Understanding behaviour

Introduction

In this module, you will learn to understand reasons for behaviour, the brain, trauma and behaviour of concern. You will also learn about neurodivergent parficipants and their sensory support needs, including the needs of sensory sensors and avoiders and sensory seekers.

Learning Objectives

Upon the successful complefion of this module and associated learning acfivifies, it is expected you will be able to: 

• understand the broad context of why support workers need to understand why behaviour supports are required, and what their role is when providing support to parficipants who require this. 
• understand the differences in the role and responsibilifies between the behaviour pracfifioner, support worker, parficipant, their supervisor, and any allied health or other specialist, as well as informal supports when providing behaviour supports.

Reasons for Behaviour

Behaviour support is not a new need for people with disabilifies. As a community, state, and country, we have struggled with the responses of those around us for as long as fime can record. Historically, methods of responding to behaviour were not human rights based, and often resulted in increases to problemafic and concerning behaviour, not decreases. Society in general has a very fractured and sad history regarding services to people with disability.

Thankfully, judicial inquiries, government recommendafions, and state, and Commonwealth safeguards have provided addifional layers of safety and support for our community. People with disability are now afforded a much befter layer of support, and care, with human-rights based strategies ufilised, and specialist clinicians involved. When we think about a person's behaviour, we tend to look at it through the lens of the outcome. What happen when they demonstrated that behaviour? What was the outcome? But to truly understand the behaviour we first need to look at why the person has demonstrated the behaviour in the first place. We refer to this as the funcfion of the behaviour, or the reason.

Behaviour Factors to Consider

There are a range of factors that need to be considered when supporfing a person who communicates through their behaviours. An awareness of these factors and appreciafion of their impact is essenfial when supporfing a person and responding to their needs.

Physical/Biological

• Pain can result in agitafion. 
• Hormones can lead to fluctuafing moods. 
• Epilepsy can cause lethargy or anxiety. 
• Lack of sleep could result in changes to moods. 
• Dietary changes could result in changes to moods. 
• Sensory needs and sensifivifies can cause pain and result in avoidance. 
• Impact of medicafion. 
• Dental issues could exist, but not be idenfified, yet painful. 
• General health and wellbeing could be resulfing in frequent depression or anxiety.

Summary of Assessment Requirements

This assessment required the student to understand behaviour, its underlying reasons, and the factors that influence behavioural responses, particularly in people with disabilities. The student needed to:

Key Pointers to Cover in the Assessment

• Understand why behaviour occurs and the importance of identifying behavioural functions.
• Explore the role of support workers, behaviour practitioners, participants, supervisors, allied health professionals, and informal supports.
• Demonstrate understanding of:
  • Behaviour related to trauma
  • Neurodivergence and sensory needs
  • Differences between sensory seekers vs. avoiders
  • Historical context of behaviour support and the shift toward human-rights-based practices
• Identify behaviour factors such as biological, physical, sensory, psychological, and environmental elements.
• Showcase the ability to apply this understanding within a behaviour support framework.

The aim was to help the learner demonstrate deep comprehension of why behaviour supports are required and the responsibilities of those involved in providing behavioural support.

How the Academic Mentor Guided the Student (Step-by-Step)

The academic mentor followed a structured, supportive approach to help the student address each requirement thoroughly:

Step 1: Clarifying the Purpose and Learning Objectives

The mentor first explained:

• Why understanding behaviour is important
• How behaviour is influenced by internal and external factors
• What the student is expected to achieve through the module

This ensured the learner clearly understood the context and scope before beginning.

Step 2: Breaking Down Reasons for Behaviour

The mentor guided the student through concepts such as:

• Function of behaviour (why it happens, not just what it looks like)
• Historical perspectives and the shift to human-rights-based practice

The mentor encouraged the student to look beyond outcomes and explore motivations, needs, and triggers behind behaviours.

Step 3: Understanding Roles and Responsibilities

The mentor helped the student identify and differentiate between:

• Behaviour practitioners
• Support workers
• Participants and families
• Allied health professionals
• Supervisors and informal supports

The mentor ensured the student clearly understood who is responsible for what in behaviour support settings, aligning with assessment expectations.

Step 4: Exploring Behavioural Influencing Factors

Using the provided list, the mentor guided the learner to examine each category:

• Physical and biological factors
• Sensory needs and sensitivities
• Impact of medication
• Unidentified pain
• Psychological well-being

The mentor helped the student organise these into a structured framework, ensuring the explanation was both accurate and comprehensive.