Positive and Negative Supports

Positive Reinforcement

People often think of positive as something good and negative as something bad, but in ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis), it's more like math; positive is where we add something in (think addition) and negative is where we take something away (think subtraction). 

With positive behavioral supports, we add something to increase a behavior. For example, to increase a child's ability to focus on writing 5 sentences, we add in something that will motivate the child. What is important here is to add in what is motivating for the child and not necessarily what the adult thinks will motivate the child. Often, 

*positive attention is rewarding, so saying to the child, 'that was very good finishing your sentences' will work...but if this doesn't encourage the child to finish, you have found a child that isn't rewarded by praise. 

*Another example is where you give a piece of candy to a child for each piece of clothing they pick up off their floor.

Negative Reinforcement

Negative supports is where we take something away to increase a behavior. For example:

* we tell a child we will take away one minute of recess for every minute they do not work on their school work.

* Joey can't get up from the dinner table until he eats a few bites of his peas.