Positive Behavioral Change

Replacing dangerous or problematic behavior with more functional and adaptive behavior is a key goal for all programs and for all people with autism spectrum disorders or other developmental disabilities. Participants in this workshop will become better able to define, discuss and change problematic behavior in a positive, effective manner focusing on practical environmental manipulations and effective communication-based strategies.

Participants will learn:

unifying assumptions that will make behavioral interventions more effective
accurate, working definitions of behavior, behavior management and behavioral programming
the rationale for an emphasis on an environmental/communication approach
objective vs. subjective observation and behavioral descriptions
the importance of the “can’t vs. won’t” dilemma
simple, effective ways to collect and analyze data
how to communicate more effectively with others regarding behavior in order to have better team decision making
why typical behavior modification approaches may not always be effective
the components of a functional analysis
how environmental adaptations can reduce problematic behavior for a learner