CHAPTER 12: Quality of Life and Self-Determination

1. CHAPTER 12:Quality of Life and Self-Determination Behavior Management: Principles and Practices of Positive Behavior Supports Third Edition John J. Wheeler David D. Richey

2. Objectives • Define and describe quality of life • Define and describe self-determination. • Describe and discuss the relationship between PBS and self-determination. • Discuss the relationships among quality of life, social validity, and self-determination of person with disabilities. • Describe and discuss Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory and its relationship to self-determination.

3. Objectives continued… • List and describe the four subsystems of the systems theory perspective and provide examples of self-determination in each. • List and describe the 12 teaching components of self-determination. • Discuss how self-determination is included in PBS for children and youth with challenging behavior at different ages.

4. Introduction to Quality of Life • According to the Association for Positive Behavior Support (APBS, n.d.): • “A hallmark of PBS planning is its • emphasis on improving overall lifestyle • quality (relationships, activities, health) • as an integral part of behavior • support.

5. Introduction to Quality of Life continued… • PBS focuses not only on reducing behavior problems, but on enhancing a person’s overall quality of life.”

6. Introduction to Self-determination • The overriding mission of positive behavior support (PBS) is to facilitate the self-determination of children and youth with challenging behaviors; to facilitate children and youth being more independent and in charge of their own lives.

7. The Relationships among PBS, Quality of Life, and Self-Determination • Anderson and Freeman (2000) described PBS as having three prominent features • person-centered values • recognition of individual needs • outcomes that enhance the quality of life. • It is important to understand how self-determination is connected to more traditional and established behavior interventions and ABA.

8. Quality of Life and Persons with Disabilities • Frequently included in the consideration of quality of life are issues and practices associated with socially valid outcomes: • person-centered planning • development across the life span • roles and functions of the family • joy and happiness • personal well-being • self-determination

9. Quality of Life continued… • Schalock (2000) defined quality of life as “a concept that reflects a person’s desired conditions of living related to eight core dimensions of one’s life: • emotional well-being • interpersonal relationships • material well-being • personal development • physical well-being • self-determination • social inclusion • rights”

10. Quality of Life continued… • Self-determination, as a dimension of quality of life for persons with disabilities, has been explored in professional literature. • Wehmeyer and Schwartz (1998) • Wehmeyer and Schalock (2001)

11. Social Validity • refers to the extent to which the objectives and outcomes of intervention are meaningful (valid) for the lives of the individuals for which they are intended.

12. Four Characteristics for Determining the Extent to Which Behaviors Are Self-determined • 1. Autonomous Functioning • Acting according to one’s preferences, free of undue external influence • 2. Self-Regulation • Engaging in self-management, goal setting and attainment, and problem solving

13. Four Characteristics for Determining the Extent to Which Behaviors Are Self-determined continued… • 3. Psychological Empowerment • Acting on the belief that one can exert control over areas important to him or her, that he or she possesses the skills necessary to exert control, and that exercising those skills will result in desired outcomes • 4. Self-Realization • Acting on an accurate knowledge of one’s strengths and limitations

14. Self-determination and Ecology • Bronfenbrenner’sBioecological Model • 5 Systems: • Microsystem • Consider Bandura’s Social Learning Theory • Mesosystem • Exosystem • Macrosystem • Chronosystem

15. Collaborative Efforts to Build Self-Determination Skills for Children Across Environments • Home • School • Community

16. Self-determination and a Systems Perspective • A system is “an integrated set of parts that function together for some end purpose or result” (Goldsmith, 2000, p. 32). • A family systems framework to understand in particular what happens in families in which there is a member with a disability has been explained by Turnbull, Summers, and Brotherson (1984). • 4 subsystems: input, process, output, feedback

17. Using the Systems Perspective to Examine the Acquisition and Maintenance of Self-determination Skills in Children • Assessing and Planning for Self-Determination (Input) • Teaching Self-Determination Skills (Process/Throughput) • Outcomes of Teaching Self-Determination (Outputs, Results)

18. PBS, Self-determination, and Challenging Behavior • Infants and toddlers • Early childhood • Primary & elementary • Middle school • High school

19. Summary • PBS has as a central mission the improvement of the quality of life for children and youth with special needs as well those who do not have disabilities. One component of quality of life is self-determination.

20. Summary continued… • With the current status of reforms in education, including unified systems reform and inclusion, it may be expected that in the future self-determination will receive increasing attention as both a specific component of curricula and classroom instruction at all grade levels as well as a broader mission.