Positive behavior support involves identifying the purposes
behavior serves for a child (e.g., attention, avoidance
of difficult
tasks) and the circumstances in which these
behaviors are most likely and least likely.
The
support provider's
behavior could be assigned to one
of six categories:
positive emotional,
positive instrumental, negative, neutral,
positive other, or off -
task (see [2] for a detailed description).
Five 7 - point rating scales were used: supportive presence (i.e., expression
of positive regard and emotional
support to the child), hostility (i.e., expression
of anger, discounting, rejecting or blaming the child), intrusiveness (i.e., interfering with the child's needs, interests and
behaviors), clarity
of instruction (i.e., structuring, timely hints and adequate pace
of instruction), and confidence (i.e., expression
of confidence in the child's ability to fulfill the
task).