Positive behavior support: Supporting adults with autism spectrum disorders in the workplace

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) can present challenging behavior at work. In fact, it is likely that the presence of challenging behavior can act as a major barrier for individuals with ASD achieving competitive employment. Community-based work environments can present challenges in the implementation of behavior intervention plans. Positive behavior support (PBS) is a behavior intervention model that presents opportunities to implement socially valid behavior interventions in supported and competitive workplaces. This article describes the PBS model and provides a case example for an individual with ASD at work. Finally this article presents recommendations for future research in supporting individuals with ASD at work.