Case study 2 Maahir works as a disability support worker. One of the people he s
ID: 129098 • Letter: C
Question
Case study 2
Maahir works as a disability support worker. One of the people he supports is Naomi, who uses a wheelchair, and has autism. Naomi is 16. In recent months, Naomi’s behaviour has changed significantly. She’s been biting and hitting staff, raising her voice at staff and other people in support, and refusing to comply with requests. Maahir and his team look at Naomi’s individualised behaviour support plan. At this stage, there is no current information about Naomi’s behaviours of concern, as the behaviours are quite recent. The individualised support plan says that Naomi’s agitation increases in the evening, and meditation techniques or a bath are recommended. Maahir’s supervisor, Karen, organises for an integrated assessment to take place. As part of the assessment, she asks Maahir and other team members to observe Naomi’s behaviour, and record the type, frequency and triggers of the behaviours of concern to try and identify context. Maahir observes that Naomi tends to become stressed at the end of the day around meal time. When she is asked to eat, she refuses, and then her behaviour escalates. Most of the biting and hitting behaviour happens around this time. Her behaviour tends to escalate most evenings, and results in hitting and biting at least twice a week. These days usually correspond with family visits. Naomi’s mother and sister visit twice a week. Sometimes they take Naomi on an outing.
What behaviours of concern would Maahir recognise in Naomi’s individualised behaviour support plan?
Why should Maahir consider what happened before, during and after Naomi’s behaviour of concern?
What may have triggered Naomi’s behaviour of concern?
Explain two environmental factors impacting Naomi’s behaviour.
Maahir should record all observations of Naomi accurately and objectively. Write two brief examples of observations of Naomi that could be described as accurate and objective.
Explanation / Answer
Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily.
(Question) What behaviours of concern would Maahir recognise in Naomi’s individualised behaviour support plan?
(Answer) Behaviours of concern: Biting and hitting staff and raising her voice. Also, in Naiomi’s individualised behaviour support plan, Maahir should realise that Naiomi gets stressed out at the end of the day during dinner. She refuses to eat and her behaviour escalates after that.
(Question) Why should Maahir consider what happened before, during and after Naomi’s behaviour of concern?
(Answer) Considering what happened before the event would help identify the trigger and then help define the cause. Being observant of what happens during the tantrum will help spot if the tantrum gets worse by the day or placates. Also, on a day that the tantrum may be especially worse, Maahir can look for particular oddities that took place that day.
(Question) What may have triggered Naomi’s behaviour of concern?
Explain two environmental factors impacting Naomi’s behaviour.
Maahir should record all observations of Naomi accurately and objectively. Write two brief examples of observations of Naomi that could be described as accurate and objective.
(Answer) It is mentioned above that Naiomi’s behaviour of hitting and biting mostly occurs on the days that her mother and sister visit her. This could be a possible trigger.
The 2 environmental factors that seem to affect her behaviour are the family visit and nightfall.
One accurate observation is noticing the time of her behaviour escalating, in the evening, especially during the time of her meal. The second objective observation is that Naiomi acts up when her mother and sister visit her.
These observations could lead to possible conclusions about Naiomi’s behaviour. Since Naiomi acts up mostly at the end of the days that her family has visited her, it could be a simple case of a child feeling homesick and missing her family. Seeing her family only reinforces that she is not at home with them. On other days she isn’t reminded of them as much as she is on the day that her family actually visits her. The matter of not eating could be equated to childish stubbornness. Many children often skip eating a meal when they are angry. This is probably Naiomi’s way of expressing her anger that she is not with her family.