Introduction

"All behaviour happens for a reason. Our job is to understand the reason". 

ASD in itself is not the cause of challenging behaviour, however, there is a greater likelihood challenging behaviours may occur due to other factors associated with ASD such as anxiety, sensory overload and communication difficulties. When considering 'problem behaviours' it is important to view these from the perspective of both the teacher and the student.

Gresham, Watson, and Skinner 2001

Applied Behaviour Analysis

Most behaviour is learned as a result of interaction with the environment. This may be in the form of
Social positive reinforcement (attention, tangible or request given)

Social negative reinforcement (task, interaction, provocation removed)

Automatic reinforcement

A functional analysis screening tool can be one means of analysing challenging behaviours without having to allow a behaviour to occur, which if extreme, may be detrimental. However, these scales are subjective and therefore are unreliable. Descriptive analysis is based on observation and therefore objective, for example:

The ABC model

• Antecedent (trigger)

• Behaviour

• Consequence

One of the downsides of descriptive analysis is in determining which antecedents and consequences are relevant. In addition, there is an inherent bias because someone MUST respond in severe behaviour situations, the data can be skewed by assuming that the response is the function of the behaviour. As a result, it is recommended that descriptive analysis only be used to identify antecedents and consequences and NOT to determine function. Also, descriptive analysis takes time and needs to be done in a variety of contexts on more than one occasion and requires a degree of training to ensure that behaviours are being correctly identified.- For these reasons, functional analysis is deemed to be the best method. Functional analysis involves exposing the subject to an isolated environmental factor and observing the consequences.

Boyd et al. 2008 - setting events/slow triggers

White et al. 2014 - brain chemistry

Functional Behaviour Analysis

Functional behaviour analysis is a process to unpack a behaviour in order to address antecedents or to teach replacement behaviours. All behaviours have a 'form' (what the behaviour looks like) and a function (purpose). Functional behaviour analysis has 4 steps:

• Describe/define the behaviour.

• Data collection (frequency/circumstances/context) considering the ABCs of the behaviour.

• Analyse data for patterns or trends (antecedents and consequences).

• Use identified patterns and trends to isolate the function of the behaviour and what is maintaining it.

The outcome is a hypothesis about what the function of the behaviour is and this will form the basis of a behaviour support plan.

Dunlap et al. 2010 - team approach to behaviour support plan

Dunlap and Kern 2018 - FBA

Other useful tools

It is useful to useful to use more than one assessment and triangulate, and essential to do one assessment for each behaviour and each setting.

ABC recording charts: antecedents and behaviours

Interval charts and scatter plots: frequency and contexts

Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS): specialist tool

Questions About Behavioural Function (QABF): specialist tool

For students with ASD, some common functions may include:

• Escape/avoidance of a task or demand

• Escape/avoid attention

• Gain attention

• To get a preferred item (tangible)

• Sensory seeking or avoiding

• Physical/non-social (e.g. self-harming behaviours as self-distraction from pain)

Behaviour Support Plans (BSP)

Following functional behaviour analysis, the next step is to work collaboratively to develop a behaviour support plan. The purpose of the plan is to make changes to the environment to prevent or minimise future incidents and to teach alternative behaviours that fulfill the function.

Dunlap et al. 2010 - inclusive 

Carr et al. 2002 - changing behaviour doesn't work (punishment/incentive)

Kincaid et al. 2016 - about long term changes

The type of strategy is dependent on:

• The hypothesis about the function and maintaining consequences of the behaviour,

• The individual characteristics and needs of the student, and

• Evidence-based interventions that align with the needs of the student and the behaviour of concern

The TEACCH methodology promotes the use of "Antecedent Control Strategies” (Banks 2014). These are strategies that minimise the antecedents (triggers) thereby preventing or reducing the likelihood of the behaviour occurring.

Proactive strategies

Actions aimed at reducing or eliminating the frequency and/or severity of the behaviour.

Reactive strategies

Actions aimed at providing safety in managing behaviours when they do occur.

 Horner et al (1999) - elements of behaviour support plans

Teaching new skills

Sutton, Webster and Westervelt (2019) overview of the type and evidence-base of social-communication interventions. 

A BSP may also include strategies to address other key skills:

• Increasing independence

• Increasing academic skills

• Problem-solving

• Sensory soothing

• Emotion regulation

Emotional regulation

Explicit teaching of emotional literacy is required, for example, Zones of Regulation (Kuypers 2011). 

Mazefsky et al. 2013 - ASD difficult to regulate 

Reviewing incidents and using these as a means to unpack emotions and responses is important. Useful strategies include Comic Strip Conversations (Gray 1994) and Thought Bubbles (Wellman et al. 2002).