Challenging behaviour and communication difficulties

Summary Over the last 10 years as a speech and language therapist, working with adults with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour, the author has noted the tendency of services to focus their attention on the observable behaviours of the people with learning disabilities. Such observable behaviours include expressive communication behaviours. However, the ‘hidden’ phenomenon of receptive communication skill tends to be neglected. The present paper highlights the fact that to date, emphasis has been upon promotion of the expressive communication skills of the person with a learning disability and challenging behaviour: whether by direct skills teaching or via modification of the communication environment. It is suggested that we need to pay closer and express attention to the neglected and largely unmet need of receptive communication (comprehension) difficulties.