Positive Behavior Support

By Jodie Soracco

The Positive Behavior Support Special Interest Group (PBS-SIG) is dedicated to promoting research-based strategies that combine applied behavior analysis and biomedical science with person-centered values and systems change to increase quality of life and decrease problem behaviors. The PBS SIG’s main objective is to create awareness of how behavior analytic principles are applied in PBS activities and promote PBS interventions in schools, communities, agencies, and homes, and supporting practitioners in its use. The PBS SIG members are those engaged in experimental and applied analyses of behavior who are interested in positive behavior support. The SIG was established in 2005 and has experienced four presidents since its inception.

The current membership of the PBS-SIG is approximately 71 individuals. The current SIG values include person-centered planning, socially significant outcomes, networking/partnership, dissemination, and broad applications. The SIG identified four ways to move toward accomplishing these values: create a SIG Leadership Team with acting board members, increase social media and listserv activity, increase participation, and provide more frequent meetings. Areas of focus for 2021 included refining and developing short- and long-term goals for:

Development of a SIG Leadership Team with acting board members.
Increasing social media and listserv activity by encouraging active participation on the Behavior Analysts for Positive Behavior Support Facebook page. Currently, there are 1.3K members with an active presence, a 53% increase from 2019. Additionally, identifying ways to leverage that participation back into the ABAI PBS SIG.
Increase participation through networking and partnership opportunities.

Anyone interested in behavior analysis and positive behavior support is welcome to join the SIG. To become involved, email Jodie Soracco at soraccoja@vcu.edu.