Educational staff's responses to challenging behaviour of children with learning disabilities: the impact of diagnosis and clinical research portfolio

Background Current behavioural models of challenging behaviour suggest that the way in which difficult behaviour is managed by staff can serve to either reduce or maintain the behaviour in the long term (Hastings & Remington, 1994; Hastings & Brown, 2000; Hastings et al, 2003). Therefore, it is important to consider factors that may influence special education staff’s behavioural responses to pupils’ challenging behaviour and the associated causal attributions and emotional reactions. One area that has received little attention is the potential impact of a pupil’s diagnosis in addition to their learning disability on staff members’ responses. Materials and Methods This present study involved 102 special education staff who were asked to provide cognitive, emotional and behavioural responses to written vignettes of one of three conditions: (1) a pupil with a learning disability without an additional diagnosis displaying aggressive behaviour, (2) a pupil with a learning disability and an Autism Spectrum Disorder displaying aggressive behaviour, and (3) a pupil with a learning disability and Epilepsy displaying aggressive behaviour. Staff background characteristics were also measured. Results Planned analysis showed that participants did not significantly differ in their responses to challenging behaviour of a pupil with and without additional diagnoses. Secondary analysis indicated that only a minority of participants considered the additional diagnosis to be the main cause of the pupil’s challenging behaviour. In addition, a number of significant associations between staff background characteristics and self-efficacy were found. Conclusions The results are discussed in relation to recent literature. Methodological issues and implications for clinical practice are also considered.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

DClinPsy

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Glasgow

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Ogston, Jill

• R Medicine (General)
• L Education (General)
• LC Special aspects of education

Language dc:language

en