Department of Psychological Medicine

The Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities

Teaching

Positive Approaches to Challenging Behaviour

The Postgraduate Diploma in Positive Approaches to Challenging Behaviour is a part-time course, validated through Cardiff University. It covers all aspects of Challenging Behaviour based upon up-to-date knowledge and best practice, supported by research literature. The Course is targeted at managers and professional staff of specialist services for people with intellectual disabilities and severe challenging behaviour, staff who provide direct assessment and treatment to individuals or who advise others how to do so. In addition it can be useful to managers or staff of staffed housing services, community nurses, psychology graduates, social workers, teachers and speech and language therapists who are seeking a better understanding of challenging behaviour and positive treatment approaches.

Students will be expected to attend 14 x 3-day modules and complete a number of practically based and academic assignments over a 16-month period. Students passing Part 1 (the Diploma) will be offered the opportunity to continue the course to obtain an MSc by conducting a research study in the area of Challenging Behaviour under the supervision of researchers from the Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities.

The fee for the Diploma course is currently 2,570. An additional fee of 1,285 applies to the Masters course. The next Diploma course begins in September 2007.

Course time requirements

All students will undertake Part 1, the Postgraduate Diploma. Upon successful completion of the course requirements of the Diploma, students may apply to undertake an extension (Part 2), the successful completion of which will lead to the award of the degree of MSc.
Each Diploma has fourteen 3-day modules each involving 19.5 hours direct contact. Individual tutorial or supervision meetings lasting one hour are scheduled for every other module, providing a total of 7 hours personal supervision. Modules will be held at monthly intervals, excluding April and August.

The expectation is that students will undertake two hours of related work outside of these teaching blocks for every one hour direct contact time (i.e., the equivalent of six days or 39 hours per month). Practical assignments will be set for completion in students' normal working environments during study days. The expectation is that this will comprise about half of the student's work outside the teaching modules and that the student will make up the remaining outside study in their private time.

Prior to any candidate being accepted on the course, agreement will be sought from employing agencies that this level of course related commitment is acceptable and that facilities and support will be made available to students to enable them to complete their assignments.
The extension to MSc is by satisfactory completion of a research project. There will be four 3-day taught modules on research paradigms, defining the research question, experimental design, measurement and statistical analysis, comprising 78 hours total teaching and 2 hours individual supervision. During this time, candidates will refine their research proposal. The final 12 months will involve a research project conducted in an applied setting, a commitment of at least 120 hours, plus 6x1 hour individual supervisions. It is expected that the research will be conducted within the students' employing agencies, and prior approval will be sought for this.

Course Content Part 1 (Diploma)

Module 1 Introduction and Nature of Challenging Behaviour

Registration; Course structure and requirements, assignments and assessment procedures; History of Services; Defining Challenging Behaviour (CB); Epidemiology of Learning Disability and CB; Epidemiology and Aetiology; Risk Factors: (i) Autism (ii) Physical Causes (iii) Behavioural Phenotypes (iv) Psychiatric Illnesses; Consequences of CB

Module 2 Applied Behaviour Analysis: Overview

Philosophy of Behaviourism Definition and Characteristics of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA); Values and Ethics of Behaviour Change; Use of Aversive Techniques; Principles of ABA,

Module 3 Behavioural Assessment and Positive Behaviour Support

Causal Theories; Positive Behaviour Support; Behavioural Assessment: 1. Rationale, 2. Personal Characteristics, 3. Descriptive Functional Analysis

Module 4 Behavioural Assessment

Data Analysis and Display; Descriptive Functional Analysis; Demonstrating Functional Relations

Module 5 Behavioural Assessment

Demonstrating Functional Relations; Data Interpretation; Summarising Assessment Information; Observational Methods; Selecting Targets for Change

Module 6 Changing Behaviour: Ecology

Ecological Intervention; Engagement in Activity; Active Support; Designing Ecological Plans

