Abstract
Young people with intellectual disabilities may present with
behaviour that is construed as challenging by those around them. This paper
aims to explore behaviour as a form of communication that occurs in
response to patterns of construal and anticipation of events. This paper
will summarise ways in which the principles of Positive Behaviour Support
(PBS) can be used by caregivers in order to develop an understanding of
the construal processes of their young people. Using this approach can
support the improvement of sociality between caregivers and young people,
whilst simultaneously reducing the frequency and severity of incidents of
challenging behaviour.
Keywords: sociality, challenging behaviour, intellectual disability, Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD)