Antecedent –Based activities
Overview
Antecedent-based intervention (ABI) is an evidence-based practice that is derived from
applied behavior analysis (ABA) and are used to address both interfering (e.g.,
disruptive, repetitive, stereotypical) and on-task behaviors.
By definition, the principle of ABI describes a relationship between a behavior and an
antecedent stimulus; that is, an event or condition that occurs before or as a behavior is
used. In other words, individual interfering behaviors (e.g., hitting, kicking, hand
flapping) are more likely to occur when particular environmental conditions/events
accompany the behavior and provide reinforcement for its use (Alberto & Troutman,
1999). For example, a young child with ASD may scream any time the teacher begins
an activity that includes working among other children. Because the child has been
removed from the activity previously for screaming, she screams every time a smallgroup activity begins. In this situation, the small-group activity with peers is the
antecedent to the child's screaming. The child was reinforced in the past for this
behavior by being removed from the activity.
When using ABI, teachers/practitioners focus on identifying the events that take place
immediately before and after particular interfering behaviors. In this way, they not only
seek to identify the conditions or events within the environment that prompt learners to
use particular behaviors (i.e., antecedents), but also what is reinforcing the behavior
after it occurs (i.e., consequences). This information then allows teachers/practitioners
to identify appropriate ABI strategies that can be used to organize learning
environments to prevent future occurrence of interfering behaviors as well as to
increase the likelihood that learning will occur.
When seeking to identify the potential causes of interfering behaviors, four key concepts
are essential: behavior, antecedent stimulus, consequence, and setting event. Each of
these factors is extremely important to fully understand what might be causing an
interfering behavior to occur. The table above provides an example.
A functional behavior assessment (FBA) is often conducted to accurately identify these
four concepts. Through this process, teachers/practitioners, parents, and other
professionals observe learners within the environments where interfering behaviors are
occurring to identify the factors that might be prompting learners to engage in the
behaviors.
Once the setting event, antecedent stimulus, behavior, and consequence have been
determined, teachers/practitioners can think about how to rearrange or change setting
events and antecedent stimuli to help learners with ASD succeed without engaging in
interfering behaviors. The goal is to change the factors that prompt learners to engage
in interfering behaviors during particular activities/settings.
ABI focus on modifying the environment to change the conditions in the setting that
prompt a learner with ASD to engage in an interfering behavior (Kern, Choutka, &
Sokol, 2002). In many cases, interfering behaviors continue to occur because the
environmental conditions in a particular setting have become linked to the behavior over
time. ABI are designed to prevent the occurrence of interfering behaviors (Luiselli,
2008). For instance, the teacher of the young child with ASD in the above example may
include a preferred toy into a small-group activity to increase the child's interest and to
prevent her from screaming in future activities.
ABI are particularly useful because they focus on identifying the conditions in the
environment that may be contributing to the occurrence of the interfering behavior.
Because interfering behaviors often are situation-specific, the conditions identified in a
particular environment are modified to prevent the behavior from occurring in the future.
Why Use ABI?
Because many learners with ASD engage in interfering behaviors, teachers and other
practitioners who work with this population may find ABI strategies particularly helpful in
preventing or reducing interfering behaviors as well as increasing on-task behaviors.
One reason is that ABI strategies are easy to implement and require little additional
effort by classroom teachers and other practitioners who work with learners with ASD
on a regular basis. Second, ABI strategies are effective with a variety of learners across
the age range. These two factors make ABI a particularly relevant and effective practice
that can be used to prevent or reduce interfering behaviors and to increase engagement
and on-task behavior.
Who Can Use ABI and Where Can They
Be Used?
This set of intervention strategies can be used by a variety of professionals, including
teachers, special educators, therapists, and classroom assistants in different
educational and community-based environments. The evidence-based studies were
conducted mainly in clinic-based settings or in one-to-one teaching sessions with
learners with ASD; however, in one study, ABI procedures were implemented in a
combination of settings (i.e., general education classroom, resource room). Although
most of the research did not demonstrate the use of ABI strategies in more naturalistic
settings (e.g., during ongoing classroom routines and activities, in the home, in
community-based settings), the results of the one study conducted in a general
education classroom suggest that ABI procedures could be effectively implemented in
more naturalistic settings as well.
With What Ages Are ABI Most Effective?
