The short version
- Behaviour management asks “how do we stop this?”. Behaviour support asks “what is this person trying to tell us?”.
- Management is reactive and leans on consequences. Support is proactive and leans on understanding, environment and skills.
- The four points of difference are the Focus, the Approach, the Method and the Outcome.
- Most behaviour serves one of four functions: sensory, escape, attention or tangible.
- Negative behaviour is not a definition of a person. It is communication.
As the world of therapies develops, and society becomes more progressive in its ways to guide those in need, it can become an ever-challenging maze to navigate when deciding what kind of support is best for you or somebody you love. The word “behaviour” carries a heavy stigma for something that results in punishment, blame or shame, and so getting a practitioner involved in this can be a daunting prospect. Positive Behaviour Support exists to challenge that narrative and go deeper, holding out a supportive hand and reframing judgement into curiosity.
It starts with the person, not the behaviour
For a long time, behaviour support has been seen as a therapy that identifies problematic behaviours and simply makes them go away. Positive Behaviour Support does indeed identify problem areas, but from a place of communication, questioning not “Why won’t you stop doing that?”, but “What are you trying to communicate here?”
Whilst other behavioural therapies focus on changing behaviour through consequence, Positive Behaviour Support looks underneath the surface of the behaviour in a person-centred way, identifying the communication before intervening from there. It always starts with the person first. That principle is what shapes every behaviour support plan a practitioner writes.
A moment you will recognise
Think about it. You miss your alarm, roll out of bed late and miss the first train. Shoot. Now you’re wondering what your boss will think, after all it’s only your second week on the job. You hop on the next train and realise you forgot to put on your new socks. You were really looking forward to wearing those. Your boss texts, “Still on for that 9am meeting?”, and it’s 9:05. You’re just about to arrive at work, rushing through the door when that old school friend that you’ve been meaning to catch up with finally returns your call:
“Hey! Is it a good time to talk?”
“No! No it’s not.”, you snap, “I don’t have time for this right now.”
With a non-person-centred approach, that situation might have you labelled as impatient. Rude, even. “Quick to shut others down”.
With a person-centred approach? You’re somebody that appreciates punctuality, and doesn’t like to let others down. You had high hopes for today, and hold your job as a high priority. Disappointment hurts you, and if your daily schedule gets delayed, this can cause dysregulation. When dysregulated, you might become quicker to agitate and snap at those that you love and trust.
Negative behaviour is not a definition. Negative behaviour deserves positive support.
The four Functions of Behaviour
Through a Positive Behaviour Support lens, to understand behaviour is to understand the individual and what makes them tick. We call these the Functions of Behaviour. In life, most decisions you make are to achieve one of the following things.
- Sensory: I require therapeutic input to stimulate my senses to calm. A warm soft sweater, that pair of socks with just the right tightness, fresh air when I’m feeling stressed.
- Escape: I’m communicating a need to avoid this situation. Taking 3-5 business days to respond to a confronting text, procrastinating the vacuuming by doing any other chore, doomscrolling to numb those negative thoughts.
- Attention: I’m communicating my desire for your full time and energy. Letting out a big sigh instead of telling your partner you’re annoyed, exaggerating that funny story just a tad when at dinner with friends, then looking around to check who laughed.
- Tangible: I require a preferred object, person, activity or location to feel better. How often are you reaching for your phone? Do you have a comfort-teddy you’ve kept for years? We all know that feeling of needing home comforts when we’re low.
Taking that understanding into the world of behaviours of concern and disability creates room for empathy and relatability. When we start to ask questions such as “Why is this happening? What are they trying to tell me? What is the function of that behaviour?”, we create the opportunity to reduce behaviours of concern from the inside out and allow that person to feel seen, heard and understood.
Positive Behaviour Support practitioners avoid viewing negative behaviours through a negative lens, and choose to walk alongside that person and their supporting network to find mutual understanding and skill build together. By understanding the behaviour, its function, and in turn learning its triggers, progress and positive development can be seen whilst avoiding the person feeling targeted or misunderstood.
Behaviour support vs behaviour management: the four differences
So when it comes to differentiating behaviour support and behaviour management, it can be helpful again to bring it back to yourself. Find empathy. Would you rather feel supported or managed? The difference between the two can be boiled down to four components: the Focus, the Approach, the Method and the Outcome.
1. The Focus
The focus of behaviour management is on suppressing or eliminating negative behaviours, often through consequence or restrictive interventions. This, in turn, can increase feelings of seclusion, lower independence and lessen opportunities.
The focus of behaviour support is on looking beneath the behaviour to find its function, providing alternative coping skills, promoting positivity and enhancing quality of life.
2. The Approach
The approach of behaviour management is reactive, responding to the behaviour only after it has happened, informed from consequences that are often not individualised to the person and are more punitive.
The approach of behaviour support is proactive, looking at how we can best support somebody before behaviours of concern arise, and using personalised responses to work alongside the individual and their support system. A collaborative and multidisciplinary approach with all the different people in their life is encouraged.
3. The Method
The method of behaviour management often uses disproportionate punishers or consequences, penalising the individual without looking at the communication or unmet need behind the behaviour of concern.
The method of behaviour support is positive, considering any necessary environmental modifications that might be needed and finding skill building within the knowledge gaps that emerge from behaviours of concern.
4. The Outcome
The outcome of behaviour management is temporary suppression of behaviour, with the potential for increased anxiety and aggression, lowered self esteem and trust, and decreased quality of life.
The outcome of behaviour support is improved quality of life, increased independence, reduced behaviours of concern and enhanced social and emotional skills.
We are all human
In summary, Positive Behaviour Support reminds us that we are all human too. We all show behaviour, simply by being humans that find ways to get their needs met. Behaviour is communication, behaviour is simply human activity.
Some behaviours are more challenging than others, sure, and whilst that can cause barriers in life and be hard to understand, it does not define the individual and should not determine their chance at a meaningful, engaging life. We all deserve positive engagement, advocacy and the opportunity to build skills. Positive Behaviour Support finds that opportunity in the details, starting with the person first, and puts ending the stigma at the heart of it all with empathy and understanding.
The words we use are part of that. If you want to go further on this, read why we say behaviours of concern instead of challenging behaviour.
If you’re considering Positive Behaviour Support for yourself or somebody you support, take a look at our Behaviour Support Plans service and enquire about a practitioner near you, or get in touch and we’ll talk it through with you.
Frequently asked questions
Is behaviour support the same as behaviour management?
No. Behaviour management reacts to a behaviour after it happens and tries to suppress it, usually through consequences. Behaviour support works out what the behaviour is communicating, then changes the environment and builds skills so the person has better ways to get their needs met.
What are the four functions of behaviour?
Sensory, escape, attention and tangible. Almost every behaviour, ours included, is doing one of those four jobs. Working out which one is the starting point for supporting someone well.
Does Positive Behaviour Support use punishment?
No. It is built on dignity and works through understanding, environmental change and skill building. Restrictive practices are tightly regulated and only ever a last resort, and you can read about the safeguards around them in our guide to restrictive practices and your rights.
Who is behaviour support for?
Anyone showing behaviours of concern, at any age, along with the family, carers and support workers around them. If you’re not sure whether it’s the right time, our post on the 5 signs it might be time to explore NDIS behaviour support is a good place to start.
How do I get behaviour support through the NDIS?
You’ll need the right funding in your plan and a suitable practitioner to carry out an assessment. We’ve set out the whole process in how to get a behaviour support plan through the NDIS.
- Anouche Chokarian
