Association for Behavior Analysis International

The need for expanded and applicable trauma-informed services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is paramount. This symposium will approach this need from three vantage points while reinforcing the concept of trauma-informed behavior analysis. First, trauma as “crisis” for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities will be presented due to the apparent high risk of experiencing traumatic events throughout the lifespan. Our second presentation will focus on the reinforcement of collaboration between trauma-informed care and applied behavior analysis. It is important that behavior analysts continue to improve their treatments for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) by considering the effects of past traumatic events. This paper describes behavior changes frequently reported in people with ID following exposure to trauma and proposes ways that these changes may be understood from a behavior analytic framework. When providing services to individuals with developmental disabilities, it is becoming more common to discuss those services with an approach to understanding the role of trauma in the lives of those being served. Yet, often, the role of the parents/guardians/caregivers, as well as the role of the provider are often overlooked. This talk will discuss the role of stakeholders and providers in enhancing the way we provide trauma-informed care.

Intermediate

It is important that behavior analysts continue to improve their treatments for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) by considering the effects of past traumatic events. People with ID experience high rates of exposure to traumatic events and therefore face increased risks of developing stress-related disorders (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]). Exposure to trauma often leads to behavior changes such as increases in problem behavior. However, current assessment and treatment strategies for stress-related disorders rely heavily on verbal communication, limiting their utility for most people with ID. Consequently, this population may receive treatment from behavior analysts without a way to assess the impact of stress-related disorders. Learned helplessness (LH) has been studied extensively in animals and may provide insights into a behavioral understanding of stress-related disorders in humans. These insights could lead to improvements in the treatment of these disorders in people with limited communication repertoires. This paper describes behavior changes frequently reported in people with ID following exposure to trauma and proposes ways that these changes may be understood from a behavior analytic framework. We will also suggest ways that the LH literature may improve assessment and treatment of stress-related disorders in people with ID.