Managing Challenging Behaviours: Getting Interventions to Work in Nonspecialised Community Settings

Abstract

The ABI Behaviour Consultancy (the Consultancy) is a community-based service specialising in the management of challenging behaviour following acquired brain injury (ABI). Although there are many accounts in the literature of behaviour management techniques, very few describe how to tailor and implement programs to work in nonspecialised community settings where a client's environment has little structure and few resources. The Consultancy is often called upon to manage situations where existing behaviour interventions have not been successful, often because of incorrect assumptions about the client with ABI or because of unrealistic expectations of the setting. The Consultancy has developed a six-stage framework for the management of challenging behaviours that includes site visit, crisis management, engagement, intervention, education, and ongoing review. Case examples are used to illustrate each of these stages.