A Behavior Support Plan (BSP) is a general document that addresses a student’s maladaptive behaviors that occur in the classroom. This document outlines what behaviors take place and strategies to improve upon these behaviors.
Different from a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), a behavior support plan is much more general and is not a legal document. Therefore, a BSP is a guide to managing behaviors rather than a fully developed plan of action.
The five steps below outline what needs to happen prior to writing your BSP.
Step 1: Identify the behavior
Before writing any kind of behavior plan, you should always decide what the target behavior is. Once you identify the target behavior (think “the one targeted for change”) you can collect data about when/where/why this behavior is occurring.
Step 2: Data Collection
Though extensive data collection is not required for a BSP, it is best practice to collect at least 3 days of ABC data prior to writing a behavior plan. When collecting this data, it is extremely important to note down what initiates the behavior (antecedent) and what the redirection is (consequence). Learn how to take ABC data in this blog post. During this time, take note of consequences that are both explicit and subtle.
You can find an ABC data sheet for free here.
Step 3: Identify Triggers
Once you take ABC data, you should begin to see a pattern of common antecedents. Look at the “A” column: you should see some repetition within this column. These are your common antecedents or triggers of the behavior.
Including a list of potential triggers increases awareness of those who read the plan of situations that could be challenging for the student. Be mindful that the observed triggers are probably not the only triggers.
Step 4: Identify Strategies to Reduce Behavior
Here is where you will look at the “C” column. What are the common consequences that have worked in redirecting the behavior? This will vary student to student and from behavior to behavior. Once you are able to compile a few reactive strategies from the consequence column of your data sheet, try to come up with some proactive strategies to avoid the initiation of the behavior.
Step 5: Compile the Plan!
Once you have your target behavior identified, data to support your listed triggers and strategies, you are ready to get writing! Remember, this isn’t a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) so it is not a legal document. Therefore, any format you feel most confident writing this in, is good to go!
I tend to break my behavior support plans into 5 sections:
- Introduction to the student and the target behavior.
- Known triggers
- Proactive strategies to reduce behavior
- Reactive strategies to reduce behavior
- Known reinforcers/motivators
Again, a BSP is suggestions and tips to help manage behaviors, NOT a full plan of how to reduce behavior. If you are looking for specific, broken down steps of exactly what you need to do, you would need to have an evaluation for a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP).
Want some more tips? Let me know your questions in the comments!
* P.S: Stay tuned for my post all about writing a BIP!
