Positive Approaches to Challenging Behavior

Once the interventions are in place and the team has completed the brainstorming session and chosen interventions that are a good fit for the person and team, it is time to write the PBS plan. It can be helpful to combine all of the information about positive supports for one person into a unified plan of action. This makes it easier for family, caregivers, or staff to keep all the elements moving forward. PBS plans vary in size and complexity. Larger plans have multiple positive supports and interventions addressing each area of the hypothesis statement (setting event interventions, antecedent intervention, teaching new skills to replace challenging behavior, and consequence interventions).

A written PBS plan will have the following features:

• Identifying information, reasons for the plan, summary of child or adult's positive characteristics and strengths
• Description of the problem behavior(s)
• Summary of the hypothesis statement
• Describe the interventions
• Crisis prevention plan as necessary)
• Quick one-page easy to access review

The quick one-page review can be a helpful resource for families and staff. A summary of important interventions that is easy to read and can be used during the routines where the interventions are implemented can be an important way to support the people implementing the positive behavior support plan and increase fidelity of the strategies used.

Learn more about PBS Plans and Selecting Interventions for addressing each element of the hypothesis statement

Visit the Behavior Support Plan: Competing Behavior Pathway for a blank copy of a behavioral support plan.

Module 4 will address more about PBS planning including using data to assess progress and make improvements and long-term planning.