Teachers’ Perception Of Challenging Behaviour Among Learners With Autism And Its Influence On Choice Of Management Strategies In Primary Schools In Western Kenya

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. Education Assessment records in

Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Nandi, Kisumu and Siaya counties in Western Kenya indicate

that between the years 2007 and 2012, 683 learners with ASDs had been assessed and placed in public

schools out of which 202 had dropped out of school. Closer analysis of the records revealed that out

of 283 learners assessed in Vihiga, Kakamega and Busia counties during this period, 135 had dropped

out of school. These three counties accounted for 67 % of learners who had dropped out of school in

the seven counties. Reason for this dropout has not been established although a number of studies

seem to point at poor challenging behaviour management strategies. The purpose of this study was

therefore to determine the influence of teachers’ perception of challenging behaviour on the choice of

management strategies. Objectives of this study were to; analyze types of challenging behaviour

presented by learners with ASDs in Western Kenya, assess strategies used in the management of

challenging behaviours, determine the influence of teachers’ cognitive perception of challenging

behaviour on the choice of management strategies, establish the relationship between teachers’

attitudes towards challenging behaviours and the choice of management strategies, establish the

Relationship between teachers Perception of Causes of Challenging Behaviour and the Choice of

Management Strategies. A conceptual framework was used to show the interaction of dependent and

independent variables. 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 drawn from 2 special schools and 2 special units. The

reliability coefficient was set at 0.70 and above at an alpha level of 0.05. Test-retest of three

instruments namely, challenging behaviour checklist, challenging behaviour perception questionnaire

and teachers’ attitude questionnaire in the pilot study yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.89, 0.75 and

0.78 respectively. Experts from the department of Special Needs verified face and content validity of

the research instruments. Data was collected using questionnaires, observation checklist, observation

schedules, interview schedules and document analysis guide. Correlation coefficient analysis,

inferential statistics and regressions were used to analyze quantitative data. Qualitative data from

observation and interview schedules were collected, organized and categorized into themes, which

were reported. Findings of the study indicate that all the 59 behaviours sampled occurred among

learners with ASDs in Western Kenya albeit at different frequencies and magnitudes. Strategies used

in management of challenging behaviours included intensive interaction, behavioural therapies and

augmentative communication. Intensive interaction was the strategy that was being used by teachers

and the one that they had found effective 83 (78.3%). Cognitive perception of challenging behaviour

influenced the choice of management strategies, teachers who perceived challenging behaviour

presented by learners with ASDs as a time line episodic chose least restrictive challenging behaviour

management strategies such as behavior therapy model (r= .421 p .05) while those who perceived

it as time line chronic chose more restrictive strategies such as mental health consultation (r= 0.294

p .05). There was a moderate relationship between positive attitudes and the choice of least

restrictive management strategies such as intensive interaction (r=0.438, p 0.01) and negative

attitudes with more restrictive strategies such as experimental functional analysis, (r=0.283, p .05).

The perception of causes of challenging behaviour was moderately correlated to the choice of

management strategies such as sociological factors and social stories, (r=0.521, p 0.01) and

sociological factors and The Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Handicapped Children

strategy (r=0.435, p 0.01). Efforts to be made by schools to address the teachers’ perception and

attitudes towards challenging behaviour as they have an influence on their choice of management

strategies.