Structured flexibility and context-sensitive behavioral support for the chronically cranky

A significant number of individuals with brain injury demonstrate behavioral challenges that negatively affect their ability to live successfully in community settings. While there are a number of treatment approaches that have demonstrable effects in well controlled clinical settings, it is very difficult to implement these approaches in natural settings.

The goal of this study was to report the results of an investigation of the effects of a multicomponent behavioral intervention on the challenging behavior of an adolescent and young adult with growing behavioral concerns after acquired brain injury (TBI).

The participants were an 16 year old adolescent male and a 24 year old female, with escalating behavior problems after severe TBI. Multiple baseline designs were used to document the effects of an intervention package that integrated cognitive and executive function intervention to address severe challenging behaviors in natural settings. The following dependent variables were used to establish the effectiveness of the interventions: frequency and intensity of aggressive behaviors and participation in scheduled activities. The intervention included integrated components of positive behavior supports, cognitive supports and specific executive function scripts.

These single subject experiments demonstrated the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention on the reduction of the frequency of problem behaviors and the increase of pro-social behaviors.

These two successful interventions extended the findings of previously published data for the successful treatment of behavioral challenges using a flexible support-oriented intervention that combines behavioral, cognitive, and executive function components.