The purpose of this experiment is to study the effects of moderating positive behavior support on people with developmental disabilities and its duration.
Three students with developmental disabilities who showed problematic behaviors at their universities were chosen for this experiment. To see the effects of moderating positive behavior support, intervention teams were composed of people associated with the experimentees. Three types of intervention methods were used: intervention preceeding an action, during an action, and after an action. They were observed for 4 months, over 38 sessions which was divided into, four stages: period of no intervention, intervention, its lasting effect, then generalization. The effect of intervention was verified by measuring the incidence of problem behaviors by applying a middle baseline design among the subjects and using the partial interval recording method to graph the change in each session. The conclusions of this study are as follows.
First, multidimensional positive behavior support through functional assessment was effective in reducing problem behaviors of adults with developmental disabilities.
Second, the positive behaviors support decreased the problematic behaviors and replaced it with alternative, acceptable behaviors acquired by students with developmental disabilities.
Third, the behavioral change acquired by the students with developmental disabilities continued to be maintained even after the intervention.
In this study, positive behavioral support was proved to be effective for intervention of problematic behaviors for people with developmental disabilities. The cause of this decrease of problematic behaviors is attributed to multidimensional positive behavioral support affecting different areas of their lives. This type of reinforcement was also effective in improving everyday life as well as their school life.
Therefore, multidimensional positive behavior support through cooperation of the intervention team will be effective for people with developmental disabilities who have had chronic behavioral problems. This method will effectively reduce inappropriate behaviors and replace them with alternate, acceptable behaviors that will persist even after intervention.