Maryland Positive Behavior Support Training

Being heard by other people and feeling listened to and supported are universal needs. When universal PBS is used, individual plans like Andy’s may not be needed. Person-centered strategies might have addressed Andy's needs without the need for a team process. However, sometimes a more structured FBA and PBS planning process is needed to solve problems that are harder to solve.  Providing a little more support or intensity to an intervention can result in improved quality of life over time. In Andy’s story, an agreement from the people around Andy was need to make sure everyone will honor Andy’s future requests. This process helped Andy’s team to change the social interactions that were occurring from negative to more positive.

As you an see, PBS plans are not intended to change or fix a person who is engaging in a challenging interactions. Instead, the plan is an agreement for the other people who are supporting that person. Positive behavior support assumes that most problems that arise require everyone to change together.

By expecting everyone to practice, model, and teach social and emotional skills, we can improve quality of life for everyone while making the world a better place together.

Positive Person-Centered Environments

• Are predictable, safe, and comfortable
• Encourage meaningful connections and relationships
• Provide people with a way to make important choices and direct their own life
• Include active listening and empathy
• Encourage all people to use positive social skills
• Involve learning more about how to cope with and manage strong emotions
• Leave people with feelings of respect

Activity

Write Down Your Answer

• Visit the hypothesis statement activity 
• Write down the hypothesis statements for the stories in the activity including: setting event, antecedent, behavior, and consequence
• Check for answers for the hypothesis statement activity here