Challenging behaviour in students with intellectual disabilities: the role of individual and classmates' communication skills.
V Hofmann, C M Müller
PMID 35194881WHAT IT FOUND
Students with better individual communication skills showed less challenging behaviour over the school year.
Classroom peers' skills did not buffer this link, but higher classroom communication skills predicted better individual skills, which in turn reduced challenging behaviour.
Key findings
01Greater individual communication skills at the start of the year were significantly related to a decrease in challenging behaviour at the end of the year.
02Classroom communication skills did not moderate the relationship between individual skills and challenging behaviour.
03Higher classroom-level communication skills predicted increased individual communication skills, which indirectly led to less challenging behaviour.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was observational, so it cannot prove that improving classroom communication skills causes a reduction in challenging behaviour. Data relied entirely on teacher reports rather than direct observation or student self-report. No information was collected on the specific support or interventions students received between the two measurement points. The sample was restricted to special needs schools, so results may not apply to students with ID in mainstream inclusive settings.
Declared interests
The authors declared no financial or non-financial conflicts of interest. The work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that grouping students with higher communication skills together will directly buffer challenging behaviour for those with lower skills. The study found no such moderating effect; the benefit came indirectly through improved individual skills, and the overall link between individual skills and behaviour remained strong regardless of the classroom context.