Individuals with a brain injury can present with behaviours that can be challenging for the person and/or the system around them. This can be distressing and can have a significant impact on the person’s life and relationships.

 

The Empowerment Behavioural Management Approach (EBMA) provides a structure to develop a shared understanding of the challenging behaviour within the system (e.g. family, support worker team,, professionals, social relationships, local community) in which it exists, and to develop a shared agreement for managing the behaviour. The EBMA draws on theories from behavioural approaches, narrative and systemic models, motivational interviewing, CBT and ACT in addition to exploring issues of capacity and risk management

 

The EBMA enables the psychologist/team supporting the brain injured person to work collaboratively with the individual and the system, to develop behavioural plans (through the use of “agreements”) to set out how challenging behaviours can be managed.

 

Through implementing the EBMA, the individual with the brain injury is empowered to identify the challenging behaviours, build their motivation for changing the behaviours, and to be at the centre of all management plans, being crucial in the development, planning and wording of specific agreements setting out how the system should support the individual when the behaviour occurs.