According to the evidence-based studies, this practice has been effectively used with
learners with ASD who ranged in age from 3 to 16 years. ABI are most often used with
learners with ASD who exhibit interfering behaviors, especially self-injurious, repetitive,
and stereotypical behaviors. The studies in the evidence base also focused on
promoting engagement and on-task behaviors in learners with ASD
Antecedent-Based Intervention
Strategies
The goal of ABI is to identify factors that are prompting learners to use interfering
behaviors as well as what might be reinforcing their use of these behaviors during
particular activities through implementation of a FBA. Once these factors have been
determined, teachers/practitioners can then identify particular antecedent-based
intervention strategies that can be used to modify the environment or activity so that the
interfering behaviors are no longer reinforced. The results of the FBA will guide the
selection of intervention strategies and will vary according to the needs of individual
learners with ASD as well as the demands associated with particular activities (Kern &
Clemens, 2007).
Common antecedent-based intervention strategies include:
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arranging the environment;
changing the schedule/routine;
structuring time;
using highly preferred activities/items to increase interest level;
offering choices;
altering the manner in which instruction is provided;
enriching the environment so that learners with ASD have access to sensory stimuli
that serve the same function as the interfering behavior (e.g., clay to play with
during class, toys/objects that require motor manipulation); and
implementing preactivity interventions (e.g., issuing a warning about the next
activity, providing information about schedule changes).
Each of these strategies is discussed in further detail in the sections that follow.
Arranging the Environment
The physical arrangement of a classroom or setting provides many stimuli that may
cause interfering behaviors from learners with ASD. The goal of this ABI strategy is to
arrange the environment so that specific triggers are no longer present in that setting to
prompt the learner to engage in the interfering behavior. For example, a learner may
engage in a disruptive behavior when he receives instruction in close proximity to peers.
The antecedent in this example is the learner sitting close to peers. To reduce the
interfering behavior, the teacher would rearrange the environment during instruction so
that the learner is no longer seated so closely to peers. By changing the conditions, the
teacher removes the stimulus that was prompting the learner to engage in the
interfering behavior.
Common preventive solutions that may be used to arrange the environment include:
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making sure that all learners are easily observed from everyplace in the classroom;
arranging learning centers with clear boundaries (e.g., arranging furniture, using
tape on the floor);
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providing a variety of materials at each learning center that address differing ability
levels and interests;
making changes and additions to learning centers on a regular basis to maintain
engagement;
using pictures or labels that show where materials belong;
using picture posters and schedules to help learners know what to do within or
across activities;
ensuring that learners have sufficient physical separation to minimize the
occurrence of interfering behaviors;
marking out areas of the classroom in which different behaviors are expected (e.g.,
quiet voice during individual work time, talking with peers during small groups,
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sitting quietly in the book area, laughing and talking in the block area);
providing sufficient space to engage in the activity (e.g., sufficiently large carpet
area during circle time);
arranging the setting where a specific activity occurs (e.g., kidney-shaped table
during small-group math instruction, using carpet squares during circle time to mark
individual spaces);
designing an attractive learning environment (e.g., board displays, plants,
aquarium, learner project displays);
ensuring that the work environment is neat and orderly (e.g., teacher desk
organized, materials stored in appropriate locations);
ensuring that needed materials are located near the learning activity or center; and
providing study carrels for learners who are easily distracted (Alberto & Troutman,
1999; Grisham-Brown, Hemmeter, & Pretti-Frontczak, 2005).
Courtesy of Kara Hume, Ph.D.
Examples
This example illustrates how learning environments can be arranged using clear visual
boundaries. Photo 1 provides an example of how visual boundaries can be created
using chairs, a book case and a board to show the area for "circle time". The colored
chairs provide an additional visual cue for the students especially if each child has the
same chair for each day. A consistent arrangement in a specific area of the room,
provides additional order for individual students.
Courtesy of Kara Hume, Ph.D.
Photo 2 provides a work area created using bins, and a specific seating area. This is
another example of how visual boundaries can be set up within the classroom. The child
has a specific place to sit with the teacher also in a consistent place. The bins are a
great environmental organizer and with the colors can be used for breaking up tasks
into subcomponent parts for the student. Bins can easily be labeled with activity steps or
choices using pictures or words, whichever is most appropriate for the student.
Boundaries and labels provide consistency with a clear visual delineation of where the
student needs to be in space. For more examples visit the AIM module on Visual
Supports!
