The Definition of Challenging Behaviour in Practice

Two studies explored how severely challenging behaviour might be defined in practice. Associations between behaviour and severity of management problem in the first study suggested that outer-directed behaviours tended to be rated as more challenging. The characteristics of people referred to specialist challenging behaviour services were compared in the second study to similarly labelled people not so referred. Differences again highlighted outer-directed behaviours disruptive to the material or social environment. These results are discussed in terms of the potential criteria for viewing behaviours as problematic or challenging