Thursday, February 14, 2013

Autism and Aggressive Behavior – Understanding the Causes

Aggressive behavior is undoubtedly a heavy problem each one of these with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Little clinical data exists of showing landlords should regularly aggression is obtained in kids ASD, but reports from parents, teachers, together with other professionals are convinced that aggression is just not uncommon. All around prevalence is high, consistent with a clinical study published recently by researchers Kanne and Mazurek (2010), which began estimate present aggressive behavior happens in children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD. Indeed, 68 percent from the sample population (a maximum of 1,380 children and adolescents with ASD) showed aggression toward a caregiver, and 49 percent showed aggression toward a non-caregiver. As you move sample size is associated with simply small number of total persons told you have ASD, it supports anecdotal reports, and would be a satisfactory representation of people in general.


Environmental Factors


Scientists won’t be yet certain what, in the brain’s anatomy, can result in children with ASD to demonstrate aggressive behavior. Though numerous studies examining the differences in these structures emerged throughout the last decade (e.g., Baron-Cohen, et al., 2000; Courchesne & Pierce, 2005; Bauman & Kemper, 2005), no conclusive evidence has yet been drawn, no definite answers currently exist. As opposed to relying upon answers from medical science alone to refer to aggression from a child with ASD, applying behavior analysis, professionals often analyze environmental factors which in turn variables exist round the child that may promote the repeated occurrence of aggressive behavior.


Because a child participates in aggression toward others, the actual requirement for a far more restrictive learning environment when compared to same-aged, typically developing children becomes necessary. A child’s developmental needs may very well be better addressed through intensive behavioral intervention services offered in-home as well as a professional setting, in lieu of while attending college. If his needs might be best met in his school classroom, the infant will need additional classroom supports, along the lines of an aide or individualized education sessions from a resource room. Aggression greatly affects children’s capability to learn, in that it’s usually unsafe for adults looking to teach your youngster, when the child aggress toward adults. Additionally, it limits opportunities for any child to meaningful social relationships with peers, would the child aggress toward peers.


The ABCs of Behavior


The principles of behavior teach us which it does not occur inside vacuum – which can be, behavior doesn’t occur without regard towards context where it is observed. Behavior itself is influenced by changes for the person’s environment, both just before an outlined behavior is displayed (known as the antecedent) and pursuing the given behavior (referred to as consequence). That allows you to determine why a behavior occurs, behavior analysts look diligently on the relationships between changes occurring ahead of behavior, the behavior itself, and changes occurring following the behaviour, in doing what referred to as the three-term contingency. The three-term contingency is sometimes more informally typically called the “ABCs” of behavior.


The Role of Behavior


Analyzing the ABCs of behavior allows for the behavior analyst to find out why your child is displaying aggressive behavior. The resolution such “why” questions are referred to as the goal of behavior. Functional behavioral analysis reveals that behavior occurs for two main primary reasons: to gain access to something weight reduction, and to escape or from something we don’t want. Kids autism often indulge in aggressive behavior to get issues that they desire. A child wants attention from other people (i.e., the function of his/her aggressive behavior is to get attention); this can range from aggressing as a means to initiate a conversation (e.g., a kid hits his mother inside back as she does dishes for getting her to transform around and talk to him), to aggressing toward a sibling to find a toy that the sibling is playing (i.e., the goal of his/her aggressive behavior will be to obtain access to a tangible item). Sometimes a child with ASD possibly use aggression in order to get away from is very popular they don’t want in order to do (which include chores) or get off someone that they don’t want to be with (like, another child).


It’s important to remember to analyze these underlying the things that cause aggressive behavior as part of your child with autism. By having the triggers of aggression, it will be easier to get the best choice intervention strategies.


References:


Baron-Cohen, S., Ring, H.A., Bullmore, E.T., Wheelwright, S., Ashwin, C., & Williams, S.C.R. (2000). The amygdala theory of autism. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 24(3), 355-364.


Bauman, M.L., & Kemper, T.L. (2005). Neuroanatomic observations for the brain in autism: A review and future directions . International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, 23(2-3), 183-187.


Courchesne, E., & Pierce, K. (2005). Why the frontal cortex in autism is perhaps talking to itself: Local over-connectivity but long-distance disconnection. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 15, 225-230.


Kanne, S.M., & Mazurek, M.O. (2010). Aggression in children and adolescents with ASD: Prevalence and risk factors [Electronic version]. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorder.


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