Work Issue-The term "behaviors"
So, I just started a new job a couple of days ago(which I already dislike, by the way) and it's a management position working with people with varying disabilities. Anyway, I've done direct care for other agencies before and never had a huge issue with much of anything. At this new position, I keep encountering people(co-workers) who discuss the clients and are constantly referring to things that the clients do that they may consider to be negative as "behaviors." I have heard this term used previously in such a setting, but never so extensively. It's really starting to get to me, and I want to say something about how their usage gives a negative connotation, but I don't know how to approach it. No one there knows that I'm on the spectrum, though I doubt it will matter much anyway, as I don't see myself lasting at this position very long. The clients are great and everything, but I don't think management, plus full time hours and I mesh very well together. Anyway, what do you guys think about the usage of the term behavior or behaviors? Example: Say a client started vocalizing loudly at what was deemed an inappropriate time by staff...they would label it a "behavior." To me, behavior is something everyone exhibits and to automatically tie it into things that are viewed as being negative really bothers me.
I think it's being used as a shorthand term to identify things that a behavioral psychologist might identify as targets to try to change. And everyone else has adopted the term. Yes it can be annoying as it's not entirely accurate, everything is a behavior. But I think it is being used to try to be less negative. Even if that isn't successful it's a good goal. As long as people remember that that's the goal
I think this is problematic, because it makes it sound like anything the client does that they don't like is just part of their disability and has nothing to do with the situation.
I saw a poem once, can't seem to find it, but it was all about this kind of language. It talked about how the same behavior is referred to by different terms when a 'normal' person does it versus when a disabled person does it. One of the lines was 'you take breaks - we go off task'.
KingdomOfRats
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hi dobrolvr,
am guessing are in the UK?
am severely mixed functioning autistic and learning disabled [UK definition] and in full time two to one care, and have always been around the term 'behaviors' and 'challenging behaviors',one of the labels of mine is 'severe challenging behavior',though have noticed the social services LD team have started to have issues with that term and now call it 'behaviors that challenge'.
'behaviors' is overused by the care industry,it is easier to say we have behaviors than to try and unravel and translate why we may be having those behaviors,such as headaches, illness, frustration at being unable to express ourselves, anxiety from any reason, wants/needs not being met etc,being ignored or misunderstood,mental health issues, being bullied online,a bad comment from someone in their life etc.
in moderate/severe/profound learning disability,behavior is just another form of communication,its both a concious and sub concious communication attempt.
congratulations on the new job,hope are not taken advantage of by the company like so many support staff are,people who do it dont get paid near enough in own opinion.
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