Dear Mr. Walker,
We are writing in response to your recent article, “Report sparks concern about how schools support students with disabilities.” We would like to thank you for raising awareness about an important issue facing Australian families and educators, which is the education and treatment of children with disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We agree with you that the management of challenging behavior in schools is a considerable concern. However, when teachers and school administrators are not adequately prepared to work effectively with children who display challenging behavior, we should not be surprised when inappropriate options are pursued, such as restraint, seclusion, suspension, or expulsion. In our view, that must change.
Your article presents an opportunity for us to share information regarding evidence-based treatment for challenging behavior displayed by children with disabilities. Virtually all interventions that are classified as established are based on the scientific discipline of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Within the field of ABA, a functional behavior assessment (FBA) may be used to identify the reasons why challenging behavior occurs. The website of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment provides a more detailed description of the FBA process. Understanding the underlying function of challenging behavior is the first step toward developing an effective treatment for reducing and eliminating behaviors of concern. Intervention efforts that disregard the underlying function will likely fail. Hundreds of peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of treatments based on an understanding of behavioral function for reducing challenging behavior displayed by people with complex disabilities.
We agree with the recommendation put forth by the South Australian select committee suggesting that schools adopt a Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) framework. PBIS is an approach firmly grounded in ABA that emphasizes the use of an FBA in the treatment process. However, most Australian teachers and allied health providers who work with children with disabilities lack the training and expertise to conduct FBAs and write, implement, and monitor positive behavior support plans. Given the skill required to conduct proper functional behavior assessments, educators should receive support and supervision from a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) when working with children with disabilities who display challenging behavior. The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) describes the education and training requirements to obtain professional certification, and offers a link to find certified professionals in your area.
The Australian Senate Committee and South Australian select committee clearly call for a reduction in restrictive practices, and more widespread adoption of preventative approaches in the management of challenging behavior. However, we were discouraged to see that the select committee report did not specifically recommend the use of a functional behavior assessment overseen by a qualified BCBA, which is internationally recognized as best practice in the treatment of challenging behavior. We hope that you will consider sharing this information with your readers to help us spread the word about evidence-based and humane strategies for safely and effectively addressing challenging behaviors displayed by children with disabilities in Australian schools.
Sincerely,
Alexandra Penzi & Erin Leif, PhD, BCBA-D
Association for Science in Autism Treatment
