Alan Hudson

Brief report: a case study assessing the validity of facilitated communication.

Facilitated communication is a term that has evolved to describe the process by which a disabled person is physically assisted by another person to communicate using a mechanical device. 2 The device may be a standard typewriter or computer. Alternatively it may be a device specifically constructed to assist a disabled person communicate, such as a communication board, or a modified typewriter. A description of the range of specifically constructed devices is provided by Vanderheiden and Lloyd (1986). An issue that has become the center of controversy relates to the extent to which the communication of a person receiving physical assistance is truly independent. Does the communication come solely from the disabled person, or is the assistant in some way influencing the communication? Biklen (1990) reported on his observations of the use of facilitated communication by several young people with autism, and generally concluded that communications were valid. Cummins and Prior (1992) take issue with Biklen and argue that the ethnographic procedures used by him do not allow for the drawing of firm conclusions. Further they make ref-

Behavioural supports for parents of children with an intellectual disability and problem behaviours: an overview of the literature

A considerable body of knowledge that allows for the design of effective interventions with problem behaviour in children with an intellectual disability is now in existence. The development of behavioural supports for parents, in particular, has taken momentum in the last few years. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of research on the supports provided to parents in the assessment of and intervention with the problem behaviour of their children with an intellectual disability. It is concluded that while research in the area has made considerable advances, gaps in research on the development of practical applications of parent friendly programmes are still evident.

The Anger Management Project: A Group Intervention for Anger in People with Physical and Multiple Disabilities.

Abstract Background This paper describes the evaluation of a group program designed specifically to meet the anger management needs of a group of individuals with various levels of intellectual disability and/or complex communication needs. Method Twenty‐nine individuals were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a waiting‐list comparison group. The intervention comprised a 12‐week anger management program, based on Novaco’s (1975) cognitive‐behavioural conceptualisation of anger, which incorporates adapted content and pictographic materials developed for clients with a range of disabilities. Results On completion of the program, clients from the intervention group had made significant improvements in their self‐reported anger levels, compared with clients from the comparison group, and relative to their own pre‐intervention scores. Treatment effects were maintained at 4‐month follow‐up. In contrast, there was an absence of measured improvements in quality of life. Conclusions The results provide evidence for the program’s effectiveness as an intervention for anger problems for individuals with a range of disabilities.

Brief report: Facilitator-suggested conversational evaluation of facilitated communication

Controversy has arisen around the use of what is described as facilitated communication (Biklen, 1990, Cummins & Prior, 1992, Jacobson & Mulick, 1992; Rimland, 1992) in which a disabled person is physically assisted to operate a communication device. The controversy centers on whether the disabled person or the facilitator authors the communication. In an attempt to resolve the controversy, several studies have been carried out (Hudson, Melita, & Arnold, 1993; Moore, Donovan, Hudson, Dykstra, & Lawrence, 1993; and Wheeler, Jacobson, Paglieri, & Schwartz, 1993). These studies uniformly have found no evidence of the communication being generated by the disabled person, but considerable evidence that the communications are generated by the facilitator. All studies used essentially the same methodology in which the subject, but not the facilitator, was presented with a stimulus that required a single-word or short-answer response. In the Moore et al. and Hudson et al. studies the stimuli were questions, either asked directly or presented to the subjects through earphones. The Wheeler et al. study used pictures as stimuli.

Parental monitoring behaviors: A model of rules, supervision, and conflict

A model of parental monitoring behaviors, comprising rule setting and supervision, was proposed. The hypothesized relationship between rules, supervision, conflict, and adolescent problem behavior was tested using structured equation modeling on self-report data from 1,285 adolescents aged 14 to 15 years. The model was an adequate fit of the data, accounting for 40% of the variance in problem behavior. Specifically, lax rules predicted poor supervision and high conflict. High conflict and low supervision were predictors of the adolescent problem behavior construct, which encompassed conduct problems, rebelliousness, and sensation seeking. Adequate rules appear to form the foundation for better supervision and less conflict, and hence lower levels of adolescent problem behaviors.

The Wide-Scale Implementation of a Support Program for Parents of Children with an Intellectual Disability and Difficult Behaviour.

Abstract Backgroundu2003While there have been several evaluations of programs to help parents manage difficult behaviour of their child with an intellectual disability, little research has focused on the evaluation of such programs when delivered to large populations. Methodu2003The benchmarks recommended by Wiese, Stancliffe, and Hemsley (2005) were used to evaluate the wide‐scale implementation of the Signposts for Building Better Behaviour program (Hudson et al., 2001). Resultsu2003A total of 2,119 parents and carers participated in the program over an 18‐month period. Following the program, participants reported that they were less depressed, less anxious, and less stressed, were more confident and satisfied with managing their child, and were less hassled by their childs behaviour. They also reported that their child exhibited fewer difficult behaviours. Effect sizes ranged from small to large, depending on mode of delivery of the program. Average cost of delivery was

Conduct Problems and Treatment across Home and School: A Review of the Literature

1,304 per participant. Conclusionu2003When implemented on a wide‐scale basis, the Signposts program was effective in assisting families to manage their childs difficult behaviour. Limitations of the study are discussed.

The efficacy of written teacher advice (tip sheets) for managing classroom behaviour problems

Treatment of conduct problems in the home setting has received much attention in the literature, and there are well established, empirically derived treatment programs that have been demonstrated to be effective. However, treatment for conduct problems in the classroom has not received a comparable amount of attention, and the intervention programs are diverse, occasionally lacking empirical support, and often not consistent with strategies used in the home setting. As past research has demonstrated that conduct problems in multiple settings is related to poorer prognosis, it is logical to suggest that interventions should focus on as many of the settings as possible in which a child displays the behaviour problems. This paper reviews the literature on the effects of conduct problems in the classroom, on teacher managerial skills, and on interventions across the home and school settings. It is concluded that classroom management of conduct problems could be improved by providing a hierarchical system of intervention strategies.

Behavioural Treatment of Challenging Behaviour: A Cost-benefit Analysis of a Service Delivery Model

This study evaluated the efficacy of a set of tip sheets developed to provide written advice to teachers about the management of common classroom behaviour problems. Twenty teachers were involved in the trial of the tip sheets. Teachers selected a child in their grade who demonstrated one of the behaviour problems, and after a baseline period, implemented the written advice for a period of 4 weeks. Outcome measures included teacher collected data, Goal Achievement Scale scores, Sutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory, Teacher Report Form and consumer satisfaction. Measures of treatment integrity were also collected. Results indicated that 13 of the children showed substantial or moderate improvement. Of the seven who did not improve, four had high levels of general behaviour problems prior to intervention, and three had teachers who were not following the written advice completely. However, high levels of general behaviour problems did not prevent some other children still demonstrating improvements in behaviour (n = 5). The written advice in the tip sheets was found to be highly acceptable to the teachers.

An Interview Schedule for Use in the Behavioural Assessment of Children's Problems

In 1990 a number of regionally based Behaviour Intervention Support Teams (BISTs) were established in Victoria to assist agencies providing support to persons with an intellectual disability who exhibited challenging behaviour. A primary function of the BISTs was to conduct intensive interventions for clients with severe challenging behaviours. A cost-benefit analysis of these interventions was carried out. It was found that the existence of a severe challenging behaviour resulted in an additional cost to the service system of an average