Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) in Early Childhood Settings

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The example organizations, people, places, and events depicted herein are fictitious. No association with any real organization, person, places, or events is intended or should be inferred.

_{Compiled by Susan L. Jack, M.Ed. and David P. Lindeman, Ph.D.}

_{June 2005, Revised January 2012}

_{Kansas Inservice Training System}

_{Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities}

_{Adapted for accessibility and transferred to new website October 2022}

_{Kansas Inservice Training System is supported though Part C, IDEA Funds from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.}

_{The University of Kansas is and Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate in its programs and activities. Federal and state legislation prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, disability, and veteran status. In addition, University policies prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, marital status, and parental status.}

Table of Contents

Letter from the Director

The Pyramid Model

Activity

References

Packet Evaluation

Letter from the Director

January 2012

Dear Colleague,

Children of all abilities and developmental stages engage in problem behaviors. Parents, caregivers, and teaching staff are often challenged when developing effective interventions that teach more appropriate behaviors. Use of a Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) approach has produced successful outcomes for children who engage in problem behavior. PBIS is built on a foundation of preventing problem behavior through environmental arrangement, effective teaching and program structure, as well as individualized interventions for children who engage in more serious forms of challenging behavior. This packet will describe the foundations of PBIS and identify strategies that effectively reduce challenging behavior in young children.   

We hope that you will find that the packet contains helpful information. After you have examined the packet, please complete the evaluation found at the end of this packet. Thank you for your interest and your efforts toward the development of quality services and programs for young children and their families.

Sincerely,

David P. Lindeman, Ph.D.

KITS Director

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Introduction to Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) in Early Childhood Settings

Developing instruction to support social/emotional development and effective interventions to address challenging behavior is an ongoing process in early childhood programs. Identifying teaching strategies that can be used to decrease the challenging behavior of children while increasing social competence should also promote positive outcomes in children’s daily lives. Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) is one approach that has produced successful outcomes for children with disabilities who engage in severe forms of challenging behavior, and is now being implemented successfully with typically developing children.   

PBIS is built on a research-based foundation of preventing problem behavior through environmental arrangement, effective teaching and programming, teaching children appropriate social and communication skills, and developing individualized interventions for those children who engage in more serious forms of challenging behavior. PBIS is the integration of 1) valued outcomes, 2) behavioral and biomedical science, 3) validated procedures, and 4) systems change information to enhance children’s life experiences and reduce problem behaviors. These research-validated interventions emphasize teaching new skills and designing environments that naturally decrease problem behavior.

Research studies provide evidence that PBIS strategies can be used to support all children. Emerging in the mid-1980’s, PBIS developed as a direct response to concerns over the use of punishment procedures to control severe problem behavior of people with developmental disabilities. At the same time, research emerged in the behavioral field that contributed to the understanding of the meaning, or function, of problem behavior. These early efforts in PBIS produced meaningful outcomes for children and adults with disabilities. Over the course of the last 25 years, PBIS has expanded into schools, social service agencies, and more recently early childhood programs. With active initiatives in most states to build capacity, the PBIS model represents a comprehensive, systematic approach that is capable of changing the lives of children and their families.   

In early childhood programs, the implementation of the PBIS approach best described as a multi-tiered approach, using evidence-based practices that promotes the social-emotional development of all children and addressing challenging behavior in children with more significant needs.  This approach, known as the Pyramid Model, is described in the article by Fox, Dunlap, Hemmeter, Joseph, and Strain (2003) contained in these materials.  More detailed information on the Pyramid Model may be viewed at NCMPI.

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The Pyramid Model

The reader is referred to the following resources as the basis for the information packet.  

• Some starters for giving positive feedback and encouragement, Module 1, Handout 1.3
• Building positive relationships with young children, Module 2, Handout 2.2
• You’ve got to have friends, Module 2, Handout 2.3
• Enhancing emotional vocabulary in young children, Module 2, Handout 2.4
• Helping young children control anger and handle disappointment, Module 2, Handout 2.6
• Strategies for teaming with families in the process of PBS, Module 3b, Handout 3.3(a)
• Positive Behavior Support Additional Resources: Module 3b, Handout 7

• To receive a PDF copy of the 14 articles associated with this packet, please email kskits@ku.edu and write 'Requesting TA packet, Birth to Five, Positive Behavior Intervention, All Packet Articles - Zip file.'

