Measuring Challenging Behaviors

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders often engage in challenging behaviors that can negatively impact learning, daily functioning, social and emotional well-being, and physical safety. In order to understand these behaviors and develop effective intervention plans, reliable and valid behavioral assessment approaches must be utilized. The current chapter describes a variety of behavior assessment methods that can be used to hypothesize and confirm functions of challenging behavior and develop effective interventions. The assessment approaches discussed have strong research support and have been used to inform successful treatment planning for individuals with ASD and developmental disorders.