Challenging Behavior in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Many individuals diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities engage in challenging behaviors such as aggression and self-injury. These behaviors may interfere with the quality of life of the individual and their families. Although biological factors may contribute to the development of challenging behavior, research has shown that the environment plays a significant role in developing all behaviors, including challenging behavior. Thus, the current chapter highlights the importance of understanding how consequences impact the development of challenging behavior and provides a discussion of the functional behavior assessment process used to isolate potential environmental factors contributing to the challenging behavior. This includes a review of indirect assessments, descriptive assessments, and functional analysis methods followed by a review of common treatments for reducing challenging behavior, including antecedent manipulations, extinction procedures, and differential reinforcement.