What drives behaviour? W.T.F.

When talking to a behaviour analyst about behaviours they will (in some way or another) ask about the function of that behaviour - WTF - What is The Function. Knowing the function of behaviour helps understand what drives it. This is helpful in shaping any unwanted behaviours into more functional or acceptable ones and also helps us put in place strong reinforcers that increase wanted behaviours.

Understanding that behaviours occur for a reason can help in identification, but sometimes behaviour can serve more than a single function. This then leads to multiple strategies in place, but ultimately the functions are being addressed.

The 4 Functions of behaviour:

1. Social Attention

The goal of social attention or attention-seeking behaviour is to gain the attention of a nearby adult or child.

 The behaviour may not always be to seek a positive response, it can be to elicit anger or scolding from a parent or teacher. This is why any form of attention given should reinforce positive or wanted behaviour.

2. Escape

Escape behaviour may be to get away or have a break from something/someone or avoid it altogether. 

 Sometimes wanting to escape can also be a lack of motivation for performing a task, or that the current instruction or task is too difficult. Providing escape or a break, and returning with additional support/steps or even with less demand may make the task easier to manage.

3. Seeking Access to Tangibles or Activities

 Children or young people engage in behaviours so that they can gain access to a desired item or activity.

These behaviours have the opposite function to escape since they are doing something in order to get what they want, but the behaviour may be the same or similar.

4. Sensory Stimuli (or Automatic Reinforcement)

 These behaviours will occur whether others are present or not as it is referring to stimulating the senses, or self-stimulating behaviours. This behaviour functions to give the child or young person some kind of internal sensation that pleases them or removes an internal sensation they don’t like.

These behaviours will take on various forms, but only when they act as a barrier to learning or have a negative impact on the child or others (e.g. overstimulation, not able to re-engage, physically harmful to self or others).

 ABC’s data charts are often used to track behaviours in order to establish functions of behaviour, but also to keep a record on the consequence of behaviours as this will show what is maintaining the behaviours.

 If you have any further questions regarding functions of behaviour and reinforcement or are unsure how to carry these strategies over from your child’s services/sessions into your home life, please get in touch with your consultant who will be able to go through it in more detail with you.

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