Nurturing and Responsive Relationships

The foundation of the Pyramid Model is building nurturing and responsive relationships with children and their families. Without this foundation, the best prevention and intervention strategies have less impact or long-term effectiveness. One key to building positive relationships is taking time to get to know each child and his or her strengths, preferences and abilities. Home visits, personal conversations, and oneon-one time with children in the classroom are good ways to start the process.

Another element is to make a connection with each child, learn what works and doesn’t work with that child, and provide warm, positive attention on a regular basis. This helps develop trust, respect (e.g., “I will celebrate your strengths”), and helps convey emotion to children.  Finally, building relationships with families helps to involve parents in their children’s social-emotional development and engage them proactively in addressing challenging behaviors.

The attached article from the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) highlights the importance of “Building Positive Relationships with Young Children”.   

High Quality Supportive Environments

The next level of the Pyramid Model is related to high quality supportive environments.  These are strategies that reflect best practice in early childhood programs. It is important to note the relationships between using these practices and the effect they have on children’s behavior. That is, children have fewer difficulties when they are taught expectations, how to follow routines, and how to get help when they need it.  Effective preventative practices set the stage for developing a positive, proactive, classroom environment and will prevent most problems before they occur.   

• Some of the classroom practices that are known to create supportive environments include:   
• Physical arrangement of the classroom – size of space, placement of materials and furnishings, location of personal items
• Use of materials – child-friendly and age-appropriate items and activities, giving cues for how to use items, rotating materials frequently to maintain interest
• Predictable routines and planned transitions – providing structure for activities and transitions between activities, providing predictability across the day, giving cues for quiet time vs. active time, and giving guidance for completing routines independently
• Rules and expectations – establish clear guidelines for expected behavior, provide for positive behavior, show respect for children by teaching them what is expected of them

The key feature to developing high quality supportive environments is planning to engage children actively in each event or routine across the day.  Active engagement promotes a child’s emotional and cognitive development.  Children, then, are more likely to participate in activities independently across the day, have longer play periods, and less likely to engage in challenging behavior.  The attached article by Nordquist & Twardosz (1990) highlights the importance of using the classroom environment to prevent challenging behavior.

The KITS TA packet on Creating Supportive Environments by Jack & Lindeman (2011) is available on this website for more detailed information on the use of these practices.

Targeted Social-Emotional Supports

A majority of children react positively to classroom preventative strategies such as environmental arrangement, schedules and transitions, and classroom rules. Other children, however, may need additional support to learn how to develop friendships, manage their feelings, and problem-solve conflicts. These skills are critical to the success of children who may be “at-risk” for developing more serious behavioral challenges as they encounter difficult situations or settings in which they do not understand the social expectations.  Research supports the notion that challenging behavior results when children lack communication skills and social-emotional competence  (Hemmeter, 2006).

Friendship skills should be promoted and supported throughout the course of the program day through recognition, prompting, and play activities. Emotional awareness includes being able to recognize one’s feelings and responding to the signs of feelings in others, as well as controlling one’s own emotional behaviors. The attached article on teaching social skills (Fox & Lentini, 2006) provides guidance on how to teach social skills to children in an intentional and meaningful way. The emphasis at this level of the pyramid is on planned social skill instruction for all children, with opportunities to review and practice each skill embedded across the day.  Some children may require additional instructional support, guidance or modeling in order to master each skill.

Finally, teaching social skills should be a planned and integrated part of the early learning curriculum. Many excellent curricula exist that support social skills development and can be easily adapted for most settings. Incorporating learning experiences that support social skills into the daily lesson plan is a very effective way to ensure that children are receiving the support they need to develop these critical skills.  The attached research synthesis on social-emotional curricula provides guidance on selecting and implementing these materials.

Intensive Individualized Interventions

The final level of the Pyramid Model is designed to address the children who display the most severe forms of challenging behavior. Even with all of the other supports in place, some children need individualized support plans that address their specific behavioral difficulties and teach more appropriate ways to communicate their wants or needs. The development of an individualized support plan involves several steps, outlined below. This process is always a team-based process involving the child’s parents, caregivers, teaching and support staff and, if necessary, a behavior support facilitator. The attached TACSEI article on recommended practices for intensive individualized interventions offers an overview of this process.

