A Contextual Consideration of Culture and School-Wide Positive Behavior Support

Abstract

Students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds have historically experienced poor outcomes related to academic achievement, special education, school discipline and climate, and juvenile justice. Differences between home and school cultures likely contribute to these outcomes. Evidence-based practices in schools are promoted to improve the academic and social outcomes for all students, but attention must be paid to cultural factors when implementing practices. School-wide positive behavior supports (SWPBS) is a systems approach to promoting evidence-based practices to affect important social and academic outcomes for all students. The purpose of this article is to consider culture within the implementation context of SWPBS. To achieve this purpose, we adopt and describe a contextual perspective on culture that is based on behavioral theory and principles of behavior analysis, and incorporate findings from a review of the literature related to culture and student behavior.

Developing the Cultural Awareness Skills of Behavior Analysts

“…In summary, cultural variables matter even when implementing practices supported by research and based on the science of behavior analysis (Sugai et al 2012). No behavior analyst can learn everything about every culture.…”

“…Another resource that can help behavior analysts enhance their culturally awareness is provided by Sugai et al (2012). The authors discuss how applied behavior analytical terms can be understood within different cultural contexts.…”

“…As illustrated by the example of the Filipino family at the beginning of this section, identifying cultural norms may be important for successful assessment and effective treatment. Information about what is acceptable within a person's culture is also ideally obtained beginning with the intake process (and later during the assessment process) by including stakeholders in the process and ensuring that background information includes input from multiple sources of information (assessments and interviews; Sugai et al 2012). For example, the grandparents rather than the parents may be the primary caregivers in an Indian family.…”

“…Sugai et al (2012) describe culture as common behaviors related by comparable learning histories, social and environmental contingencies, contexts and stimuli, so self-awareness might also include verbal discrimination of these aspects of personal experience. An understanding of our own cultural system may be an important first step toward correcting biases that affect our interactions with others (Lillis and Hayes 2007).…”

“…There are various domains of culture (e.g., family, geography, sexual orientation, and religion) that relate to the behavior of the individual. A behavior analyst who lacks experience and knowledge to serve a culturally different client should seek additional information about the client's cultural behaviors, values, and norms and should also seek direct exposure to culturally similar experiences and people, if possible (Sugai et al 2012;Vandenberghe 2008). Finally, even when behavior analysts strive to be more culturally aware, provision of culturally aware services may not always go smoothly (Vandenberghe 2008), so behavior analysts should view skill development in this domain as a process and engage in ongoing assessment to continually improve their practice (see the BCultural Awareness Training in Graduate and Professional Development Programs^section below).…”