning as they are trying new skills. There are a number of questions that can be asked when evaluating how well a positive behavior support plan is being implemented. Questions naturally come up when the team is observing interventions, monitoring fidelity, and helping families, caregivers, and staff expand interventions to new settings.

Complete a Maintenance Observation

• Is the plan working well?
• How do we really know the plan is effective?
• If the support plan is not working, what should we do next?

Fidelity of implementation During Key Routines

• Did we do what we said we would do?
• If the data are showing that impacts did not occur or that behavior hasn’t changed…. are the interventions implemented as intended?
• If the plan was implemented as intended but outcomes are not positive….how confident are we that we know the function that is maintaining behavior in each routine?
• Do we need to update the functional behavioral assessment?

Systematically Teaching People to Expand the Number of Routines Targeted

• What other routines need to be assessed to confirm the function maintaining challenging behavior?
• Are all routines in the child or adult's life that already include the intervention going well?
• Do we have a list of new routines that we want to include in the PBS plan (i.e., generalization)?