Brief assessment and treatment of multiple challenging behaviors

We conducted a brief assessment of multiple challenging behaviors in a 19-y ear-old man with developmental disabilities. The results of the brief asses sment suggested that spitting and aggression were attention maintained, whe reas property destruction was related to escape and tangibles. Spitting als o appeared to have a sensory component. Based on the results of the brief a ssessment, three treatments were evaluated. For attention, treatment involv ed noncontingent attention and teaching an alternative attention-gaining ge sture. For the escape and tangible functions, opportunities to request tang ibles were made contingent on task participation. The third treatment invol ved provision of leisure materials to provide an alternative source of sens ory stimulation. All three treatments were associated with reduced challeng ing behavior and increased alternative behaviors. These findings suggest th at a combination of brief assessment and treatment evaluation may be a usef ul component in the provision of behavioral support to individuals with dev elopmental disabilities who present with multiple forms of challenging beha viors. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.