Dr. Edward Carr: An Important Voice has Died
Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and Positive Behavior Support (PBS) are game-changers for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the American school system.
FBA and PBS exist largely due to the pioneering work of Dr. Edward Carr. Last week, Dr. Carr and his wife were killed by an allegedly drunk driver.
Revered by students and colleagues, and beloved by the children and families he worked with, Dr. Carr was an internationally recognized pioneer in autism treatment research. He was co-developer of two strategies for dealing with autism used by researchers and practitioners worldwide: “Functional Behavior Assessment,” and “Positive Behavior Support, strategies now recommended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, federal legislation that specifies how all children with disabilities in the United States are to be educated.
Dr. Carr was the Director of the Research & Training Center on Positive Behavior Support for Autism & Developmental Disabilities at Stony Brook University. During his 35 years as a researcher and professor, he published more than 100 papers on issues related to applied behavior analysis and positive behavior support in the home, classroom, workplace, and community. Deeply engaged in community education and outreach, Dr. Carr trained many undergraduate and graduate students who have entered the autism field; he lectured extensively, served on the editorial boards of 17 journals, and gave workshops in the United States, Canada, and Europe. He is also the author of a best-selling book, “Communication-Based Intervention for Problem Behavior” (1994).
In 2005, Dr. Carr was named to the Panel of Professional Advisors of the Autism Society of America (ASA), a national association with 120,000 members dedicated to educating the public about autism. The panel helps set national standards for autism research, as well as practice and policy regarding the care of individuals with autism. He received numerous awards in his field including the Applied Research Award for Outstanding Contributions to Applied Behavioral Research (American Psychological Association, 2001) and the Distinguished Research Award for Career Achievement (Association for Retarded Citizens, 1999). A Fellow, American Psychological Association and past president of the Association for Positive Behavior Support, Dr. Carr was named in Who’s Who in America (2005) and Who’s Who in American Education (2004).
The FBA and PBA don't limit the school's potential responses to merely treating the symptom, it provides the opportunity to consider the cause as well as potential preventions that stand a greater chance of succeeding.
What is a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)?
A functional behavioral assessment looks beyond the behavior itself. The focus when conducting a functional behavioral assessment is on identifying significant, pupil-specific social, affective, cognitive, and/or environmental factors associated with the occurrence (and non-occurrence) of specific behaviors. This broader perspective offers a better understanding of the function or purpose behind student behavior. Behavioral intervention plans based on an understanding of "why" a student misbehaves are extremely useful in addressing a wide range of problem behaviors.
What is Positive Behavior Support (PBS)?
Positive Behavior Support is an approach that schools and families can use to help a child experience success in school and at home. This approach believes that a full understanding of the child is needed for long-term behavior change. This includes determining the ways that the different settings affect behavior and understanding why the child engages in behavior that is both problematic and adaptive. Based on this information, a comprehensive plan can be developed that will change the environment to prevent problem behavior from occurring and teach the child better ways of getting his or her needs met in difficult situations. Plans focus on meaningful changes that will reduce problem behaviors over the long term provide the child with a better quality of life.
Thank you Dr. Carr, may you rest in peace.