Module 7 Changing Behaviour: Developing New Skills
Target Setting; Task Analysis; Techniques: Prompting, Fading, Shaping, Chaining, Incidental Teaching

Module 8 Changing Behaviour: Developing New Skills
Teaching Functionally Equivalent Skills; Teaching Functionally Related Skills; Skills Teaching Plans

Module 9 Changing Behaviour: Motivation and Consequences
Contingency Management; Contingency Management Plans

Module 10 Refinements & Programme Implementation
Behavioural Refinements; Programme Implementation; Staff Behaviour and Training

Module 11 Other Treatment Approaches
Psychotherapy; Cognitive Behaviour Therapy; Medication and Good Practice

Module 12 Working with Children and Families
Child Development; Child Problems; Systems of Support; Legal Issues; Working with Families; Clinical Intervention: Portage, Clinical Advisor Scheme, Early Intervention; Clinical Foci: Sexual Abuse, Adolescence, Sleep, Attachment Problems

Module 13 Working with Carers and Services
Organisational Issues; Reactive Strategy Outcome Research; Mediator Analysis; Placement Breakdown; Risk Assessment; Designing Reactive Plans; Staff Perceptions and Attributions

Module 14 Working with Carers and Services
Staff Stress and Support; Research on Services for People who Challenge; Continuing Education and Development; Wider Networking

Key Staff and Visiting Lecturers

Professor David Felce, Professor of Research in Learning Disabilities, Director, WCLD
Dr Deb Carr, Senior Research Fellow, WCLD
Dr Stuart Todd, Senior Research Fellow, WCLD
Professor David Allen, Honorary Professor, University of Glamorgan
Dr Nigel Beail, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, University of Sheffield
Dr Glyn Jones, Consultant Psychiatrist in Learning Disabilities, Cardiff
Pippa Mundy, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Bro Morgannwg Intensive Support Services (children)
Dr Bisa Sternfert-Kroese, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham
Dr John Rose, Clinical Psychologist, Clinical tutor, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham

Student Entry Qualifications

Candidates must satisfy the requirements of the Cardiff University General Entrance Requirement and, in addition, will normally possess an initial degree. At the discretion of the Board of Studies, non-graduates whose relative lack of formal academic qualifications is compensated for by their relevant work experience or a professional qualification may also be admitted to candidature provided the candidate has held, for a minimum period of two years, a position of responsibility in a service for people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour.
All candidates must currently be working in or responsible for services supporting people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour.

Additional outcome

On completing Part 1 students will have fulfilled the coursework sequence requirement for the Board Certified Associate Behaviour Analyst (BCABA) certification exam, administered by the Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB). Students who pass and who have an undergraduate degree will be eligible to sit the BCABA certification exam. The holding of an undergraduate degree is an additional, independent requirement for eligibility by the Behaviour Analyst Certification Board.

A proportion of the supervised experience requirement will be provided by Dr. Deborah Carr, BCBA, under the Independent Supervised Fieldwork option specified by the BACB. For all students who wish to take up this option, study at Certificate and Diploma Levels will include 36 of the total 50 hours required. Progressing to study at MSc level will provide an additional 14 hours of supervision to fulfil the total amount of supervised experience stipulated by the BACB.

For full details of supervised experience options, refer to http://www.bacb.com/

N.B.

Please note that students without an undergraduate degree will not be eligible to sit the BCABA certification exam on completion of any of the postgraduate courses. The holding of an undergraduate degree is an additional, independent requirement for eligibility by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.

Application forms from:

Postgraduate Liaison Office
Cardiff University
46 Park Place
Cardiff
CF10 3AT
Tel. 02920 874587

Potential applicants are invited to register their interest in the course and to obtain further information and application forms from:

Jan Felce
Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities
Centre for Health Sciences Research
Cardiff University
Neuadd Meirionnydd
Heath Park
Cardiff CF14 4XN
Tel: 029 2068 7209

e-mail: wcldoffice@cardiff.ac.uk

Last modified 2006-10-17.
Maintained by Jonathan Perry