Challenging behaviour and associated risk factors: an overview (part I).

Purpose - This article is the first in a two-part series exploring challenging behaviour, its prevalence, risk factors and causes. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of prevalence studies and explore the various risk factors that have been associated with challenging behaviour. The authors also seek to explore methodological differences across studies that may contribute to the prevalence variations reported in the literature. Design/methodology/approach - The article summarises the findings from frequently cited prevalence studies as well as more recent studies. Findings - The prevalence of challenging behaviour reported in the literature has varied due to methodological differences across studies. Despite this, the best estimate is believed to be from 15 to 17.5 per cent. A range of factors have been associated with challenging behaviour and include gender, age, severity of disability and residential setting. Originality/value - This article appears to represent the most current overview of research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]