The arrangement of the classroom will depend upon a number of factors, including what
instruction is being provided (e.g., small group, whole group, one-to-one), learner
characteristics (e.g., likes/dislikes, specific stimuli that occasion the interfering
behavior), and the constraints of the classroom/setting (Alberto & Troutman, 1999).
When the physical environment is arranged so that learners with ASD know exactly
what kinds of behaviors are expected of them, interfering behaviors decrease and
appropriate behaviors increase. However, it is important to remember that even subtle
changes may cause anxiety in some learners with ASD. Therefore,
teachers/practitioners should arrange the environment in a gradual fashion by focusing
on the function of the interfering behavior and particular solutions (described above) that
can be used to address specific stimuli in the environment that may be eliciting the
interfering behavior.
Changing the Schedule/Routine
Many learners with ASD engage in interfering behaviors during transitions from one
activity to the next because they do not know what is expected of them. The antecedent
stimulus that causes the interfering behavior often is the transition itself. For example, a
learner might begin engaging in an interfering behavior as soon as the transition begins.
The goal is to change the transitions themselves so that they no longer prompt learners
to engage in interfering behaviors.
One way to prevent or reduce interfering behaviors during transitions is to design
predictable schedules that offer a balance of teacher-directed and learner-initiated
activities. Unpredictable or inconsistent schedules often causes interfering behaviors
because learners cannot anticipate what will happen next. Therefore, when
teachers/practitioners change the schedule so that learners understand what comes
next, they remove the factors in the environment that were maintaining the interfering
behaviors. A predictable schedule is one of the most effective ways to prevent
interfering behaviors from occurring in the first place (Grisham-Brown et al., 2005).
Furthermore, the use of a predictable routine often helps learners with ASD transition
more independently from one activity to another (Wolery, 1994).
Courtesy of Division TEACCH
Although a predictable schedule/routine is highly effective, many learners with ASD
need additional supports to help them transition from one activity to the next. For
example, visual schedules and objects often are used to help learners with ASD move
across the school day. Please refer to the AIM module on visual supports for more
information about this practice.
These types of supports provide learners with ASD with the visual or written information
they need to understand what is expected of them and where they need to go next. The
combination of a predictable schedule and the use of visual supports changes the
conditions within in the environment so that specific factors (e.g., too much verbal
interaction, unpredictable schedule) no longer prompt learners to engage in interfering
behaviors.
The example to the right illustrates how objects and visual schedules may be used to
transition learners across the day.
In addition to the use of visual supports, teachers/practitioners may also structure the
daily schedule/routine to prevent or reduce interfering behaviors by:
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balancing activities across the day, activity, or class (e.g., quiet/noisy,
active/passive, large group/small group, adult-directed/learner-directed);
minimizing the number of transitions, particularly those that require all learners to
make transitions at the same time;
implementing the schedule consistently;
teaching learners the schedule and expectations related to it;
alerting learners about upcoming transitions;
telling learners when there will be changes in the schedule;
using individually designed schedules.;and
structuring transitions so that learners do not spend a significant amount of time
waiting with nothing to do (Grisham-Brown et al., 2005).
Often, classroom staff can be assigned to particular areas and activities (called zones)
throughout the day to assist learners in making transitions as well as to help them get
and stay engaged in the next activity. This is particularly useful in early-childhood and
elementary settings where learners with ASD stay mostly in one classroom across the
day. Zone assignment drastically reduces wait time, which decreases the likelihood that
learners with ASD will engage in interfering behaviors (Noonan & McCormick, 2006).
One way to accomplish this is to create a "zone chart" that displays the daily schedule
and identifies each staff member's responsibilities across the day. The picture to the
right provides an example of a zone chart or schedule. In addition, the Zone Chart in the
module documents, illustrates an example "zone chart" for early childhood.
This video illustrates how a zone schedule can be implemented to increase
engagement and prevent interfering behaviors from occurring during routines and
activities across the day. In this example, classroom staff are assigned different roles
during this circle time activity. You will notice that one staff member is preparing lunch
while the teacher and another staff member are facilitating a circle time activity. Also,
another staff member is cleaning up the previous activity. When a zone schedule is
used in this way, children are more engaged in the activity and less likely to use
interfering behaviors. They also receive the support needed to participate in the activity.
