An Approachable Guide to Choosing a Response Strategy
A practical visual guide for selecting clear, consistent response strategies within proactive, step-by-step behavior support plans.
An Approachable Guide to Choosing a Response Strategy helps BCBAs and clinical teams decide which in-the-moment response strategies belong in a complete visual behavior plan. This resource walks teams through how to select one or two consistent response strategies based on learner needs, patterns of escalation, and safety considerations. It is designed for use during BIP development, staff training, parent coaching, and team planning across school, clinic, and home settings. The guide addresses a common challenge in behavior planning by moving teams away from reactive decision-making and toward predictable, teachable responses that fit within a broader proactive framework.
Why Download This Resource?
- Help teams choose response strategies intentionally instead of listing multiple options that create inconsistency
- Increase predictability during challenging moments by clarifying when and why specific response strategies are used
- Strengthen behavior plans by clearly linking response strategies to prevention, skill-building, and safety supports
What You’ll Get:
- A visual guide explaining how response strategies fit within a full, proactive behavior support plan
- Clear descriptions of common response strategies including Pause, Redirect, Reward; Firm, but Flexible; Tell, Show, Help; Least Restrictive Blocking; and Managing Self-Injurious Behaviors
- Guidance on how many response strategies to include and how to choose them based on learner presentation
- Visual examples showing how response strategies connect to prevention and teaching strategies
- Practical language teams can use when documenting response strategies in a BIP
Download An Approachable Guide to Choosing a Response Strategy to help teams build clear, consistent behavior plans that support safety, regulation, and skill development.
