Four functions of behavior
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The document discusses the four main functions of behavior: attention, access, avoidance/escape, and automatic reinforcement. Maladaptive behaviors in individuals with cognitive impairments are often attempts to compensate for deficits. A functional behavior assessment involves defining the problem behavior, collecting data on antecedents and consequences, and determining the behavior's function. This allows interventions to be developed that undermine the problem behavior's reinforcement while promoting new functional behaviors across environments, with ongoing monitoring and adjustment.
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Four functions of behavior
- 1. The Four Functions of Behavior & Functional Behavior Assessment Soaring Eagles Center for Autism Dawn Wadsworth B.S., M.S.
- 2. “I want something to drink!”
- 3. Individuals with limited or impaired cognitive abilities often have difficulty advocating for themselves and these restrictions frequently elicit and sustain maladaptive behaviors as the individual tries to compensate for these deficits.
- 6. Four Functions of Behavior • Attention • Access • Avoidance/Escape • Automatic Reinforcement
- 7. Attention • Exhibited to get focused attention from adults or peers • Due to our clients inability to socially interact appropriately they may attempt to do something good or get into trouble to get the attention.
- 8. Access Displayed to gain access to tangible items or activities.
- 9. Avoidance/Escape • Displayed to get out of or away from something
- 10. Automatic Reinforcement • Behavior occurs because it “feels good” or is internally stimulating. (Behavior serves to automatically provide reinforcement all on its own) • Happens without the involvement of other people • Often used for sensory/self-regulation i.e. Stimming
- 11. Four Functions of Behavior • Attention • Access • Avoidance/Escape • Automatic Reinforcement
- 13. Complexity
- 14. So how do we accurately determine what the function of a behavior is? Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
- 15. 1. Isolate and define the problem behavior (Operational Definition) For example: Forcefully and intentionally hitting objects or himself while using an open hand or fist
- 16. Indirect • Interviews • Questionnaires Direct • Observations where the observer records antecedents, behaviors and consequences (ABC data recording) • Specialized Assessments
- 17. 3. Determine Function What purpose does the behavior serve?
- 18. 3A. Functional Analysis Sometimes this process is taken one step further and the antecedents and consequences are manipulated to undermine their effects and solidify the function of the behavior Attention given/or not Avoidance/escape allowed Avoidance/escape not allowed
- 19. 4. Develop and Implement Intervention Ensuring that the “old” maladaptive way of getting what they want is no longer effective while promoting the “new” functional way in as many environments as possible
- 20. 5. Monitor and Adjust Interventions as Needed Data is continually collected and analyzed to determine: The “old way” or maladaptive behavior is still decreasing The “new way” or functional behavior still increasing If the data displays insignificant progress the intervention may be adapted
- 21. References Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E., & Heward, W.L. (2007). Applied behavioral analysis. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
Editor's Notes
- We’re going to do a quick little role play so you can experience what it’s like to be one of our clients. What made this easy? What made it hard?
- If we give into the maladaptive behaviors we are essentially telling the client that this is the appropriate way to communicate.
- When a client keeps repeating a maladaptive behavior, this is because the behavior is serving some sort of purpose or function otherwise they would not keep repeating it.
- Instead, what we try to do is identify the problematic behaviors and insert functional replacement behaviors. In order to do this we must first gain an understanding of what is causing the behavior to occur and then figure out the best strategy to handle it.
- What do you think was the primary function of the behaviors demonstrated in the role play? The primary function is access/automatic reinforcement. However, we all just observed attention and avoidance/escape displayed as well. These were secondary functions. Behavior modification begins when the primary function(s) are identified. Lets talk more about each of these functions…
- Can anyone think of an example of attention-seeking behavior? Could be self-injurious behaviors if displaying self-injurious behaviors yield attention i.e. A client scratching themselves and then looking at you for a reaction and maybe even verbally prompting you with “No scratching.” Test by seeing if behavior persists without you or attention i.e. does client still engage in persistent scratching when alone and engaged in a preferable activity? Then maybe not attention and automatic reinforcement.
- Our example from earlier of getting a drink demonstrates the function of access. But more commonly relates to the attempt to access tangibles or activities.
- What do you think is happening next. Could be any number of combinations of avoidance/escape. Could exhibit self-injurious behaviors as in SA when he smacks the table after a task demand has been placed and escalates to hitting himself in the head when he is not allowed to get out of the task.
- One of the more difficult behaviors to break as you need to find something more reinforcing than the feeling that occurs from engaging in the behavior. Usually involves some form of response blocking and replacement behaviors. Mostly includes self-stimulatory behaviors, but can also include self-injurious i.e. stimming that causes physical injury to the individual.
- While these are the four primary functions If we assigned each of the primary functions a color we can see that there exists a multitude of possibilities of how combinations of secondary and tertiary behaviors can present and/or mask a primary behavior. For example, casual observation from our role play shows behaviors in all of the color zones. As the behavior of obtaining someone’s attention was needed first to attempt a request of access to a drink. Avoidance/escape cam into play when it became apparent that the individual did not want water (as they were trying to get away from it or avoid it) and the behavior ceased when the drink was obtained or accessed. *As a side note automatic reinforcement was delivered for the completion of the behavior chain when the individual consumed the drink.
- When in truth the primary function of the behaviors or their reason for being is access…I want a drink! Attention was utilized to gain access and avoidance/escape only came into play when is was not clear what was wanted or needed. Automatic reinforcement occurred when the drink was consumed.
- *Bearing all of this in mind you can quickly see how complex the identification of a behavior or behaviors can sometimes be. This is especially true because as in the picture, there often is not clear division between where one color begins and one color ends. The same is true of behaviors. Inaccurate identification of a behaviors function can aggravate or decrease the likelihood of altering the behavior. For example. (role play example of function being attention and using intervention for avoidance/escape)
- For SA It is important to define the behavior as clearly as possible because it concisely signifies when the parent, caregiver, teacher or therapist should intervene and apply the chosen intervention.
- Intake and recertification meetings and/or any other time the parent want to talk about a new behavior. Also include Relationship Development Questionnaire. ABC data recording that is included in the daily notes. This is why it is so important for you to fill out this portion of the daily notes. Specialized assessments such as the
- Function of our role play behavior was to get access to a drink as the behavior(s) ceased once the drink was obtained.
- For SA a functional analysis was conducted that manipulated the variables of attention and avoidance/escape. The function of his hitting is avoidance/escape as the behavior increased when he is was not allowed to avoid or escape the non-preferable task/activity and decreased when he was allowed avoidance/escape and attention failed to demonstrate a significant correlation between increases or decreases of behaviors. This is why we may ask you to do things that don’t always make sense, but we are attempting to determine exactly what the key motivator or function of the behavior is so that our interventions will be more effective and efficient.
- This processes culmination is the Behavior Intervention Plan or BIP. This is where your schedules of reinforcement or punishment come into play or how you deliver them.For example for SA the intervention may include response blocking and redirection to task when he engages in his begavior of hitting, but also specifically focusing on functional communication (Indicating “No”) several times throughout his sessions.
- If you make too many changes in a short period of time you can’t track what changes were responsible for changing behavior, and it becomes impossible for the behavior changer, or the person whose behavior is being changed, to keep track of the behavior program! Knowing when to make changes, when to “ride it out”, and when to discontinue a behavior program requires expertise.