What is Behavior?
Benjamin R. Thomas, M.A., BCBA
Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Behavior
• Behavior is anything people:
Do
or
Say
Behavior
• Behavior is:
• Verbal: communicates with another
person
• Nonverbal: interacts with environment
only
Appropriate Behaviors
•
•
•
•
•
Communication (asking for wants/needs)
Play and leisure skills
Social behaviors with family and friends
Following directions/listening
Etc.
Challenging Behaviors
• Looking away, non-responding, noncompliance
• Self-stimulatory (rocking, mouthing objects,
etc.)
• Falling to the floor, running from adults
• Climbing on tables, counters, bookcases, etc.
• Screaming, yelling, crying, loud noises, etc.
• Hitting, biting, kicking others
• Self-injurious behaviors
• Refusal to eat
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
• The three-term contingency (ABC analysis)
Antecedent
Child wants juice
Antecedent
Child doesn’t want
to take a bath
Behavior
Consequence
Says “Juice”
Behavior
Parent gives child
juice
Consequence
Runs from adults
Delays taking a bath
and gets chased
What Causes Behaviors?
1. Recognize the cues for the behavior
(antecedent)
–
Where and when a behavior is likely to occur
2. Recognize the events that follow a behavior
(consequence)
•
What happens immediately after a behavior occurs?
What is Reinforcement?
• Reinforcement is a consequence (follows a behavior)
• Reinforcement is anything that increases a behavior
• Reinforcement can be getting good things (e.g., attention,
toys, food) – positive reinforcement
• Reinforcement can be delaying or making things go away
(e.g., demands, bedtime, noisy toys)
-negative reinforcement
Activity
Both appropriate and challenging behaviors
are strengthened by reinforcement
What Consequences are reinforcing?
• Attention, reaction, reprimands, etc.
• Access to items/activities/food
• May help someone avoid/escape
undesirable situations
• May be used to liven up a non-stimulating
environment (bored= self-stimulatory
behaviors)
*Many behaviors are reinforced naturally/unplanned (i.e., inadvertently)
What Causes challenging Behaviors?
• Your child may not have the appropriate skills to
achieve the same consequence (i.e., Expressive
language)
• May be more fun than appropriate behaviors
Identifying causes of behaviors
ABC Analysis
• Antecedent
• When is the behavior most/least likely to occur?
Specific cues (people, words, situations, absence of
something they like/presence of something they don’t
like)?
• Behavior- what does your child do/say?
• Consequence (reinforcer)
• What typically follows a challenging behavior? Does
your child get something? Does something go away?
Changing Behaviors
Teaching Appropriate Behaviors
• First identify the cause and frequency of the behavior
• Reinforcers are your behavior change tools: Identify and
control them
• Three parts to the intervention
• Prevention/change cues (antecedent intervention)
• Teach and reinforce (appropriate) replacement behaviors
• Change the consequence after the problem behavior
(reduce challenging behavior)
(Mark Sundberg, Ph.D., BCBA)
Escape Behaviors
• Why won’t your child do it?
• Too hard
• Uncomfortable sensory input
• No reason to do it (nothing in it for him/her)
• Prevention
• Start small- introduce a little bit at a time
• Change the task- reduce uncomfortable input (ex. Gloves
for water, headphones)
• Appropriate behavior
• Teach to say “No,” ask for a “Break,” or a way to make it go
away
• Strengthen
• Offer incentive for compliance- access to preferred
item/activity
• Honor appropriate requests to terminate situation
Behaviors that Get Things
• What does your child want?
• Prevention
• Have items/activities available at all times or regularly
at scheduled times
• Appropriate behavior
• Teach to ask nicely for what s/he wants (i.e., “juice” to
get juice when thirsty)
• Teach waiting, accepting “no”/ “not right now”
• Strengthen
• Honor all appropriate requests for things
• Ignore challenging behaviors (inappropriate requests)
that get things
Behaviors that Get Attention
• How does s/he want you to pay attention?
• Prevention
• Pay attention regularly/on a schedule- use a timer to
remember
• Enrich environment with other fun things to do so you are not
the only source of fun during specific times
• Appropriate behavior
• Teach to ask nicely (i.e., “Hug, “Pick up,” “play with me”)
• Strengthen
• Honor all appropriate requests for things
• Ignore challenging behaviors (inappropriate requests) that get
things
Self-stimulatory Behaviors
• What kind of feedback/input does your child get from the
behavior?
