Teachers' perceptions of dealing with behaviours that challenge in two schools in Wales

Behaviours that challenge are a serious concern in schools in the United Kingdom; they impact teaching and learning, as well as pupil well-being. Teachers cite behaviours that challenge as a source of stress and a significant contributor to attrition from the field. School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS), which is a positive framework to improve well-being and behaviour in schools was implemented in two schools in the UK. Behaviour analysts worked with teaching staff to implement school wide systems that aligned with each school’s culture. Prior to implementation, 16 members of teaching staff were interviewed in focus groups. Information obtained in these sessions helped us to better understand the school culture and helped guide clinical decision making. We conducted a thematic content analysis (TCA) of the data obtained to understand perceptions of behaviour and how it impacted teaching and learning. The TCA revealed several themes which we will discuss in the context of supporting schools to implement SWPBS in the UK.