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Assessment and Treatment of Challenging Behavior Maintained by Social Reinforcers
About 1 in 54 school-age children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; Maenner et al., 2020). The core symptoms of ASD include impairments in social interaction, difficulties communicating, and restricted and repetitive interests (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Although not a...
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Educating First Responders to Improve Encounters with Autistic Individuals
It is estimated there are more than 3.5 million Americans living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the number continues to grow.1 According to CDC statistics, the prevalence of autism has increased from 1 in 150 children born in 2000 to 1 in 54 as of 2020.2 This expanding segment of the...
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Screening for Anxiety and Depression in the Context of Challenging Behavior
Challenging behavior is common among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Challenging behavior includes tantrums, self-injurious behavior, noncompliance, and aggression, especially when they occur with heightened intensity or frequency (Machalicek et al., 2016). In addition, anxiety and...
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Assisting Caregivers with the De-Escalation of Challenging Behaviors
Throughout my time as a special education teacher and administrator, I have always searched for ways to help my Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) students de-escalate themselves without having to get to a point where the use of a protective hold was needed. This was, at times, a herculean feat because...
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Enhancing Communication to Reduce Challenging Behaviors
The most recent report from the CDC found the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to be one in 54 children in the US (Maenner et al., 2020). Because the diagnostic criteria for ASD includes persistent deficits in communication and deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors, many...
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Identifying Why Challenging Behavior Occurs: Tips for Prevention
Children with autism often display higher rates of challenging behaviors, including non-compliance, aggression, self-injurious behavior, and socially inappropriate behavior such as disrobing in public, when compared to typically developing peers (Holden & Gitlesen, 2006). It can be difficult...
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Inappropriate Behaviors in Adult Autistics: We Mean No Harm
During my long involvement with the adult Asperger Syndrome / autism spectrum community, I often make the disclaimer, when criticizing inappropriate behaviors of other autistics, that I have probably been guilty of similar behaviors, at least to some degree, at some earlier time in my life. Also,...
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Prevention of Abuse and Neglect: Melmark’s Organizational Approach
There is always concern among both family members and providers that abuse and neglect of vulnerable populations can occur. Horror stories of such treatment have been chronicled in history, and there are still current reports of such atrocities (e.g., Bailey & Burch, 2016). As an organization,...
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Values-Based Behavior Planning – Responding to Challenging Behaviors for Individuals with Complex Profiles via Comprehensive Planning
Though a small percentage, some individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities can display dangerous challenging behaviors such as high intensity aggression or self-injury. While the field of applied behavior analysis has made great strides in the assessment and treatment of...
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Designing Environments to Reduce Challenging Behaviors
Challenging behaviors - defined as abnormal behaviors that deviate from one’s culture in frequency, intensity, or duration - are common among autistics, and have the potential to cause hardships for the autistic and others (Jang, Healy, & Mannion, 2011; Matson & Minshawi, 2007; Myers...