• Prevention
• Enrich environment with other fun things s/he enjoys
• Structure daily routine to minimize periods without appropriate
activities
• Appropriate behavior
• Teach play skills, leisure skills- how to do appropriate things that give
similar feedback (*that may also help make friends)
• Strengthen
• Reinforce absence of behaviors
• Provide incentive to play appropriately -(why should they do
something new when they already know an easy way to entertain
themselves?)
• Block inappropriate behaviors to the extent possible- the only way to
get the sensory input will be the appropriate way
How to use Reinforcement
to Reduce challenging Behaviors
• Make sure you really have a reinforcer
• Deliver the reinforcer immediately after good behavior
• Set up lots of opportunities for good/correct behavior (Don’t just
wait for them)
• Use a variety of reinforcers
• Deliver some reinforcers free (pairing)
• Some kids will require lots of reinforcers per hour (30-50)
• Engagement usually is reinforcing!
• *Lack of reinforcement for appropriate behavior may increase
challenging behavior
Examples of Reinforcers that Many
Children Like
• Social/physical reinforcers: attention, smiles, hugs,
praise, funny faces, high fives, tickling, rough
housing, chasing clapping hands, praise, a good laugh
together, thumbs up, pats on the back, etc.
• Activity reinforcers: playing a game, going to the
park, reading a book together, pushes on a swing,
riding a bike, wagon rides, swimming, adventures,
put up a tent in the yard, watching a DVD, helping
cook, etc.
• Material reinforcers: food, drink, toys, bubbles,
balloons, crayons, musical toys, playdough, cars,
sand play, etc.
(Mark Sundberg, Ph.D., BCBA)
Ignoring Bad Behavior: Extinction
• Be prepared for an extinction burst
• Eye contact is often attention (reinforcement)
• Don’t show facial reactions
• Don’t argue, scold or talk (attention)
• Don’t show anger (attention)
• Act absorbed in some other activity, walk away
• Give your child attention shortly after the bad
behavior stops
(Mark Sundberg, Ph.D., BCBA)
Ask Nicely!
• Appropriate communication is often difficult for people with
ASD
• Children who cannot communicate basic needs may have very
frustrating lives
• Many children can learn inappropriate ways to request things
or to make things they don’t like go away, like whining to get
attention
Ask Nicely!
• Teaching the MAND
• A mand is a verbal behavior (communication) that specifically
REQUESTS or REJECTS.
• Mands are controlled by antecedents and consequences.
• The item/activity, attention, or escape is the REINFORCER
• Your child is the “SPEAKER” and you are the “LISTENER”/the one
who provides the reinforcer
Antecedent
Consequence
Child wants juice
Parent has juice
Antecedent
Consequence
Child doesn’t want
bath
to take a bath
Behavior
Says “Juice”
Parent gives child
juice
Behavior
Child screams
Delays taking a
Ask Nicely!
• Appropriate/acceptable ways to Mand
•
•
•
•
•
•
Point to what is wanted
Say the word of what is wanted
Exchange a picture of what is wanted
Use a computer/voice output device (iPad, etc.)
Write the word of what is wanted
Use a gesture (sign language)
• In the presence of what is wanted
• When thinking about what is wanted
Ask Nicely!
•
•
•
•
Teaching appropriate Mands
Determine the best way for your child (words, pictures, sign, etc.)
Set up opportunities for your child to practice
Capture naturally occurring opportunities
Antecedent
SEE IT
SEE IT
Behavior
SAY IT
Don’t say it
Consequence
GET IT!
Don’t get it
Ask Nicely!
• Teaching appropriate Mands
• Motivation to Mand
• Deprivation: the amount of time your child has gone without a
reinforcer is a power influence on the mand
• Your child will try harder to get the reinforcer
• Behaviors related to the reinforcer are likely to be increased (i.e., what has
worked in the past)
Ask Nicely!
• Teaching new Mands
• Your child may not know the name of what s/he wants
• A. When your child shows interest (reach, approach), say the name of
what s/he wants, but don’t give
• B. Your child repeats you (or approximates)
• C. You give your child what s/he wants
After time/practice, don’t say the word
Ask Nicely!
• Teaching new Mands
• Your child cannot say the name of what s/he wants:
• Accept approximations in the beginning, gradually accept the full word
• Match words/sounds they can say with the things they like (i.e., can say
“Bah” and likes “Balls”)
• Any appropriate attempt is more acceptable than a challenging
behavior
• Start with an easier form such as pictures (PECS) to get the
communication ball rolling