Reducing EPISODIC SEVERITY of Challenging Behaviours in Public School Settings Using the Multi-Element Behavioural Support Plan

Written By IABA Foundation

Authors: Elizabeth C Hughes & Elena Huerta

Background: Students with special needs frequently manifest behaviour challenges that act as barriers to their full participation in educational and social opportunities. Despite policies that preclude the use of aversive restrictive strategies and promote the use of positive practices, aversive and restrictive strategies continue to be used in many educational settings. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that multi-element behavioural support plans, a type of positive behavioral support, exclusively used, can result in a reduction in the rate and EPISODIC SEVERITY of severe behaviour challenges without the use of restrictive strategies.

Method: In this paper, four case studies are presented of students ranging in ages from 5 to 16 years of age. All four of the students manifested severe behaviour challenges such as physical aggression, destroying property, and self-injury. After a comprehensive functional assessment, a positive behavioral support intervention plan was implemented for all participants using a multi-element behaviour support (MEBS) model.

Results: The results showed decreases in the rates and average EPISODIC SEVERITY of behaviour challenges for all four participants. With consistently implemented MEBS plans, challenging behaviour decreased between 60% and 90% over the course of the treatment.

Conclusion: In spite of strong policies prohibiting the use of aversive/restrictive strategies for students in publicly funded educational settings, these strategies continue to be used in cases where students manifest severe behaviour challenges. This study demonstrates that severe behaviour challenges can be overcome in educational settings using solely positive behavioural supports.

Keywords: Multi-element behaviour support (MEBS), multi-element model, school-based intervention, behaviour intervention plan, aggression, self-injury, property destruction

IABA Foundation
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International Journal of Positive Behavioural Support: Reactive Strategies for Situational Management (Spring 2016)