Understanding Challenging Behaviour and Designing Support Strategies

Description

This module examines the psychological foundations of challenging behaviour in educational settings and prepares students to design and implement effective, inclusive, and context-sensitive support strategies. The course foregrounds Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) and its application to help educators and psychologists understand why behaviours occur and how to respond proactively. Emphasising the importance of ecological, developmental, and motivational perspectives, the module supports students to critically analyse behaviour in light of systemic, relational, and emotional factors. Through the ABC model, applied behavioural analysis, and cognitive-behavioural frameworks, learners will explore how to identify the function of behaviour and design interventions that meet the underlying needs of learners, rather than focusing on surface-level compliance. Building on these foundations, EPSY654 introduces multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), including universal, targeted, and intensive intervention strategies. Students are supported to evaluate and design support plans that are equitable, sustainable, and grounded in implementation science and ethical practice. By the end of the module, students will have developed a critical and applied understanding of behaviour as both a psychological and social phenomenon—and the skills to design interventions that are preventative, educational, and relationally attuned.