Assessment and treatment of challenging behaviour for individuals with intellectual disability: a research review.
BACKGROUND
Challenging behaviour is frequently associated with the presence of intellectual disability. If not effectively treated, chronic challenging behaviour can negatively impact a variety of quality of life outcomes for individuals with intellectual disability.


RESULTS
We review the current status of research relating to the assessment and treatment of challenging behaviour for people with intellectual disability. We briefly review the history of interventions for challenging behaviour that led to the development of function-based approaches widely in use today. We then discuss the various operant functions of challenging behaviour, functional behaviour assessment technologies and reinforcement-based interventions.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude with a discussion of future directions that include models of prevention, ecological validity of assessment procedures and the widespread use of comprehensive behavioural support programmes.
Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Blair P
BP
Lloyd
Craig H
CH
Kennedy
D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy
challenging behaviour; functional assessment; intellectual disability