The behaviour results in the removal or avoidance of something (i.e., situations, tasks, items or people).

Example 1: A child bites his brother every time he comes close to him and his brother quickly moves away. Biting resulted in escaping his brother’s presence.

Example 2: A child screams and cries when he is told to clean his room and so his mother tidies it up for him. Screaming and crying resulted in avoiding cleaning his room.

The behaviour results in a reaction or response from another person.

Example 1: A child cries when his dad is talking to another person and his dad pauses his discussion with the other person and tells his child that he needs to stop crying and that it is embarrassing. Crying resulted in getting dad to talk to him.

Example 2: A child hits his brother and his brother cries and screams at him. Hitting resulted in his brother displaying the reaction of crying and screaming.

The behaviour results in access to a desired “tangible” (i.e., an item or activity)

Example 1: A child sees a chocolate bar in the store and grabs it off the shelf and opens it. His grandma buys the chocolate bar because it is open and gives it to him. Grabbing and opening the chocolate bar resulted in him getting the chocolate bar.

Example 2: A child stomps his feet and yells “I want my iPad” and his mom, who is on the phone, gives him the iPad. Screaming for the iPad resulted in her getting the ipad.

A behaviour results in a pleasurable internal feeling. Often this is described as an “automatic” function. In these situations, there are no external responses or environmental reactions as a response to the behaviour.

Example 1: A child jumps up and down and flaps her hands when she is alone in her room or when she is playing a preferred game. It may be assumed that jumping and hand flapping resulted in some pleasurable internal feeling.

Example 2: A child repeatedly picks his finger nails repeatedly throughout the day regardless of the activity he is engaged in. Nobody responds to the behaviour but it continues. It may be assumed that picking fingers resulted in some pleasurable internal feeling.

An Antecedent is anything that “triggers” the behaviour. Essentially this is any event, activity, action, etc. that occurs immediately before the behaviour is observed. It is very important to keep any personal opinions or thoughts aside when thinking about antecedents. Sometimes our personal opinions make us think a behaviour is happening for one reason, when really it is happening for another reason.

Examples of Antecedents:

• Someone standing near the individual

• A preferred item is taken away

• Someone says “No” to a request

• A movie the individual is watching ends

• A direction is given to the individual

• Someone asks the individual a question

• Something in the individuals current environment changes or is altered

• Preferred items are not available

• No attention is being provided to the individual

Behaviour is anything that a living being can do. Behaviour is not necessarily something aversive or “bad” (e.g., waving at another person is a behaviour). For the purpose of problem solving difficult behaviour, the term “behaviour” is the actions or sounds that the individual is engaging in. Behaviour has to be observable and it has to be something that, if needed, can be measured.

Examples of Difficult Behaviour:

• Spitting towards another person’s face

• Hitting a sibling

• Biting one’s own arm

• Throwing an item onto the ground

• Saying a swear word

• Pinching someone’s face

• Crying

• Screaming

• Pulling the dog’s fur

• Running away from a person

It is best to describe the behaviour exactly as it is seen or observed. Example: “Bobby hit his brother in the face with a closed fist” instead of “Bobby was so angry he started to go after his brother”

A Consequence is the “outcome” of the behaviour. Often people think of a consequence as something “negative” or “unpreferred”. A consequence can be any reaction, response, or event that happens immediately after the behaviour occurs. The consequence will determine whether or not the individual will engage in the behaviour again in the future. Sometimes the way we respond acts as a reinforcer. If the behaviour “gets” access to what the individual is seeking through behaviour, it will be reinforced and will occur again. It is important to be careful as sometimes a consequence we think will be aversive or a deterrent ends up reinforcing a behaviour.

Examples of Consequences:

• Someone saying “No” when an individual hits someone

• Giving an individual a toy when they grab at it

• Giving an individual a “timeout”

• Yelling in response to a difficult behaviour

• Removal of a preferred item or activity

• Hugging an individual when they are crying

• Removal of homework tasks when an individual complains