Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support as Behavior Analysis in Practice: Why Is This Even Controversial?

The inclusion of Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports as a type of applied behavior analysis has often spurred considerable controversy. This controversy seems related to at least three areas of contention: measurement issues, views on aversive control, and the overall target of treatment. The present paper discusses these three areas in light of Horner and Sugai’s target article and the current state of the field of applied behavior analysis. In the end, the authors are left wondering why this is even an ongoing controversy.