Abstract
The school-wide application of positive behavior support (PBS) is a prevention-oriented approach to student discipline that is characterized by its focus on defining and teaching behavioral expectations, rewarding appropriate behaviors, continual evaluation of its effectiveness, and the integration of supports for individuals, groups, the school as a whole, and school/family/community partnerships. Although school-wide PBS has been implemented in hundreds of schools thus far, many professionals in education and psychology remain, for the most part, unfamiliar with this proactive alternative for increasing positive student behavior. This article reviews the foundations and core components of school-wide PBS, provides a case example of the implementation and preliminary evaluation of school-wide PBS in an urban middle school, and summarizes critical issues and future research directions in this area of considerable importance to professionals in educational psychology and related fields.
Similar content being viewed by others
Reference
Anderson, C. M., & Kincaid, D. (2005). Applying behavior analysis to school violence and discipline problems: Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support. The Behavior Analyst, 28, 49–63.
Bohanon-Edmonson, H., Fenning, P., Carney, K., Minnis, M., Anderson-Harris, S., Moroz, K., Kasper, B., Hicks, K., & Culos, C. (in press). School-wide application of urban high school positive behavior support: A case study. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions.
Carr, E. G., Dunlap, G., Horner, R. H., Koegel, R. L., Turnbull, A. P., Sailor, W., et al. (2002). Positive behavior support: Evolution of an applied science. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 4, 4–16, 20.
Central students rewarded for good behavior. (2000, May 18). Staff Notebook: Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, 30(34), 1–2.
Colvin, G. (1991). Procedures for establishing a proactive school-wide discipline plan. College of Education, University of Oregon, Eugene.
Colvin, G., Kameenui, E. J., & Sugai, G. (1993). Reconceptualizing behavior management and school-wide discipline in general education. Education and Treatment of Children, 16, 361–381.
Colvin, G., Sugai, G., & Kameenui, E. (1994). Curriculum for establishing a proactive school-wide discipline plan. Project Prepare. Behavioral Research and Teaching. College of Education, University of Oregon, Eugene.
Cotton, K. (1990). Close-Up \#9. Schoolwide and classroom discipline. School Improvement Research Series, 1–21.
Durand, M. V., & Carr, E. G. (1985). Self-injurious behavior: Motivating conditions and guidelines for treatment. School Psychology Review, 14, 171–176.
Dwyer, K., Osher, D., & Warger, C. (1998). Early warning, timely response: A guide to safe schools. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
Freeman, R., Smith, C., Zarcone, J., Kimbrough, P., Tieghi-Benet, M., Wickham, D. et al. (2005). Building a statewide plan for embedding Positive Behavior Support in human service organizations. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 7, 109–119.
Haley, J. (1973). Uncommon therapy: The psychiatric techniques of Milton H. Erickson, M.D. New York: W. W. Norton and Company.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq. (1999); 34 C.F.R. 300.1 et seq. (1999); 64 Fed. Reg. 12,406–12,672 (1999).
Johnson, D. (2000). KU grads improve attitudes at Central Middle School – after adjusting their own. Kansas City Kansan.
Knight, J. (1998). Do schools have learning disabilities? Focus on Exceptional Children, 30(9), 1–14.
Lewis, T. J., & Sugai, G. (1999). Effective behavior support: A systems approach to proactive school-wide management. Focus on Exceptional Children, 31(6), 1–24.
Lewis, T. J., Sugai, G., & Colvin, G. (1998). Reducing problem behavior through a school-wide system of Effective Behavioral Support: Investigation of a school-wide social skills training program and contextual interventions. School Psychology Review, 27, 446–459.
Lewis-Palmer, T., Sugai, G., & Larson, S. (1999). Using data to guide decisions about program implementation and effectiveness. Effective School Practices, 17(4), 47–43.
Luiselli, J. K., Putnam, R. F., Handler, M. W., & Feinberg, A. B. (2005). Whole-school Positive Behaviour Support: Effects on student discipline problems and academic performance. Educational Psychology, 25, 183–198.
Mayer, G. R., & Sulzer-Azaroff, B. (1991). Interventions for Vandalism. In G. Mayer & Sulzer-Azaroff, B. (Eds.), Behavior Analysis for Lasting Change. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Meyer, L. H., & Evans, I. M. (1989). Nonaversive intervention for behavior problems: A manual for home and community. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
Mulick, J. A., & Butter, E. M. (2005). Positive behavior support: A paternalistic utopian delusion. In J. W., Jacobson, R. M. Foxx, & J. A. Mulick (Eds.), Controversial therapies for developmental disabilities: Fad, fashion and science in professional practice. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Public Agenda. (2004). Teaching interrupted: Do discipline policies in today’s public schools foster the common good? New York: Public Agenda.
