# The Behaviour Support Plan Content Appraisal Tool (BSP‐CAT): A New Tool for Assessing and Improving the Quality of Behavioural Support Plans

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new tool to assess and improve the quality of behavior support plans for people with intellectual disabilities.

## Contribution

The paper presents the Behaviour Support Plan Content Appraisal Tool (BSP-CAT) and evaluates its reliability.

## Key findings

- The BSP-CAT showed good to moderate reliability in test-retest and inter-rater assessments.
- Practitioners found the tool usable after training for scoring behavior support plans.
- Preliminary results suggest the BSP-CAT is a promising tool for improving plan quality.

## Abstract

People with intellectual disabilities are at increased risk of presenting behaviours that challenge. Behaviour support plans (BSPs) guide the use of bespoke strategies to maximise life quality and reduce the risk of behaviours that challenge. The behaviour support plan content appraisal tool (BSP‐CAT) was developed to assess and improve the quality of BSPs. The aim of this study was to examine the reliability of the BSP‐CAT.

Test–retest and inter‐rater reliability were examined with the assistance of practitioners that supported adults with intellectual disabilities and behaviour that challenges. All participants received prior training and independently used the measure to score BSPs available to them.

Participants provided 98 BSP‐CAT scores for 47 behaviour support plans. Good to moderate reliability was established at the total and strand level.

Preliminary analysis suggests the BSP‐CAT has encouraging reliability.