Flexibility
The 5P Approach and Flexibility (background)
The 5P Approach was introduced in Linda's first book Practical Behaviour Management Solutions for Children and Teens with Autism (Miller, 2009, Jessica Kingsley publ.). The 5P Approach provides a complete framework for behaviour intervention which has its roots in prevention and good practice, with an emphasis on promoting and encouraging the development of skills and independence.
The 5P Approach can be used with individuals, with groups and can be adopted as a whole organisational framework. Over recent years, the 5P Approach has developed and expanded and Linda's second book"Developing Flexibility Skills in Children and Teens with Autism - the 5P Approach to Thinking, Learning and Behaviour" published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in March 2013 looks specifically at this area.
How is the 5P Approach linked to Flexibility?
The 5P Approach places an emphasis on maintaining wellbeing and staying in the GREEN Zone (meeting needs & preventing issues) and on tackling "tricky" issues using a problem-solving framework ( the 5Ps). Understanding why particular behaviours occur is the key to successful prevention and intervention and issues relating to flexibility are very common causes of behaviour problems for individuals with autism.
Anyone familiar with autism will know that ‘flexibility’ (or "flexibility of thought" or "imagination") is one of the areas of the Triad of Impairments first identified by Lorna Wing and Judy Gould in 1979. While there is no doubt that flexibility has a huge impact on behaviour, but in practice, it is often the area that is least talked about in terms of intervention.
The development of flexibility or addressing a flexibility “issue” is often found within behaviour management programmes (i.e. reacting to a problem) rather than within a specialist curriculum or individual learning programme (i.e. preventing and pre-empting a problem). In other words, the emphasis is often on reacting to the effects of poor flexibility rather than on the direct teaching of flexibility skills.
A key element in behaviour intervention & prevention is therefore to raise awareness about the importance of flexibility and look at where it “fits” with planning and intervention.
The 5P Approach, with its solution-focused, preventative emphasis, sets out to ensure that any strategies used for intervention quickly become part of a general approach (part of a specifically designed environment) and that these are established as part of the foundations (the Green Zone!). This is particularly important for the area of Flexibility.
The 5P Approach sets out a clear 5 step pathway to support the development of overall good practice (Green) and to support movement from Red to Green when a behaviour issue arises. The 5P Approach principles, the process and pathway (Profile, Prioritise, Problem-analysis, Problem-solve and Plan) can be used equally effectively when the focus is specifically on flexibility . The 5P Approach to Flexibility, as with the general 5P Approach, places a focus on developing skills and creating foundations (Green Zone) which prevent behaviour issues from arising and support the development of independence.
The 5P Approach to Flexibility is set out in Linda's second book - Developing Flexibility Skills in Children and Teens with Autism - the 5P Approach to Thinking, Learning and Behaviour was published in March 2013. The book looks at all the elements of development associated with flexibility and outlines an overall approach to intervention using the 5P Framework. The book introduces the unique 5P Approach Flexibility Assessment and provides a range of resources and ideas related to flexibility.
To find out more about the book follow the links below.
What is Flexibility?
What can we do to help? - Use the 5P Aproach to Flexibility
The 5P Approach Flexibility Assessment
The 5P Approach was introduced in Linda's first book Practical Behaviour Management Solutions for Children and Teens with Autism (Miller, 2009, Jessica Kingsley publ.). The 5P Approach provides a complete framework for behaviour intervention which has its roots in prevention and good practice, with an emphasis on promoting and encouraging the development of skills and independence.
The 5P Approach can be used with individuals, with groups and can be adopted as a whole organisational framework. Over recent years, the 5P Approach has developed and expanded and Linda's second book"Developing Flexibility Skills in Children and Teens with Autism - the 5P Approach to Thinking, Learning and Behaviour" published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in March 2013 looks specifically at this area.
How is the 5P Approach linked to Flexibility?
The 5P Approach places an emphasis on maintaining wellbeing and staying in the GREEN Zone (meeting needs & preventing issues) and on tackling "tricky" issues using a problem-solving framework ( the 5Ps). Understanding why particular behaviours occur is the key to successful prevention and intervention and issues relating to flexibility are very common causes of behaviour problems for individuals with autism.
Anyone familiar with autism will know that ‘flexibility’ (or "flexibility of thought" or "imagination") is one of the areas of the Triad of Impairments first identified by Lorna Wing and Judy Gould in 1979. While there is no doubt that flexibility has a huge impact on behaviour, but in practice, it is often the area that is least talked about in terms of intervention.
The development of flexibility or addressing a flexibility “issue” is often found within behaviour management programmes (i.e. reacting to a problem) rather than within a specialist curriculum or individual learning programme (i.e. preventing and pre-empting a problem). In other words, the emphasis is often on reacting to the effects of poor flexibility rather than on the direct teaching of flexibility skills.
A key element in behaviour intervention & prevention is therefore to raise awareness about the importance of flexibility and look at where it “fits” with planning and intervention.
The 5P Approach, with its solution-focused, preventative emphasis, sets out to ensure that any strategies used for intervention quickly become part of a general approach (part of a specifically designed environment) and that these are established as part of the foundations (the Green Zone!). This is particularly important for the area of Flexibility.
The 5P Approach sets out a clear 5 step pathway to support the development of overall good practice (Green) and to support movement from Red to Green when a behaviour issue arises. The 5P Approach principles, the process and pathway (Profile, Prioritise, Problem-analysis, Problem-solve and Plan) can be used equally effectively when the focus is specifically on flexibility . The 5P Approach to Flexibility, as with the general 5P Approach, places a focus on developing skills and creating foundations (Green Zone) which prevent behaviour issues from arising and support the development of independence.
The 5P Approach to Flexibility is set out in Linda's second book - Developing Flexibility Skills in Children and Teens with Autism - the 5P Approach to Thinking, Learning and Behaviour was published in March 2013. The book looks at all the elements of development associated with flexibility and outlines an overall approach to intervention using the 5P Framework. The book introduces the unique 5P Approach Flexibility Assessment and provides a range of resources and ideas related to flexibility.
To find out more about the book follow the links below.
What is Flexibility?
What can we do to help? - Use the 5P Aproach to Flexibility
The 5P Approach Flexibility Assessment