Behavior

Hey guys
The weather is looking scary...I hope you all stay safe and warm this weekend!

As many of you know I am working toward Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) status. I am learning so much. I wanted to share some of that with you today.

I know many times we see behavior occur and think "why is that child doing that?". Well I found some answers for you! This comes from Andrew Davis B.Sc.HJM.ADS, Geneva Centre for Autism-www.autism.net.

There are 4 main functions of behavior...

1. Sensory:

What it does for the child--Provides preferred sensory experiences: behavior feels good to do!

When does it happen--Anytime, even when alone. Especially if the child is anxious.

2.  Escape:

What it does for the child--Removes undesired activities or interactions.

When does it happen--When a task is too hard, easy, boring or scary.

3.  Attention: 

What it does for the child--Provides access to people or interactions.

When does it happen--When the child wants social interaction.

4.  Tangibles:

What it does for the child--Provides preferred items or activities.

When does it happen--When the child wants a preferred item or activity.

I know this doesn't answer the all important question of what to do about negative behavior, but if we begin to analyze what is at the root of the behavior, we can make plans to put changes into place. Keep in mind our students are going to provide us with the behavior that most efficiently gets them the reinforcer they have in mind, whether it be a cookie or simply to get out of doing a math sheet.