What's the Function?

All behavior serves a function. What is your child trying to tell you?

1. Escape/Avoidance

The child wants to escape/avoid a task, environment, and/or person. These behaviors occur when the child views a task to difficult, to long, or even boring. Teach the child to request a break when needed. Also, breaking the task down into smaller chunks could eliminate challenging behaviors.

2. Attention

The child is engaging in "acting out" behaviors in order to receive attention/reaction from adults or peers. These behaviors occur when the child desires a social interaction with others. Teach the child to appropriately request attention or engage in appropriate behaviors to get the desired attention.

3. Access to Tangibles

The child wants access to a preferred item or activity. These behaviors occur when the child wants a specific item or activity at that moment. Teach the child to wait and/or to engage in a specific behavior (completing a task) before the child gains access to the item or activity. Also, teach the child how to ask for or point to that item or activity.

4. Sensory/Automatic

The child "feels good" when they engage in the behavior. These behaviors give the child sensory stimulation at anytime, with or without others present. Teach the child a replacement behavior that will fulfill the same sensory input as the inappropriate behavior exhibited.

Unwrapping the Functions of Behavior_Dat.

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