Quinn, M. M., Osher, D., Hoffman, C. C., & Hanley, T. V. (1998). Safe, drug-free, and effective schools for ALL students: What works! Washington, DC: Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice, American Institutes for Research.
Ruef, M. B., Higgins, C., Glaeser, B. J. C., & Patnode, M. (1998). Positive behavioral support: Strategies for teachers. Intervention in School and Clinic, 34(1), 21–32.
Sugai, G., & Horner, R. H. (1994). Including students with severe behavior problems in general education settings: Assumptions, challenges, solutions. In: Marr, J., Sugai, G. & Tindal, G. (eds.), The Oregon Conference monograph 6, 102–120. Eugene: University of Oregon.
Sugai, G., & Horner, R. H. (1999). Discipline and behavioral support: Practices, pitfalls, promises. Effective School Practices, 17(4), 10–22.
Sugai, G., & Horner, R. H. (2002). The evolution of discipline practices: School-wide positive behavior supports. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 24, 23–50.
Sugai, G., Horner, R., Dunlap, G., Lewis, Nelson, C., Scott, T., Liaupsin, C., Ruef, M., Sailor, W., Turnbull, A. P., Turnbull, H. R., Wickham, D., and Wilcox, B. L. (2000). Applying positive behavior support and functional behavioral assessment in schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 2, 131– 143.
Sugai, G., & Lewis, T. (1996). Preferred and promising practices for social skill instruction. Focus on Exceptional Children 29, (4), 1–16.
Sugai, G., Sprague, J. R., Horner, R. H., & Walker, H. M. (2000). Preventing school violence: The use of office discipline referrals to assess and monitor school-wide discipline interventions. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 8, 94–101.
Taylor-Greene, S. D., Nelson, L., Longton, J., Gassman, T., Cohen, J., Swartz, J., Horner, R. H., Sugai, G., & Hall, S. (1997). School-wide behavioral support: Starting the year off right. Journal of Behavioral Education, 7, 99–112.
Todd, A., Horner, R., Sugai, G., & Colvin, G. (1999). Individualizing school-wide discipline for students with chronic problem behaviors: A team approach. Effective School Practices, 17(4), 72–82.
Todd, A. W., Horner, R. H., Sugai, G., & Sprague, J. R. (1999). Effective behavior support: Strengthening school-wide systems through a team-based approach. Effective School Practices, 17(4), 23–27.
Turnbull, A., Edmonson, H., Griggs, P., Wickham, D., Sailor, W., Freeman, R., Guess, D., Lassen, S., McCart, A., Park, J., Riffel, L., Turnbull, R., & Warren, J. (2002). A blueprint for schoolwide positive behavior support: Implementation of three components. Exceptional Children, 68, 377–402.
Turnbull, H. R., Wilcox, B. L., & Stowe, M. (2001). IDEA requirements for use of PBS: Guidelines for responsible agencies. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 3, 11–18.
Walker, H. M., Horner, R. H., Sugai, G., Bullis, M., Sprague, J. R., Bricker, D., & Kaufman, M. J. (1996). Integrated approaches to preventing antisocial behavior patterns among school-age children and youth. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 4, 193–256.
Warren, J. S., Edmonson, H. M., Griggs, P., Lassen, S., McCart, A., Turnbull, A., & Sailor, W. (2003). Urban applications of school-wide positive behavior support: Critical issues and lessons learned. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 5, 80–91.
Warren, J. S., Edmonson, H. M., Sailor, W., Turnbull, A., Wickham, D., Griggs, P., & Beech, S. (2000, August). Positive Behavioral Supports: Implementation and evaluation of a school-wide behavioral intervention. Paper presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
Acknowledgments
The authors express appreciation to the following individuals from the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools for their valued contributions to this work: Jim Antos, Nancy Hale, Karen Moorman, Denise Smerchek, and Phyllis Whiteside.
The preparation of this article was supported by the NIDRR Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Positive Behavioral Support, Grant H133B980005, and the OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Grant H326S980003 from the U.S. Department of Education. However, no endorsement by any supporting agency should be inferred.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Warren, J.S., Bohanon-Edmonson, H.M., Turnbull, A.P. et al. School-wide Positive Behavior Support: Addressing Behavior Problems that Impede Student Learning. Educ Psychol Rev 18, 187–198 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-006-9008-1
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-006-9008-1