Program-Wide Positive Behavior Supports: Essential Features and Implications for Head Start

Abstract

Abstract One of the ongoing challenges all educators face, often on a daily basis, is problem behavior. Compounding this challenge is the need to significantly alter these behavioral patterns among at-risk students early in their development to prevent correlated poor life outcomes such as academic failure and school dropout, mental health issues, or incarceration. Among early childhood educators, the need for prevention and early intervention is well established. Work to date in altering problem behavior patterns is promising; however, the challenge of implementing effective practices with high fidelity across large educational systems remains problematic. Recent work within the K–12 education system focusing on building comprehensive systems of behavioral support targeting prevention, early intervention, and individualized proactive strategies known as School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS) has demonstrated that educators can improve social behavior outcomes among children and youth within school settings. This article provides an overview of the basic logic of SWPBS, key features of extending the school-wide model to preschool settings (Program-Wide PBS; PWPBS), and research to date on SWPBS at the elementary level and PWPBS at the preschool level. Implications for Head Start educators are discussed. Keywords: behavior problemschild mental healthemotional development