The long-term effects of behavioural residential special education on children with severely challenging behaviours : changes in behaviour and skills.

Information was collected through the retrospective analysis of records and interview on the characteristics, abilities, challenging behaviours shown and services received by 55 children who attended a behavioural residential special education facility since 1982. Results indicated that, overall, (1) during the mean 2.5 year stay at the facility the children showed significant gains in self-care and communication skills and significant reductions on all indicators of challenging behaviour; (2) that these gains were maintained over the mean 6.5 year follow-up period; but (3) that few additional gains were made during this period. After controlling for initial level of challenging behaviour, greater reductions in challenging behaviour during attendance at the school were observed for children who: prior to entry were living at home; who did not have epilepsy; or who attended the school at a younger age. After leaving school greater improvements were observed by: boys; children who did not have epilepsy; children who were less able; and children who had been followed up for a longer period of time