Positive Systems Approach

Individual Factors

Identification

• finding all the possible triggering factors that might have caused the behaviour through extensive interviewing of all individuals who have good knowledge/history with the person;
• conducting functional analysis (behavioural assessment);
• examining all possible medical factors that might be impacting on the situation;
• examining environmental factors that could be contributing to problems.

Reinforcement

• looking at the amount of non-contingent reinforcement available to the person and findings ways to increase this, while improving rapport/relationship factors with caregivers.

Re-Direction

• findings was to re-direct (physically, emotionally) the individual at the earliest possible stages to stimulating activities that are, hopefully, also incompatible with engaging in the problematic behaviours.

Coping

• recognition that problematic behaviours often reflect a skill deficit in some area that needs to be addressed (e.g. – dealing with stress, anxiety, change, transitions, etc.) and finding ways to teach the individual new skills in these areas.

Communication

• recognition that behaviour is usually just a form of non-verbal communication and caregivers need to become more adept at trying to determine what communicative function that behaviour has for the person (e.g. – attention, boredom, escape/avoidance, pain/discomfort, etc.)

Relationship/Rapport

• This starts with ourselves, our warmth toward others, our willingness to give without any expectation of receiving anything in return, and our intense desire to form feelings of companionship and community with those who are the most pushed to the very edge of society.

Stimulation

• Many negative behaviours are an attempt to gain attention, or escape/avoid undesirable situations, or to provide some form of stimulation – and non-contingent, intensive stimulation which the person finds enjoyable can prevent negative behaviours.