Additionally, teachers/practitioners can prevent or reduce interfering behaviors in
particular routines or activities by changing what learners do in them (Wolery, 1994).
For example, a learner with ASD may scream during circle time because he lacks the
skills needed to participate in the activities. Teachers/practitioners can adjust routines
so that learners with ASD are taught the skills they need to take part in the
activity/routine. For example, if a young child engages in hand flapping during circle
time, the teacher/practitioner might focus on teaching him how to imitate the motions in
the song, "The Wheels on the Bus" rather than removing him from the activity. With
adequate support, the learner with ASD may learn these types of skills so that he can
participate in circle time more fully without engaging in interfering behaviors.
Structuring Time
As previously mentioned, implementing a predictable schedule is a highly effective
strategy that organizes learners' routines so that they can anticipate what activity is next
and what behaviors they can expect when they enter that environment. Within these
environments and activities, it often is necessary to further organize learners' schedules
by structuring their time when engaging in particular activities. Learners with ASD often
engage in interfering behaviors during activities because they do not know what is
expected of them. This, in turn, can produce anxiety for some learners because they are
uncertain when the activity is going to end and what is going to happen next.
Structuring the time within specific activities helps learners understand what is expected
of them as well as which activity they will engage in next. By structuring the time within
learning activities, teachers/practitioners change the factors in those contexts that have
cause interfering behaviors in the past. For example, a kitchen timer is particularly
helpful because it helps learners keep track of how long they have to complete a
particular activity. The timer also may be used to define activity times during the day or
during a certain class. The ticking of the kitchen timer may help keep learners on task,
while the beeping alarm signals to them that the activity is complete.
Timers can also be used to define times during the day when learners are to remain
quiet (e.g., during whole class instruction) versus times when talking and interacting
with others is encouraged (e.g., small-group instruction, free play) (Alberto & Troutman,
1999). In addition to the timer, it may also be helpful to provide a learner with a visual
reminder of the activity that will take place next. For example, many learners engage in
interfering behaviors during learning activities because they are uncertain of the next
activity.
Using Highly Preferred Activities/Items
Using highly preferred activities/items is often effective when learners engage in
interfering or off-task behaviors during activities that they do not like. Often, learners use
interfering behaviors during nonpreferred learning activities because they wish to
escape or avoid them.
The goal of this strategy is to include highly preferred items within these activities so
that learners are motivated to participate and are no longer prompted to engage in
interfering behaviors. The incorporation of highly preferred items into nonpreferred
activities changes the environmental conditions (e.g., nonpreferred items, nonpreferred
activity) that have caused interfering behaviors in the past. The following example
illustrates how classroom staff changed the conditions in an activity so that the learner
no longer engaged in interfering behaviors.
Case Study: Mallory
Mallory is a 4-year-old with ASD who engages in interfering behaviors during lunch.
Rather than sitting and eating her food, she screams and lies on the floor under the
table.
The teacher has noted that Mallory has a very limited diet and will not eat the food that
is provided by the school lunch program. Mallory's mother sends in food that her
daughter likes; however, classroom staff do not give it to her because they want her to
try new foods. When Mallory comes to the table for lunch, she sits down, looks at her
plate, screams, then falls to the floor. The classroom staff respond by telling her to sit
down. This often only makes Mallory scream louder.
The autism consultant for the program observes Mallory one day during lunch and
offers the following advice. First, she notes that it might be more important for Mallory to
enjoy sitting at the table before attempting to get her to try new foods. One way to
accomplish this is to offer Mallory highly preferred foods so that she is motivated to sit at
the table. Second, she suggests that classroom staff only provide Mallory with the
preferred food when she is sitting at the table. The goal is to change the factors during
lunch that are prompting Mallory to engage in the interfering behaviors. In this case, the
primary factor that needs to be changed is the incorporation of highly preferred foods
rather than foods that she does not like.
The next day, the teacher gives Mallory the school-provided lunch as well as a small
cup of chocolate pudding on her plate. As soon as Mallory comes to the table, the
teacher holds up the pudding and says, "I have pudding. Want pudding? Sit in chair."
and points to the chair. Mallory immediately sits down and waits for the pudding. In this
example, classroom staff have removed the antecedent factors (i.e., nonpreferred
foods) that were prompting Mallory to engage in interfering behaviors by providing a
highly preferred food. As a result, Mallory participates in mealtime and no longer
engages in the interfering behaviors. Furthermore, classroom staff are now able to work
on other skills, such as requesting, by providing small amounts of pudding and requiring
Mallory to ask for more.
