Measuring the impact of Positive Behavior Support

Although positive behavior support (PBS) approaches are often cited as influencing systems, families, and individuals beyond changes in problem or alternative behavior, very few studies have directly assessed issues related to the social validity of these approaches. In response to this need, the Tri-State Consortium for Positive Behavior Support systematically evaluated broad ecological outcomes including behavioral outcomes and quality of life outcomes as measured through team members\u27 ratings. Results of assessments of 78 initial child-centered teams indicate that the PBS approach had an important impact on multiple levels. This article discusses some specific areas of impact and highlights areas for future research on measuring behavioral outcomes, quality of life, and social validity issues relevant to PBS

Socially valid outcomes of intervention for people with mental retardation and challenging behaviour : a preliminary descrptive analysis of the views of different stakeholders.

Potentially salient outcomes of intervention for challenging behavior shown by people with mental retardation (MR) were identified by focus groups and through a literature review. Items generated by this process were subsequently rated by 150 respondents from seven stakeholder groups: 28 people with MR, 9 parents of people with MR, 22 clinical psychologists, 7 psychiatrists, 31 nurses, 33 managers, and 20 direct support workers. Results indicated that reduction in the severity of challenging behavior was considered the most important outcome of intervention for a child/young adult living with his or her family by four of the seven stakeholder groups; reduction in the severity of challenging behavior was considered the most important outcome of intervention for an adult living in a community-based group home by three of the seven stakeholder groups; alternative outcomes considered to be the most important by stakeholder groups included increased friendships and relationships, changes in the perceptions of individuals by others, learning of alternative ways of getting needs met, increased control, and empowerment; there were moderate levels of agreement on the relative importance of outcomes between individual members of stakeholder groups who did not have MR; there were high levels of agreement on the relative importance of outcomes between stakeholder groups of people who did not have MR; and levels of agreement on the relative importance of outcomes between people with MR and members of all other stakeholder groups did not reach the level of statistical significance