Managing Behaviours That Challenge Research
Research categorised under the heading “Managing Behaviours That Challenge” covers strategies for addressing behaviours such as self-injurious behaviour (eg. head banging or biting self), assaultive behaviour (eg. kicking or hitting others) and destructive behaviour (eg. throwing classroom items or destroying IT equipment). The focus of this areas of research is to use proactive strategies to reduce behaviours that challenge.
Using Behavioural Contracting to Reduce Behaviours that Challenge in a School Setting: Case Studies – Emma Hawkins, Natalie Leow-Dyke, Hayley Locke & Rhys Jones (2025)
Behaviours that challenge can sometimes affect a young person’s ability to access learning, participate in activities and build positive relationships with others. It is important that schools use supportive, respectful and non-restrictive approaches to help pupils develop skills that improve their quality of life and increase opportunities for independence and inclusion.
This paper explored the use of behavioural contracts with three autistic pupils who had learning disabilities. Behavioural contracts are personalised agreements that clearly explain expectations, support goals and identify meaningful rewards chosen for the individual. The contracts were adapted to suit each pupil’s communication style, interests and support needs.
Across all three case studies, the use of behavioural contracts was associated with a significant reduction in behaviours that challenge. This led to increased opportunities for learning, improved participation in school activities and greater access to positive experiences both within school and the wider community.
The paper was published in Tizard Learning Disability Review in 2025 and demonstrates how simple, individualised and non-restrictive approaches can be used to support autistic pupils in educational settings. The authors emphasise the importance of collaboration, meaningful goals and adapting support to meet the needs of each individual.
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This paper presents three case studies involving autistic children and young people with learning disabilities. The researchers explored how behavioural contracts could be used as part of wider support plans to help reduce behaviours that challenge and increase opportunities for learning, participation and positive engagement in everyday activities.
Each behavioural contract was tailored to the individual pupil. For one young person, the contract focused on using safe interactions with peers and staff and earning the opportunity to contact a preferred member of staff. For another, the contract formed part of a broader package of support designed to promote personal safety and dignity. A third pupil used a contract linked to earning additional community visits and preferred activities.
The results showed positive outcomes for all three pupils. Across the case studies, behaviours that challenge reduced significantly following the introduction of behavioural contracting. As a result, pupils were able to spend more time learning, participate more fully in school activities and access a wider range of opportunities. In some cases, the intervention was also associated with improvements in independence, self-management and engagement with learning.
A key theme throughout the paper is the importance of individualisation. The authors argue that behavioural contracts are most effective when they are designed around the person’s preferences, communication abilities, strengths and goals. They also highlight the importance of consent, assent, social validity and ensuring that support remains respectful and focused on improving quality of life.
The authors conclude that behavioural contracts can be a flexible and practical non-restrictive strategy for supporting autistic pupils who display behaviours that challenge. While they acknowledge that further research is needed, the case studies demonstrate how personalised support plans can create more opportunities for learning, positive relationships and meaningful participation in school life.
Using Behaviour Contracts to Decrease Antisocial Behaviour in Four Boys with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder at Home and at School – Emma Hawkins, Sheri Kingsdorf, Jackie Charnock, Mariann Szabo, Edi Middleton, Jo Phillips and Grant Gautreaux (2011)
Children sometimes need extra support to develop positive behaviours and manage behaviours that may affect their learning, relationships or participation in school and home life. One way of providing this support is through a behaviour contract, an agreed plan that clearly outlines expectations, goals and rewards.
This paper describes how behaviour contracts were used with four autistic boys to support positive behaviour at school and at home. Each contract was tailored to the individual child and included clear goals, regular feedback and meaningful rewards when those goals were achieved. In several of the examples, the contracts created a strong partnership between home and school so that everyone was working towards the same outcomes.
Across the four case studies, the behaviour contracts were associated with reductions in behaviours that were affecting learning and social opportunities and increases in positive behaviours such as remaining engaged in classroom activities, following agreed expectations and interacting more successfully with others. The authors also observed improvements in self-management and independence for some children.
The paper was published in the British Journal of Special Education in 2011 and highlights how collaborative, positive and individualised approaches can support autistic children across both school and home environments.
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This paper explores how behaviour contracts can be used to support autistic children when specific behaviours are making it difficult for them to access learning opportunities or participate successfully in everyday activities. A behaviour contract is a simple written agreement that identifies a goal, explains how progress will be measured and describes what will happen when the goal is achieved.
The authors present four case studies involving autistic boys aged between 8 and 13 years. The contracts were designed to address different goals, including remaining engaged during lessons, reducing physical aggression, respecting personal space and improving participation in daily activities. In each case, the child, family and school staff worked together to develop and monitor the contract.
A key feature of the approach was the strong link between home and school. For some children, success at school led to access to preferred activities at home, while for others, positive experiences at home were connected to rewards or recognition at school. The authors suggest that this consistency across environments helped maintain motivation and supported lasting behaviour change.
The case studies showed positive outcomes for all four children. Improvements included increased engagement in learning, more successful participation in mainstream settings, reduced behaviours that were impacting others, and greater self-monitoring of behaviour. Staff also reported more positive interactions with pupils and increased opportunities for learning and social inclusion.
The authors conclude that behaviour contracts can be a practical, low-cost and flexible tool that can be adapted to meet individual needs. They emphasise the importance of collaboration between families and schools, the use of positive reinforcement and the involvement of children in setting goals and choosing meaningful rewards. The paper also notes that further research would be valuable to strengthen the evidence base for this approach.