PBI (Positive Behavioral Intervention)

PBI or Positive Behavioral Intervention is essential to an effective behavior management program. All behaviors serve a purpose by meeting a significant need for the child. It helps tremendously to know and understand this purpose, in order to replace the behavior with a more desirable one.

This all starts with completing a comprehensive assessment, so that it is clear what the payoff is for the behavior, and that an alternative behavior that serves the same purpose can be selected and taught. Within the context of positive programming, the replacement behavior is more easily accepted.

Fostering Independence

The main goal of Positive Behavioral Intervention is for complete self direction by increasing opportunities for personal choice, independent action and self determination. This is done by developing and maintaining productive individual activities in a wide variety of environments, and monitoring consistently so as to ensure achievement of desired goals.

Positive Behavioral Intervention plans are put together primarily for serious behavior problems that interfere with successful living. Most misbehavior can be dealt with successfully and monitored with child behavior charts, and does not require any formal plans.

For more detailed information review the Technical Assistance Center website on interventions and supports. You will find a wealth of information there.

The main key to PBI is to teach alternative behaviors that have the same consequences as the negative behavior. This can be done through providing meaningful activities, establishing a predictable routine, offering choices, change of setting, or even removing distractions such as noise or clutter. Also ignore the behavior, but not the individual. Provide verbal redirects, and give immediate feedback.

For Positive Behavioral Intervention to work, it is absolutely necessary to know your child and how he or she learns. Make it easy for the child to achieve some level of success. Ensure that the new behavior has an immediate payoff that is equal to or greater than the payoff for the undesirable behavior with equal or less energy needed to perform. This is one more effective technique for your Toolbox of Success, while dealing with challenging behaviors.

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When done reviewing PBI, click here to return to the Manage Care page.

SBI!