Acquired Brain Injury Case Study – an example of how SASBA can be utilised in clinical work (part 3)

The immediate Antecedents to TO recorded on SASBA (events immediately preceding that behaviour) were looked at to see if any clear ‘cause-and-effect’ was present. Figure 4 shows that the majority of TO did not have any obvious observable Antecedent. In contrast, it also shows that a nearly half of this behaviour appeared to directly follow some purposeful interaction with staff.

To further understand the function of TO for BS, interventions used by the MDT in response to this behaviour (what staff did when he touched them) were examined from SASBA records. Figure 5 confirms staff responded in different ways. Over half of TO was ignored, or ‘played down’ completely. In contrast, members of the MDT socially engaged with him on the remainder of occasions.

Finally, analysis of SASBA recordings showed that as well as occurring most often beyond the context of structured activity, the most severe instances of TO had taken place whilst staff were already engaged in social interaction with BS, and when they responded to his behaviour by continuing to interact with him.

An understanding of TO

Using this analysis of SASBA recordings to help the MDT objectively discuss BS’s distressing behaviour, a formulation was agreed. This was subsequently used to generate an appropriate treatment intervention to help him understand the consequences of his actions and exert greater control over them.