Use of Positive Behavior Support to Address the Challenging Behavior of Young Children within a Community Early Childhood Program

This study examined the effects yielded from the implementation of assessment-based behavior support plans on the engagement and problem behavior of three young children with behavioral challenges in a community early childhood program. A concurrent multiple-baseline design across children with generalization probes was used with data collected during targeted and nontargeted routines, in phases with different staff members, and in new classroom settings. The results indicated that implementation of the individualized behavior support plan by teaching staff resulted in higher levels of engagement and a reduction in challenging behavior. Teachers generalized the use of intervention strategies to nontrained routines resulting in improvements in the children’s target behaviors within those routines. Follow-up probes for two of the children indicated that changes in behavior were maintained in new classroom settings. These findings support the efficacy of the implementation of behavior support plans that are assessment based by early educators within a community-based preschool program.