Behavioural intervention

Behavioural intervention services can help clients and families address issues such as:

  • Behaviour affecting learning
  • Behaviour interfering with family relationships
  • Behaviour interfering with participation at daycare or school
  • Aggression and tantrums
  • Behaviour related to anxiety
  • Frequent non-compliance
  • Self-injurious behaviour
  • Sleep
  • Toileting

Step 1: Assessment

A functional behaviour assessment (FBA) can help figure out the cause of problem behaviors. A certified behaviour analyst can work to determine what purpose the problem behavior serves for the individual and make recommendations for how to manage the behaviour and teach new skills.

A behavior plan is based on the results of the assessment. A behaviour plan can help to replace problem behaviors with more appropriate ones. Behavior interventions are steps care-givers take to stop problem behaviors at home, school and in the community. First, the problem behavior(s) must be identified. Examples include:

  • Showing aggression toward adults or other children
  • Acting unresponsive or withdrawn
  • Refusing to go to or stay in bed at night
  • Using inappropriate or harassing language
  • Being overly dependent on parents or care givers
  • Being oppositional or argumentative

The assessment may involve interviewing the individual, and people around him. The behaviour analyst will also observe your child to pinpoint the motivation behind the problem behavior, as well as the individual’s learning strengths and weaknesses.

Step 2: Intervention

Once the behaviour analyst understands the purpose of the behaviour, they can create a behavior intervention plan. The plan describes the problem behavior, the reasons the behavior occurs and the intervention strategies that will address the problem behavior.

Step 3: Training

Once a plan is developed, care-givers are trained over a number of sessions. Sometimes HILS staff do the intervention, and other times parents and other caregivers do the intervention. Training is adapted based on the needs of the family/program, but usually includes the following steps:

  1. Theory training
    1. Understand what our approach is
    2. Understand how it applies to the person with the challenging behaviours
  2. A consultant will show caregivers how to put the plan in place.
  3. Caregivers will be asked to practice and the consultant will give supportive feedback in the moment
  4. Practice will continue as the caregivers build their skills and confidence.

Step 4: Monitoring and Fading Supports

Progress will be monitored closely. Any needed changes will be made to make sure progress continues. As we achieve success, the behaviour analyst will gradually fade supports to build confidence and independence in the individual and caregivers.