Managing Risk: Strategies for Peter's Challenging Behavior in Workshop

This report analyzes Peter's behavior in a sheltered workshop setting, focusing on risk assessment and management strategies. The assignment addresses Peter's aggressive behaviors, including anger, shouting, and physical altercations when faced with tasks he dislikes or when other workers do not meet his standards. The report presents a table outlining potential risks, likelihood, outcomes, severity, and corresponding management strategies, such as calm communication, de-escalation techniques, and environmental modifications. Strategies include creating rules, using modeling, providing physical guidance, and modifying the environment to prevent triggers. De-escalation techniques, such as analyzing body language and establishing code words, are also discussed. The report references sources on behavior at work and positive behavior support techniques, offering a comprehensive approach to managing and preventing challenging behavior.

Running Head: Applied Behavior
Assignment on
Applied Behavior Support
Student Name
Student ID
University Name

Applied Behavior
Risk Assessment and Strategies to manage risk
The case on Peter’s behavior clearly states that he requires some additional support to dilute the
aggressive behavior at the workshop on a continuous basis (hsa.ie, 2019). The table below shows
the risks and relevant strategies to manage risk (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, 2015).
Behaviour Context Likelihood Outcome Severity Strategies
Becomes
very angry
When given
tasks not like by
him
Very
Manager feels
dis-respect and
insubordination
Medium
Calm down and discuss
on the tasks given and
issues faced by Peter. He
needs motivation
Screams and
shouts and
pushes
when compelled
to do a task Very Workers feel
offended High Politely ask him to show
respect to all workers
Becomes
upset and
shouts and
hits others
If other workers
do not perform
task well
Somewhat Physical injury
to others High
Maintain physical
distance and ensure
trained personnel stop the
fights. Keep workers
calm and away for some
time to de-escalate the
situation
Leaves the
location
If punished or
warned Very Spreads
Negativity Medium
Contact him after a day or
two to discuss on the
issue and eventually tell
him about his importance
and value to the
workshop
Strategies to Manage risk and the antecedents of challenging behaviour
In situations where we cannot eliminate a trigger or antecedent, we should adopt the risk
mitigation strategies to avoid undesired response. In order to prevent the challenging behavior of
Peter, we could provide effective communication training, put efforts to improve relationships

Applied Behavior
and reinforce positive behaviors (synapse.org.au, 2019). Let us see concrete ways to prevent
Peter’s behavior below:
Creating Rules to curb the unwanted responses: The manager or other workers
should respond calmly and politely to Peter even if he gets angry or screams. This will
minimize his stimuli of anger. If Peter gets angry more than once in a day, all workers
will stop interacting with him for remaining day. Whenever peter is angry, he should be
given a leaflet on how to reduce short-temperedness. Workers should create dummy
scenarios, where one worker will not work efficiently and the manager will not get angry
and rather politely explain the worker on how to work efficiently.
Using modeling: In this case, the workers should discuss that whenever they get angry
at work or at home, they count till 10 and take a deep breath. The worker would discuss
during the meeting (which involves Peter) that whenever they are unhappy with
someone, they write all the complaints about the person on a paper and give it to that
same person; rather than getting aggressive.
Providing physical guidance: When Peter gets angry on any worker, other workers
should divert his attention and ask a query related to the work that Peter likes.
Modifying the environment: The Manager should avoid giving work that Peter does
not like to perform. Have team events every week and involve Peter to contribute. This
will strengthen the relations between workers.
De-escalation Techniques for Peter’s Behavior
Analyzing Body Language: Peter’s body language and expression should be analyzed
before he gets angry or frustrated and when this happens, the workers should divert the
topic and talk on something work related (Richmond, Berlin, Fishkind, & Holloman,
2012).
Define some code words / warning signs: For instance, if one worker observes
aggression or anger on Peter’s face, he should alert others by saying “Temperature is
high today”.

Applied Behavior
References
hsa.ie. (2019). Behaviour at Work and You. Retrieved September 24, 2019,
from https://www.hsa.ie: https://www.hsa.ie/eng/Workplace_Health/Accidents_and_Beh
aviour/
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. (2015). Challenging Behaviour and Learning Disabilities: Prevention and
Interventions for People with Learning Disabilities Whose Behaviour
Challenges. National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health , 11 (8).
Richmond, J. S., Berlin, J. S., Fishkind, A. B., & Holloman, G. H. (2012). Verbal De-escalation
of the Agitated Patient: Consensus Statement of the American Association for
Emergency Psychiatry Project BETA De-escalation Workgroup. West Emerg Med ,
13 (1), 17-25.
synapse.org.au. (2019). CHALLENGING & COMPLEX BEHAVIOURS: POSITIVE
BEHAVIOUR SUPPORT TECHNIQUES. Retrieved september 22, 2019,
from https://synapse.org.au: https://synapse.org.au/information-services/positive-
behaviour-support-techniques.aspx