Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence

 

Antecedents – Behaviors – Consequences

ABC’S of Behavior

 

Why do challenging or maladaptive behaviors occur?

 

The study of the science of Applied Behavior Analysis demonstrates that behavior is in relation to its environment and that environment has an effect on behaviors. All behaviors display a function (purpose) as to why each behavior occurs. The ABC’S of behavior refer to the antecedent-behavior-consequence model of behavior and this model of behavior is used to help practitioners and families understand why a behavior is occurring and how to change or modify specific behaviors.

 

There are four main functions or reasons as to why challenging behaviors occur:

 

1.     Escape/avoidance (avoids instruction/undesirable situation)

2.     Social attention (positive or negative – attention or interaction from others)

3.     To gain access to desired items/activities (Ex: Receiving cookie or outside play time)

4.     To gain access to sensory input (Ex: Child enjoys the feeling of swinging, twirling hair).

 

Each instance of behavior has three components, which include:

 

1.     Antecedent – What happens prior to or before a specific behavior occurs? (Events that lead to the child’s behavior – factors that occur in an individual’s environment)

2.     Behavior- What does this behavior look like? What did the child do? (Observable behaviors such as “shaking one’s head – responses or anything that the child does)

3.     Consequence – What happened after the behavior occurred? What did you do? (Anything that immediately follows as a result of the behavior).

Example of the ABC’S of Behavior:

1.     Parent tells child to complete homework assignment before receiving a cookie (antecedent).

2.     Child completes homework assignment (behavior). 

3.     Mother provides child with cookie (consequence).

Through direct observation, data collection can be implemented to determine the antecedent, behavior and consequences of each behavior. Once the data is analyzed, the purpose of the behavior can be determined and then an effective intervention that will address the function of the behavior can be implemented to decrease the challenging or maladaptive behavior.

ABA Enhancement can support you in determining the function of each behavior and how to develop an effective intervention to help reduce problematic/challenging behaviors and begin to plan behavior support strategies.

Reference: Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2019). Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd Edition). Hoboken, NJ: Pearson Education.

Written by: Adriana Ellico, MA, Student Analyst