ABSTRACT
This chapter explains a rationale for behavioural approaches and touches on how the causes of BESD are viewed. I explain how BESD are identified and assessed with reference to a range of behaviours. The chapter explains some fundamentals of behavioural interventions: the context of the interventions; reinforcement including the differential reinforcement of other behaviour; generalisation; overcorrection; time out; fading; imitation; desensitisation; and modelling (drawing on social learning theory). I examine some vehicles for behavioural intervention: contracts; token economy; social skills training; and a programme using an ‘antecedent, behaviour, consequence’ (ABC) approach to challenging behaviour.
