ABCs of Behavior

I’ve had my 4 year grandson visiting with me for a few weeks. I was tempted to tell you his behaviors are within the normal range, but one of the speakers at the Governor’s Institute told us, "Normal is a setting on a dryer." His visit has given me an opportunity to look first hand at the ABCs of behavior. If you want to try, first look at the antecedent to see what happens right before the behavior. This also includes the time of day, the people who are or are not present. Next look at the behavior. What is the child doing? How long does the behavior last? What is the function of the behavior- either to obtain something or to escape something, and finally what are the consequences? We were also taught there could be setting events. This might be that the child did not get enough sleep or was overly excited about some event. You may need to write down your observations for a few days, but after some reflection, you should be able to gain some insight and possibly provide for the child’s needs before the behavior escalates. If you find a child wants control, try to find other ways to give the child some choice or control in life. If the child is trying to escape from participating in an event, help build the child’s skills so he or she is better prepared for the activity or teach a more appropriate way to escape. You might notice that the child is getting exactly what he or she wants through the behavior. If the child is trying to control you and succeeds, the behavior has worked and will most likely be repeated.

If you want to know more check out the link http://challengingbehavior.fmhi.usf.edu/fba.htm or ask questions in the comment section. I might not have the answers, but others in the community may. Got to go....and make sure waking up, this morning, is a positive setting event for a wonderful day in the life of my special 4 year old :)