"How we intervene is as important as why we intervene".

Personal posture refers to the attitudes & values of the care-giver. These attitudes and values shape the nature of our interactions with all people, not just people who may have a disability.

One of the main values which influences our interactions with people who have an intellectual disability is our attitude regarding authority. On one extreme end of the spectrum is the posture of authority. This springs from a need for power or control, and uses repression to achieve conformity. The unwanted goal we achieve from this posture is that of dependence and alienation. People who engage in behaviour change programs that are done to someone else are acting largely from this stance.

The other end of the spectrum is a 'collaborative' posture. This results from a belief in trying to live as equals and in harmony with each other, uses concern for the well-being of others, and emphasises mutual respect. The outcome of this posture is one of respect for ourselves and others, and satisfaction in our interdependence (i.e. having our needs met while meeting someone elses needs).

The other dimension of importance is that of warmth vs. distancing. This refers to our interest (or lack thereof) in the emotional state, experiences and self-image of those with whom we come into contact. This, combined with our posture on authority, leads to one of four interactional postures which determine how we relate to others. These are:

INTERACTIONAL POSTURES

We all believe that we do in fact treat people who have a disability in a helpful way. However, research conducted by Andersen (1986) shows that we may often teach compliance rather than mutual respect and interdependence. Andersen studied interactions in a special school between students and teachers. Most teachers prompted and corrected on average 8 times more often than they gave rewards. That is, teachers paid more attention to unwanted responses than wanted responses. Students initiating desirable behaviours received far less attention than those showing unwanted behaviours, or those who made mistakes in what they did.

Andersen found that most of the students time was spent:
- not responding
- responding incorrectly
- engaging in disruptive behaviours.

An analysis of time spent in interactions typically will show that care givers and teachers pay more attention to incorrect and unrelated responses. However, Gentle Teaching does not suggest that we focus on merely rewarding correct responses, but on teaching/rewarding reciprocally rewarding responses, those that indicate personal interaction and cooperation between educator and student. In summary, to prevent and defuse challenging behaviours, and to aid development of consumers, we need to adopt reward-centred teaching practices rather than correction centred practices.