This example illustrates how the use of highly preferred materials and items can be
effective at addressing interfering behaviors that learners with ASD engage in to escape
or avoid activities. This strategy focuses on using learners' preferences to increase
interest and engagement in nonpreferred activities and routines.
In this video example, the teacher is trying to get a learner with autism to sit in her chair
during lunch. You will notice that when the teacher instructs the child to sit at the table,
she starts screaming and falls to the ground. When the teacher presents the child with a
highly-preferred food (chocolate pudding), the child immediately comes to the table and
sits down. From previous observations, classroom staff determined that the child with
autism was not motivated to sit at the table because she did not like any of the food on
her plate. As you can see from this video, as soon as the teacher provides the child with
a highly-preferred food, she is more motivated to sit at the table so that she can get the
food that she likes.
Furthermore, some research suggests that using highly preferred materials and items
may contribute to learners' development by making activities more meaningful and
relevant (Grisham-Brown et al., 2005; Morrison & Rosales-Ruiz, 1997; Wolery, 1994).
This also was illustrated in the above example. That is, by including highly preferred
foods during mealtime, classroom staff were able to work on requesting because
Mallory was motivated to ask for more. Teachers and other practitioners can promote
learning and engagement by incorporating learners' interests and preferences into
nonpreferred activities, which may, in turn, prevent or reduce interfering behaviors.
Learners' preferences often are identified by observing learners throughout the day or
by asking family members or others who know the learners well about particular items
and activities they enjoy. Preferences may also be identified by systematically
conducting preference assessments. This is generally accomplished by providing a
learner with a variety of choices and identifying which materials or activities he or she
consistently selects (Van Camp, Vollmer, & Daniel, 2001). Two preference assessment
worksheets are provided within the module documents: Preference Assessment
Worksheet - Early Childhood, and Preference Assessment Worksheet - ES, MS, HS.
Another way to identify learners' preferences is by observing them throughout the day.
For example, a teacher or other practitioner may observe a learner with ASD during
ongoing routines and activities to identify which materials, peers, and activities he
interacts with most often (Dunst, Herter, & Shields, 2000). Teachers/practitioners can
make a note of this every 2 to 5 minutes on note cards, a notebook, or a clipboard with
paper.
Teachers/practitioners may also take into account answers to the following questions
when trying to identify learners' preferences and interests.
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What makes the learner smile and laugh?
What makes the learner happy and feel good?
What kinds of things get the learner excited?
What are the learner's favorite things to do?
What does the learner work especially hard at doing?
What gets and keeps the learner's attention?
What gets the learner to try new things? (Dunst et al., 2000).
Because learners' preferences can change over time, teachers/practitioners should
periodically identify preferred materials, peers, and activities to maintain learners'
interest and engagement across the day.
Offering Choices
Many learners with ASD engage in interfering behaviors during learning activities
because they are trying to escape or avoid participating in them. The ABI strategy
offering choices is used to increase learners' motivation so that they are no longer
prompted to engage in interfering behaviors during specific activities. For example, a
learner may spend the majority of independent work time in an inclusive math class
rocking in his chair because he does not want to complete his work. When prompted to
begin his assignments, he may scream and put his fingers in his ears.
To decrease this behavior, the teacher must complete an FBA and determine the
conditions in the activity that are prompting the learner to use these behaviors. Results
from the FBA indicate that this learner is engaging in the behavior because he does not
want to complete his assignments. To increase motivation, the teacher decides to offer
the learner choices about which assignment to complete first.
Offering choices is a highly effective strategy because it gives learners control of the
situation and offers motivation to participate. Choice making is particularly important
when a learner with ASD refuses to engage in an activity. Teachers/practitioners can
offer learners choices about which activity they would like to participate in first as well as
which materials they might like to use within an activity. Generally, two or more choices
are provided depending upon the developmental ability of the learner. Choice making is
also a great way to teach key language and communication skills because it makes
learners indicate in some way which material or activity they prefer (Noonan &
McCormick, 2006).
