When evaluating the causes of behavioural difficulties after Acquired Brain Injury, it is essential to carry out a comprehensive assessment of cognitive, communicative and physical abilities and assessment of mental state and general wellbeing.
It is important to consider the potential contributing factors to behavioural difficulties after brain injury which can be complex and varied. The following are significant contributing factors:
- Pre-injury Factors
- Direct Neurological Damage
- Post-injury Factors
- Psychological and Psychiatric Difficulties
It is vital that the causes of challenging behaviour are identified and an assessment of the purpose and meaning of these behaviours is considered i.e. what the person is trying to achieve by the behaviours and what the communicative function of the behaviours is. This is known as a ‘Functional Analysis of Behaviour’