Understanding Excessive Positivism in Person-Centered Planning
Steve Holburn
This insightful paper by Steve Holburn and Christine D. Cea explores the concept of excessive positivism within Person-Centered Planning (PCP), a progressive approach designed to improve the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities. While positivity is a cornerstone of PCP—encouraging optimism, empowerment, and a focus on strengths—the authors highlight how an overemphasis on positivity can sometimes hinder the process.
Through real-world examples, the paper discusses how excessive positivism can lead to unrealistic goals, misinterpretation of failures as successes, dismissal of dissenting perspectives, and biased evaluations of PCP outcomes. These pitfalls can undermine the effectiveness of PCP, leaving individuals and teams disheartened when aspirations go unrealized or challenges are overlooked.
The authors emphasize that these issues stem from a misapplication of PCP principles rather than flaws in the approach itself. They offer practical solutions, such as fostering open dialogue about challenges, setting realistic goals, and using both qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate outcomes.
This paper is a must-read for anyone involved in developmental services, offering a balanced perspective on the importance of positivity while cautioning against its overuse. It’s a thoughtful reminder that while dreaming big is essential, grounding those dreams in reality and addressing challenges head-on is key to creating meaningful change. Dive in to learn how to harness the power of positivity without losing sight of the practicalities that make person-centered planning truly transformative.