Personalized Goals for Positive Behavioral Support: Engaging Directly with Children who have Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

AbstractStakeholder involvement is fundamental to Positive Behavioral Support yet research in this area rarely obtains views of children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. This study aimed to develop and demonstrate a means of engaging directly with children to identify personalized goals and priorities for their future support. An augmented communication approach was used to facilitate interviews with children who had a range of disabilities and displayed behavior that challenges. The interviewer asked children about activities, their own behavior, a caregiver’s behavior, and quality of life to focus future potential assessment and intervention. We completed interviews in at least some areas with 9 out of 14 children. Children prioritized goals for future support and evidenced insight into behavior, needs, and preferences. These findings have promising implications for further direct engagement of children with disabilities throughout a support pathway to achieve outcomes rich in social validity.