Nurturing Positive Behaviours: A 9-Step Support Guide
Welcome to the Ability to Achieve (A2A) blog, which is a newly created hub that is dedicated to teaching and educating the community about Positive Behaviour Support.
In order to promote positive outcomes, and improve the wellbeing of individuals and their support network, it is necessary to tailor how we understand and address behaviours of concern. This blog post has been intentionally crafted to identify and explore strategies, techniques, and insights to help you provide effective behavioural support. Now, let’s dive in and take a deeper look at our 9 Step Support Guide to Nurturing Positive Behaviours.
1. Understanding Behaviour
The key to understanding human behaviour, whether it be positive or challenging, comes from applying the ABC framework, which consists of:
- Exploring the ANTECEDENTS, which consists of the events and circumstances that took place before the behaviour began. For example, being in a busy shopping centre.
- This is followed by identifying the BEHAVIOURS, which consists of assigning a name to an action. For example, becoming emotionally dysregulated and socially withdrawn.
- Finally, it involves understanding the CONSEQUENCES, which consists of the events and circumstances that took place after the behaviour occurred. For example, leaving a busy shopping centre earlier than expected.
2. Recognising Functions (EVERYBODY E.A.T.S + C)
Understanding the underlying reason behind a behaviour is a key ingredient in developing tools and strategies that provide a tailored approach to behaviour support. We like to use the acronym EVERYBODY E.A.T.S + C.
E is for escape, A is for attention, T is for tangible, S is for sensory and C is for control. To understand the function, we ask ourselves the following key questions.
- For ESCAPE, is a person trying to avoid or disengage in a triggering situation?
- For ATTENTION, is a person trying to engage with something or someone in order to be seen?
- For TANGIBLE, is a person trying to gain access to a particular object or activity?
- For SENSORY, does the behaviour the person is engaging in result in positive stimulation, or does it avoid engaging in negative stimulation? For example, are they hitting themselves to achieve some kind of ‘relief’?
- For CONTROL, is a person trying to lead, have power or ‘be in charge’ of a situation?
3. Creating Supportive Environments
Promoting positive behaviour goes beyond offering a tailored approach, and extends to two key areas, including the provision of a person-entered approach, and necessary environmental modifications.
PERSON-CENTERED APPROACHES involve emphasising individual needs, preferences, and strengths when designing supportive environments. For example, an individual who enjoys the pursuit of art would benefit from strategies that integrate creativity, while a person who has a deep love of the outdoors would benefit from interventions that take place outside the home environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS involve exploring how physical, sensory, and social environments can impact behaviour, and the success of strategies to create meaningful and sustainable change. For example, creating a calm corner for those who have a heightened sensory response to external stimuli.
4. Offering Positive Behavior Support Strategies
The success of strategies goes beyond how “good” or “effective” the approach is, and instead relates to factors including CONSISTENCY, PREDICTABILITY and ROUTINE, which can be applied in the form of REINFORCEMENT, BEHAVIOUR CONTRACTS and a TOKEN ECONOMY SYSTEM.
- REINFORCEMENT uses positive reinforcement techniques to encourage and motivate individuals towards desired behaviours.
- BEHAVIOUR CONTRACTS involve the implementation of structured agreements that define expectations, rewards, and consequences to promote accountability.
- TOKEN ECONOMY SYSTEMS involve implementing a system where individuals earn tokens or points for positive behaviours, which can be exchanged for preferred rewards.
5. Communication and Collaborative Approaches
Effective communication strategies include active listening, empathy, and clear communication to enhance understanding and build positive relationships. Effective communication also extends to collaborative problem-solving, which involves encouraging open dialogue and involving individuals, families, and support networks in the development and implementation of behaviour support plans.
6. Managing Challenging Behaviors
In order to manage challenging behaviours, particularly when they reach the “peak’ or “crisis” point, it is necessary to apply de-escalation techniques, which are proactive strategies aimed at defusing challenging situations before they escalate. For example, separating an individual from a stress inducing environment.
Coping skills and emotional regulation techniques can also manage challenging behaviour, which involves teaching individuals healthy coping methods and self-regulation strategies to manage emotions and behaviour. For example, deep breathing, sensory meditation, and dedicated time in nature.
7. Data Collection and Analysis
In order to address a behaviour, we need to know the facts, which is where behaviour tracking comes into the mix. This involves collecting data using a variety of methods, such as direct observation, interviews, and technology-based tools.
Data collection then informs the Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA), which is a series of comprehensive assessments which aim to understand the function and triggers of challenging behaviours.
8. Collaboration Across Settings
Each person has a series of core environments, which are the places that they spend the most time in. This may include the home, the school or the workplace. In these core environments, interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial to the success of behaviour support, as behaviour change is the result of consistency across environments. Interdisciplinary collaboration involves teamwork across an entire care team and support network, to ensure that everyone involved is on the same page when it comes to providing consistent intervention and support.
9. Cultural Considerations
Finally, cultural competence is a highly important consideration, as to provide meaningful support, we must recognise and respect diverse cultural backgrounds and their influence on behaviours, communication, and support strategies.
Our A2A team is hopeful that this blog space provides you with valuable insights and practical strategies for effectively supporting positive behaviours for those in your care. By implementing a person-centred approach, utilising evidence-based interventions, and fostering collaboration, we can create supportive environments that promote growth, wellbeing, and positive outcomes for individuals who benefit from additional support and intervention. Remember, every behaviour is an opportunity for learning and development. Together, let’s nurture positive behaviours and make a difference in the lives of those we support.