What is the purpose of a prompt in behavioral management?

The purpose of a prompt in behavioral management is to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior occurring. Prompts are supports or cues provided to help individuals engage in a specific response or behavior that might otherwise not occur. They serve as guidance to bring about the target behavior in a learning environment.

By using prompts, educators and therapists can facilitate learning by bridging the gap between what the learner currently knows and what they need to demonstrate. This can be seen in various types of prompting methods, such as verbal cues, physical assistance, or visual aids. The ultimate goal is to promote independence in the learner by gradually fading the prompts as they become more competent in performing the desired behavior on their own.