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What is the effect on children with autism who witness incidents of challenging behaviour at school?
- Author:
- CHOUDRY Benazir
- Journal article citation:
- Good Autism Practice, 13(1), May 2012, pp.31-39.
- Publisher:
- British Institute of Learning Disabilities
The aim of this study was to explore the effects on children with autism who witness episodes of challenging behaviour at school. The study took place in an independent special school for children with autism from the ages of 4-16 years. All of the pupils have autism together with learning and behavioural difficulties. The majority of pupils in this setting regularly witness incidents of challenging behaviour from their peers. The study participants were 34 members of staff and 8 children. Data were gathered from questionnaires, interviews and structured observations. The staff reported that there were often changes in behaviour or appearance in children who had witnessed an incident of challenging behaviour. These changes ranged from pupils displaying anxious behaviours, challenging behaviours, and appearing withdrawn. The majority of staff said that the offered debriefing (usually involving talking) to these children. Difficulties that children with autism face in communication were the most common reasons for staff not offering to debrief them. Pupils themselves reported a negative effect after witnessing challenging behaviour and suggested doing activities they liked to help them feel better.
What about us?: promoting emotional well-being and inclusion by working with young people with learning difficulties in schools and colleges
- Authors:
- BYERS Richard, et al
- Publisher:
- Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 88p.
- Place of publication:
- London
As more young people with learning difficulties and disabilities are included in mainstream schools and colleges, there is evidence that some of them experience isolation, marginalisation and bullying. Young people with learning difficulties are also six times more likely to experience mental health problems than their non-disabled peers. 'What about us?' was an action research project promoting the emotional well-being of young people with learning difficulties in inclusive secondary schools and colleges. The young people who participated in the project are concerned about their experiences across the whole of the school or college and wanted designated 'safe places', sources of support or supervised activities, especially in the stressful times between lessons. Participants also said that a great deal of information in schools and colleges is inaccessible to them and that it is hard to make their views heard. Some of the mainstream schools and colleges visited did not take up opportunities to use the forms of communication most available to young people with learning difficulties (such as signs, symbols and visual images), therefore excluding them from a great deal of information that they needed to share More positively, the project showed that these young people can make powerful contributions to school and college improvement.