Question

Use the scenario below (Stephanie) to complete the following Antecedent Behaviour Consequence (ABC) form to record what happened before, during and after the behaviour of concern in 10 – 40 words.

Antecedent (What happened before the behaviour?)	Behaviour (Describe the behaviour of concern)	Consequence (What were the results/reactions?)

Stephanie Peterson is 45 years old and lives at Harbourside Haven, a specialist disability unit that is close to the ocean. She has been there only four months after living in an aged care facility that cared for three other younger people with disability. She likes the water and the smell of the ocean and can often be seen watching the water.

Steph, as she likes to be known, has a severe intellectual disability and limited communication skills but has good receptive language skills when spoken to quietly. She can make herself understood and uses some basic pictorial communication aids. Staff are really working hard with Steph and her family to put in place an individualised behaviour support plan that aims to increase her quality of life and decrease the frequency and severity of her challenging behaviours that were noted on the plan she brought with her. These include pilfering, hoarding and gorging on food, becoming very vocal and screaming uncontrollably if she cannot be understood and if she is having difficulty walking she will grab at the nearest person for support.

Stephanie loves music and she enjoys watching the music channel on TV, she gets excited when her favourite songs are played and among her favourite performers is Jimmy Barnes. Staff have also introduced “quiet evening music” after tea to help Steph settle down at night. She really enjoys listening to the harp and now three or four other residents join Steph to enjoy the music.

There is some concern about emerging medical issues for Steph. She is considered medically obese, has some cardiac (heart) issues and is at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Staff have discussed this with Steph and her family and Steph has decided to take on a more active lifestyle and has met with her dietitian to understand which foods might improve her medical conditions. She is now going to the pool three mornings a week and goes for a walk every afternoon. This is hard work for her but with encouragement, new joggers, a new beach towel and support from her brother she is beginning to enjoy it and isn’t as breathless as she was before.

Steph used to store food from the fridge and pantry in her room as she was worried she would get hungry. Sometimes this caused health issues, as the food was not stored correctly, and the foods she kept in her room were not helping her to meet her new health goals. Steph is now choosing to keep a selection of healthy snacks in her room, and she chooses to eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Steph enjoys her independence.

Yesterday at midday the support workers were late in starting lunch preparations. Whilst one (1) support worker assisted another resident, Stephanie took the bread needed for everyone’s lunch from the kitchen to her room. When the other support worker found her in the room with the bread and asked her to return it so that everyone would be able to enjoy lunch together, she offered Steph one of her snacks and Steph returned the bread. The worker smiled and thanked Steph very much. Previously Steph would have become upset, pushed the staff member away, yelled and slammed the door.

Steph’s behaviour support plan identifies her strengths, needs, capabilities and preferences intending to actively involve Steph to help resolve her own problems and there is growing recognition by staff and others of her skills and competence. If staff listen carefully and talk quietly Steph can understand most things and they can understand her. By following her plan and using proactive strategies that have been developed, Steph no longer needs to use behaviours of concern to get her needs met.

Answer 1

Ans) The following observation regarding Stephanie Peterson behaviour's haa been recorded.

1) Before Behaviour : Before this the behaviour of Stephanie Peterson , she was usually involved in rubbish things because of her communication disability she was never able to express herself and she usually scream loudly for food and she was never able to live a streamlined life.

2) Behaviour of concern : As we know, she was suffering from lack of intellectual skills. So most oftenly she was behaving rudely. But when handled with care and spoken politely, she behaves good. So at last her behaviour was completely relied upon how we treat her.

3) Result and consequences : The result and consequences basically depends on how Stephanie Peterson will be treated. If she will be treated in a polite manner she will behave good without chaos and if she will be treated with anger she will make her behavior worse.