Behaviours that challenge are any behaviour that could potentially cause injury to the individual (self-injurious behaviour) or to those around them (aggressive behaviour), or impact on the individual’s day to day life by disrupting activities or restricting which activities are available.

There are many behaviours that fall under the general umbrella term of behaviours that challenge. These include self-injurious behaviour,  aggressive behaviour, destruction of property, stereotyped behaviours, as well as other behaviours such as spitting, smearing faeces, screaming or shouting, inappropriate sexual behaviours, self-induced vomiting and eating non-edible items (pica).

If we try and take an ‘average’ level across people with mild to severe intellectual disabilities then we find that about 1 in 6 (or 15%) of people with an intellectual disability will show some form of behaviours that challenge.

It is very difficult to know what makes behaviours that challenge so persistent for some people. Studies that have looked at behaviours that challenge over time have reported that people that show behaviours that challenge may continue to do so for many years.

It is very difficult to say why one person shows behaviours that challenge and another doesn’t. For most people it is likely to be a combination of several things. Some of the most common things that are associated with higher levels of behaviours that challenge are: the presence of a more severe degree of learning disability, speaking few or no words or having limited communication, and the presence of autism or autistic characteristics.

To read more about behaviours that challenge in each of the genetic syndromes featured on this website click on the links below

Angelman

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Cornelia de Lange