Relationship between Teachers’ Attitudes towards Challenging Behaviours and the Choice of Management Strategies among Learners with Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

Teachers working with learners with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) often feel ill prepared to manage challenging behaviours presented by them. Quite often, when they are faced with cases of challenging behaviour, they use coping strategies that have led to delinquency and other anti-social behaviours resulting into school dropout among these learners. Teachers’ negative attitudes towards challenging behaviour presented by learners with ASDs makes them vulnerable to experiencing negative emotional reaction which can lead to stress and burn out. The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between Teachers’ Attitudes towards Challenging Behaviours and the Choice of Management Strategies among learners with Autistic Spectrum Disorders public primary schools in Western Kenya. Descriptive survey research and correlation designs were adopted for this study. Target population of the study was 106 teachers. A saturated sampling technique was used. The sample size for the pilot study was 20 teachers. The reliability coefficient was set at 0.70 and above at an alpha level of 0.05. Test-retest of teachers’ attitude questionnaire in the pilot study yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.78.  Data was collected using questionnaires, observation schedules document analysis and interview schedules. Qualitative data from observation and interview schedules were collected, organized and categorized into themes, which were reported.  Teachers exhibited both negative and positive attitudes towards challenging behaviour presented by learners with ASDs. The negative feelings expressed were: guilty, hopeless, afraid angry, incompetent, frustrated, helpless, disgusted, resigned, humiliated, betrayed and sad, while the positive feelings expressed were confident, happy, self-assured, relaxed, cheerful and excited. There was a significant relationship between positive attitudes and the choice of least restrictive management strategies such as intensive interaction (r=0.438,); development of social understanding, (0.287,); social stories, (r=0.429,); gentle teaching, (r=0.473,); and behavior therapy (r= 0.317,). Negative attitudes were correlated to more restrictive strategies such as experimental functional analysis, (r=0.283,) and mental health consultations, (r=0.243,). This implies that teachers who had positive attitudes towards challenging behaviours presented by learners with ASDs chose strategies that were least restrictive whereas those who had negative attitudes chose strategies that were most restrictive such mental health consultation. Concerted efforts need to be made to ensure that teachers feel confident in managing challenging behaviour. This can be achieved by giving them practical skills of managing challenging behaviour and establishment support networks with other professionals.