There are several theories that have attempted to explain the etiology of challenging behavior displayed by individuals with ASD.
- Behavior equivalents theory (Emerson, 2001) suggests that challenging behavior may be an atypical manifestation of psychopathology. For example, rather than experiencing depression due to the loss of a loved one, these feelings may manifest as challenging behavior for individuals with ASD.
- Neurobiological models implicate brain dysfunction as cause for challenging behavior.
- Frontal cortex dysfunction, leading to poor inhibitory control, and increased activation of the amygdala and hypothalamus have been suggested to contribute to aggression (e.g., Anderson et al., 1999; Siever, 2008); whereas impairment of the basal ganglia and fronto-striatal circuits have been linked to self-injurious behavior (Bodfish & Lewis, 2002; Turner & Lewis, 2002).
- Challenging behavior may also be exhibited due to a variety underlying genetic factors that produce specific behavioral phenotypes (e.g., Oliver et al., 2013).
The most prominent theory explaining the cause of challenging behavior, however, suggests that challenging behavior is learned through the process of operant conditioning (Skinner, 1938). In this model, it is purported that challenging behavior is selected by the environmental situations that evoke it and the consequences that maintain it.
For example, if an individual with ASD engages in challenging behavior when their caregiver’s attention is diverted, and contingent on its occurrence attention is provided, the individual may learn to engage in challenging behavior to obtain caregiver attention. That is, challenging behavior may be reinforced by producing a favorable consequence, and thus, likely to occur again in the future under similar situations.
Regardless of the specific theoretical model, a variety of evidence-based approaches to assessment and treatment have been developed and shown to effectively reduce challenging behavior displayed by individuals with ASD (see Evidence-Based Practices document). The dosage, sophistication, and modality of these interventions vary widely and will ultimately depend on the needs of the individual.
