3/7/03
Dr. Ted Carr Positive Behavioral Support
Hey all! For those who wanted to go to the short, sweet, but powerfully packed 3 hour workshop on PBS by Dr. Ted Carr last Friday through ELIJA and couldn't make it, I wanted to pass on my notes AND thoughts of how I understand PBS (always feel I should have some sort of disclaimer )
Notes from hand out:
"Critical Features of PBS"
"Problem behavior usually serves a purpose for the person displaying it
Functional assessment is used to identify the purpose of problem behavior.
The goal of intervention is education not simply behavior reduction.
Problem behavior typically serves many purposes and therefore requires many interventions.
Intervention requires changing social systems, not individuals
Lifestyle change is the ultimate goal of intervention. "
"Overall Intervention Strategy":
Remediate deficient environments. Remediate deficient behavior repertoires.
" Communication Hypothesis":
Communicative responses and behavior problems both serve multiple social functions. Behavior problems can be a form of communication.
------Dr. Carr talked to us quite a bit about problem behavior how "if I could talk I'd tell you I want that, If I could communicate I'd tell you I don't like you touching me ( ex. physically prompting), If I could talk I'd tell you I'm bored" etc. Many of our children exhibit problem behavior when they are actually trying to communicate, (why I get sooo MAD augmentative communication is not offered to very young children at some schools…GRRRRRRRRR!) And the importance of conducting a functional assessment of problem behavior.
"Guiding Principles":
"Generally, problem behavior tells you what's wrong with the environment, not what's wrong with the child
Problem behavior is typically the result of unmet needs
Assessment and systems change are critical to success.
One size fits all refers to gloves, not interventions: The necessity for an individualized, multicomponent approach
Positive behavior support is ultimately about prevention, not crisis management."
-------The focus on PBS is on changing the environment and prevention of problem behaviors (that doesn't necessarily mean avoiding driving past McDonald's because your child freaks when you don't stop!). It's the idea that system factors and setting events (policies, skill of staff and knowledge of staff, resources available, incentives) can be blocks in your child's road to success. The importance of making the environment reinforcing for the child, to start off and keep the child in a good mood can maximize learning opportunities.
It was the quickest 3 hours I've spent! Dr. Carr loaded us with great info. What's interesting to me is that I've been hearing from many speakers since my "enlightenment mission" of going to the source for ABA info (as opposed to getting parent training by a school whose staff was taught by someone who was taught by someone that at one time a few years ago went to a Lovaas conference) many of these topics have been addressed and emphasized as being key to successful intervention. Much of it seems like common sense (which we all know is SO uncommon!) and much of it as parents we don't have much control over. What a great thing it would be to have schools get on board with PBS, not for just our Autistic kids, but for all children.
Ok, and I gotta share with you my fav quote of the day from Dr. Carr when I asked about schools that have philosophies contradicting to PBS and the evolving science of ABA.. "Philosophies are what you have when you don't have data" love that line! Along with his analogy of how talking and communicating are to totally separate skills--his example? Divorce Court.
Take care guys, Jennica 3/11/03
Dr. Carr's book "Communication-Based Intervention for Problem Behavior" can be found at www.brookespublishing.com and info on the first international conference on PBS can be found at www.rrtcpbs.org
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