Steps for developing individualized support plans include:

• Establish team for addressing child’s behavioral concerns
• Review previous levels of the teaching pyramid to ensure all aspects of a positive supportive environment are in place
• Complete assessments for child and review data from:
  • IFSP, IEP and/or Person-Centered Plan
  • Functional Behavioral Assessment
• Brainstorm interventions and develop plan based on assessment data
• Implement plan by establishing preventive strategies, teaching child replacement behaviors, and providing alternative instructional strategies
• Review plan, evaluate progress, revise as necessary

For more information or to review the framework for intensive individualized interventions and the complete reference guide to the PBS process visit The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations. 

See the KITS packet Functional Behavioral Assessment by Jack & Lindeman (2005) for more detailed information on the use of the behavior support process on this website under Technical Assistance Packets>For Professionals Working with Children Age Birth to Five.

Leadership Development for Program-Wide Adoption

Fully implementing the Pyramid Model program-wide requires additional supporting structure beyond the teaching practices.  This also requires extensive effort, planning and leadership. Program leadership teams are essential to the implementation of program-wide adoption of the pyramid model. The leadership team is responsible for determining the areas of emphases and implementation steps for model adoption, ongoing evaluation, data-based decision-making, professional development, family partnerships, program practices and policies. Program wide adoption also requires a long view—implementing and sustaining the model takes years to accomplish.  For an example of a program in Kansas that has been implementing the model since 2001, read the attached booklet Program-Wide Positive Behavior Support: Supporting Young Children’s Social-Emotional Development and Addressing Challenging Behavior.

Additional information on program practices is included in the attached articles: The Teaching Pyramid - A Model for Supporting Social Competence and Preventing Challenging Behavior in Young Children and Recommended Practices – Program Practices for Promoting the Social Development of Young Children and Addressing Challenging Behavior.

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Activity

Building the Pyramid:  Action Planning Guide (Blank)

The Action Planning Guide is designed to assist you in identifying PBS strategies that you would like to put into place in your program.  The four levels of the Pyramid Model described throughout this packet are listed on the left column.  For each level (focus area), write down your ideas for implementing PBS in the center column.  Finally, list any additional supports or resources that you might need in order to put those strategies into practice.  See examples on the next page.

Building the Pyramid:  Action Planning Guide

Below are examples for each level.  Typically, at least three strategies for each category are used in the action planning process.  See the Resources section for additional ideas.

_{Susan L. Jack, University of Kansas Center on Developmental Disabilities.  Permission to reproduce granted.}  

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References

• To receive a PDF copy of the 14 articles associated with this packet, please email kskits@ku.edu and write 'Requesting TA packet, Birth to Five, Positive Behavior Intervention, All Packet Articles - Zip file.'

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning. (2003). Promoting social & emotional competence. Champaign, IL: Author. Retrieved October 31, 2011, from http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/modules-archive/index.html 

Denno, D. (2010). Addressing challenging behaviors in early childhood settings:  A teacher’s guide. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.

Crone, D., & Horner, R. (2003). Building positive behavior support systems in schools. New York: Guilford.'

Hanson, M., & Beckman, P. (2001). On my best behavior. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Hanline, M. F., Wetherby, A., Woods, J., Fox, L., & Lentini, R. (2004). Positive beginnings: Supporting young children with challenging behavior. Tallahassee, FL: Florida State University.

Heineman, M. (2006). Parenting with positive behavior support. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.

Im, J., & Kearse, K. (2002). Rising to the challenge: Unpacking the message behind “challenging behaviors”. Alexandria, VA: HeadsUp! Network.

Jackson, L., & Panyan M. (2002). Positive behavior support in the classroom. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Koegel, L. K., Koegel, R. L., & Dunlap, G. (1996). Positive behavioral support: Including people with difficult behavior in the community. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Lucyshyn, J., Dunlap, G., & Albin, R. (2002). Families and positive behavior support: Addressing problem behavior in family contexts. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Richey, D., & Wheeler, J. (2000). Inclusive early childhood education. Albany, NY: Delmar Thompson.

Sailor, W. (2008). Handbook of positive behavior support. NY: Springer.

Sandall, S., & Ostrosky, M. (1999). Practical ideas for addressing challenging behaviors. Missoula, MT: Division for Early Childhood.

Steed, E. (2012) Preschool-wide evaluation tool: Pre-SET manual. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.

Stormont, M. et al. (2008). Implementing positive behavior support systems in early childhood and elementary settings. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Strain, P. (2003). Positive parenting practices. Teacher’s Toolbox.

Websites

Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

Center on the Social Emotional Foundations for Early Learning

The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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