Reported strategies for responding to the aggressive and extremely disruptive behaviour of students who have special needs

Abstract

This research examines the strategies reported by teachers who have managed aggressive and extremely disruptive behaviour of students who have special needs. A sample of 52 teachers from mainstream and special settings listed the strategies that they have used to respond to this behaviour, the reasons for their choice and their estimate of the effectiveness of the strategies. The results indicate that teachers of students with special needs encounter a significant amount of challenging behaviour directed towards themselves and others. The study found that although teachers’ years of experience and level of training were unrelated to their choice of strategies and their perceived success, the majority of teachers relied heavily on their own and their colleagues’ experiences rather than on evidence‐based/empirical research. The study also found a low reported incidence of negative or coercive interventions and that approximately half of the teachers adopted strategies that involved some form of functional assessment of aggressive and/or extremely disruptive behaviours. The implications for further research, policy development, in‐service training and professional development were explored.