Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Online Tutorial
	Module 6: Reducing Problem Behaviors Functions of Behaviors 1. Attention Often, an inappropriate behavior can be used to get attention. This is particularly true for students with autism who may lack the communication or social skills to gain attention in a traditional way. Also, to a child, some inappropriate behavior (such as screaming or hitting) may seem like an effective way to get attention, as it often quickly gets a strong reaction. 2. Access to Items or Activities (AKA "Tangible") Problem behavior can also result in access to favorite items or activities. For example, a child may tantrum when told it is time to leave the playground. If the child is allowed to play a few more minutes, the problem behavior has resulted in continued access to the activity. Here is a video example of a behavior maintained by access to items or activities. Video From Behavior Frontiers Don't forget to use the antecedent strategies you've learned to help prevent the behaviors in the video from happening in the first place! 3. Escape/Avoidance This is another common behavioral function for students with autism who lack a way to communicate their desire to end an activity. Escape behavior is problem behavior that allows a student to get away from a situation they don't like. An example would be the following. A student hits others in circle time because he knows that he will be removed from the activity and taken to a quiet area of the classroom. Maybe circle time is too loud or overwhelming and leaving the activity is actually a relief for him. He knows that hitting will get him removed from circle time pretty quickly, so he keeps doing it. Because of this function, we have to be careful when using time-out for misbehavior, as we may actually be reinforcing an escape-motivated behavior. Avoidance behavior is similar, except that the behavior occurs in order to prevent a situation the student doesn’t like. An example would be a child screaming screaming when she sees the teacher getting out her math workbook. As a result of the scream, the teacher might put away the math book and give the student a different activity. The child has used problem behavior to avoid doing the math activity. So, escape behavior allows a child to get out of an activity that's already going on. Avoidance behavior prevents an activity the child doesn't like from happening in the first place. 4. Sensory This category of behavior is often the most difficult to change with behavioral intervention. It isn’t as much controlled by events in the outside environment (such as teacher behavior). Behaviors that serve a sensory function create a positive feeling or sensation for the student. Examples of behaviors that frequently, but not always, serve a sensory function include rocking, hand-flapping, and spinning. Next --> How do we determine the function of a behavior?