This form of therapy seeks to identify and help change potentially self-destructive or unhealthy behaviours. It functions on the idea that all behaviours are learned and that unhealthy behaviours can be changed. The focus of treatment is often on current problems and how to change them.

In behaviour therapy, the primary focus is the manipulation of the external environment and physiological internal environment to cause behaviour change. This is accomplished by employing a number of methods including:

• Exposure and response prevention
• Behaviour therapy 
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Person-Centred Therapy (PCT)
• Operant conditioning
• Covert conditioning
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Narrative Therapy
• Contingency management
• Habit reversal training
• Social Skills Training

Depending on the disability and type of concerning and challenging behaviour, some methods are more appropriate to use than others. 

A functional behaviour assessment (FBA) identifies where, when and the likely reasons why a behaviour of concern happens. The information is then used to develop Positive Behaviour Support Plan that includes strategies to address the reasons why the behaviour is occurring. An FBA generally relies on multiple sources of information such as:

• A review of the participant records
• Interviews with support team and caregivers
• Collection of direct observation data
• Identification of any health and wellbeing concerns or issues
• Consideration of environmental conditions that may impact behaviours of concern

Positive Behaviour Support Plans (PBSP) have a strong evidence base to support participants as an effective approach for challenging behaviours. PBSP work positively, meaning it aims to increase and strengthen helpful behaviours through reinforcement, rather than using punishment or negative consequences to reduce the challenging behaviours. They also work proactively, to identify when and where things may go wrong, resulting in the challenging behaviours, and putting strategies in place to prevent them from occurring in the first place.

Following the observations and assessments, a PBSP is developed which will include a number of different sections. These will cover:

• Identifying, developing and reinforcing an appropriate behaviour that replaces the challenging behaviour.
• Creating an environment that minimises and removes the antecedent whilst reinforcing and promoting positive behaviours.
• Developing an action plan to respond to the challenging behaviour when it occurs.

Once the PBSP has been completed, it needs to be implemented across all settings to ensure consistency and effectiveness and will need to be reviewed and revaluated regularly to ensure it is still relevant and effective.