Outcomes from a community‐based Positive Behavioural Support team for children and adults with developmental disabilities

Abstract

Background Previous evaluations of community PBS teams have not investigated whether behaviour change is both statistically reliable and clinically significant. Few previous studies have reported quality of life (QoL) and social validity outcomes. Method The present authors collected data on 85 people referred to a specialist PBS team. The present authors used a unique set of multiple measures and statistical change metrics to evaluate outcome. Results Statistically significant improvements in QoL and health‐related QoL (HRQoL), with medium to large effect sizes, were demonstrated following PBS input. Mean Behaviour Problems Inventory‐Short Form scores reduced from 37.74 (SD = 30.54) at baseline to 12.12 (SD = 12.24) at follow‐up, with a large effect size (d = 0.84). Stakeholders reported valuing the process and outcomes of PBS, findings which support the social validity of PBS for people with developmental disabilities. Conclusion This study demonstrates successful PBS outcomes in QoL, HRQoL, challenging behaviour and social validity in a community setting.

“Look, all our hard work is paying off”: A qualitative evaluation of a system‐wide, workforce development model to promote positive behavioural support

“…Positive behavioural support approaches have generally been shown to be effective (e.g. Bowring, Totsika, Hastings, & Toogood, 2020; Lewis et al., 2019; MacDonald & McGill, 2013; McGill et al., 2018; Positive Behavioural Support Coalition UK, 2015), although not all studies have found it to be so (e.g. Hassiotis et al., 2018) and providing staff training in PBS can result in positive outcomes, such as increased staff knowledge and confidence, reductions in CB (see MacDonald, McGill, & Murphy, 2018; O'Dwyer, McVilly, & Webber, 2017).…”

A quantitative evaluation of a regional Positive Behavioural Support workforce development approach

“…A higher score indicates greater engagement in activities. In line with previous researchers (see Bowring et al, 2020), the ‘social activities’ subscale was analysed separately to provide an indication of quality of life, specifically in relation to community participation. The GCPLAR is reported to have acceptable psychometric properties (Baker et al, 2016).…”

A logic model of the implementation of a regional workforce strategy in positive behavioural support

“…The project made three core assumptions. The first was that PBS could offer a framework for promoting greater quality of life and reduce behaviours that challenge in children and adults with learning disabilities and or those who are autistic (Bowring et al, 2020;Gore et al, 2013;MacDonald and McGill et al, 2018). The second was the necessity to adopt a workforce strategy that would bring about the cultural change necessary to promote long term gains (Allen et al, 2013;Denne et al, 2015Denne et al, , 2020.…”