Community Supports

Positive Behavior Support

What is Positive Behavior Support?

Problem behaviors often are an ongoing and severe challenge for care providers of persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is an evidence-based practice for addressing problem behavior among persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities. PBS is a problem solving approach that focuses on improving the quality of life for individuals with challenging behavior instead of just reducing the frequency of the undesired behaviors. The term is often associated with techniques based on a systematic approach to understanding why the behavior makes sense to the individual, and the use of interventions that focus on changing antecedents in order to prevent problematic situations rather than manipulating consequences to manage the behavior.

Training on Positive Behavior Support
The Boggs Center offers three workshops on PBS:

•  Basic Positive Behavior Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities.

•  Applied Strategies for Implementing Positive Behavior Support with Individuals who have Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities.

•  Mental Health Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities.

These are offered in locations around the state for care providers who are interested in learning more about PBS. Currently available sessions are listed on this website at: http://rwjms.umdnj.edu/boggscenter/training/positive_behavioral_supports.htm

Project Director/Contact: Dan Baker, Ph.D.
Project Faculty/Contact: Phil Smith, Ph.D.
Project Staff/Contact: Melissa Cheplic