This video provides an example of how teachers/practitioners can offer learners choices
to get them engaged in activities. In this clip, the teacher presents two choices to the
child with autism who is unengaged. One of the choices is a preferred activity and the
other is non-preferred. She does this so that the child learns how to make meaningful
choices. For example, if the child chose the non-preferred activity, he would be
prompted to participate in it. In this video, however, the child chooses the preferred
activity. As soon as he makes his choice, the teacher leads him to the area where the
activity will take place. You will notice that the child is motivated to participate because
he has made the choice and also because it is one of his favorite activities.
Offering Choices
Many learners with ASD engage in interfering behaviors during learning activities
because they are trying to escape or avoid participating in them. The ABI strategy
offering choices is used to increase learners' motivation so that they are no longer
prompted to engage in interfering behaviors during specific activities. For example, a
learner may spend the majority of independent work time in an inclusive math class
rocking in his chair because he does not want to complete his work. When prompted to
begin his assignments, he may scream and put his fingers in his ears.
To decrease this behavior, the teacher must complete an FBA and determine the
conditions in the activity that are prompting the learner to use these behaviors. Results
from the FBA indicate that this learner is engaging in the behavior because he does not
want to complete his assignments. To increase motivation, the teacher decides to offer
the learner choices about which assignment to complete first.
Offering choices is a highly effective strategy because it gives learners control of the
situation and offers motivation to participate. Choice making is particularly important
when a learner with ASD refuses to engage in an activity. Teachers/practitioners can
offer learners choices about which activity they would like to participate in first as well as
which materials they might like to use within an activity. Generally, two or more choices
are provided depending upon the developmental ability of the learner. Choice making is
also a great way to teach key language and communication skills because it makes
learners indicate in some way which material or activity they prefer (Noonan &
McCormick, 2006).
This video provides an example of how teachers/practitioners can offer learners choices
to get them engaged in activities. In this clip, the teacher presents two choices to the
child with autism who is unengaged. One of the choices is a preferred activity and the
other is non-preferred. She does this so that the child learns how to make meaningful
choices. For example, if the child chose the non-preferred activity, he would be
prompted to participate in it. In this video, however, the child chooses the preferred
activity. As soon as he makes his choice, the teacher leads him to the area where the
activity will take place. You will notice that the child is motivated to participate because
he has made the choice and also because it is one of his favorite activities.
Altering Instruction
Many learners with ASD have difficulty interacting with materials and activities within
learning environments. Often, they simply do not know how to participate in the activity
or interact with the materials in a meaningful way, which can lead to interfering
behaviors (e.g., biting, hitting, screaming, hand flapping).
To address these difficulties, teachers/practitioners can use the ABI strategy of altering
instruction by adapting or modifying instruction to promote active participation in and
engagement with classroom materials and activities. The goal of this strategy is to
provide learners with the supports they need to participate in learning activities as
independently as possible. By providing instructional support, teachers/practitioners
change factors in the environment that may be maintaining the interfering behaviors.
For instance, a learner may have been engaging in interfering behaviors during a
specific activity because she did not have the skills necessary to participate. The activity
itself was the antecedent that prompted the learner to engage in the behavior. However,
when the teacher altered instruction by modeling the correct response, the learner no
longer engaged in the interfering behavior.
The graphic to the right provides an example of the Curriculum Modifications document
in the documents section which lists common curriculum modifications that may be used
to alter the manner in which instruction is delivered.
This video example shows a preschool classroom for children with autism before any
environmental arrangement strategies have been used. You will notice that many of the
children are unengaged in classroom activities. Furthermore, several of the children are
engaging in interfering behaviors which prevents them from participating fully in daily
routines and activities. The current arrangement of the classroom provides the children
with little information about what kinds of activities and behaviors should be taking place
in specific areas of the classroom. As a result, many of the children often are not
purposefully engaged in classroom activities and some of the children are engaging in
interfering behaviors.
Altering Instruction
Many learners with ASD have difficulty interacting with materials and activities within
learning environments. Often, they simply do not know how to participate in the activity
or interact with the materials in a meaningful way, which can lead to interfering
behaviors (e.g., biting, hitting, screaming, hand flapping).
To address these difficulties, teachers/practitioners can use the ABI strategy of altering
instruction by adapting or modifying instruction to promote active participation in and
engagement with classroom materials and activities. The goal of this strategy is to
provide learners with the supports they need to participate in learning activities as
independently as possible. By providing instructional support, teachers/practitioners
change factors in the environment that may be maintaining the interfering behaviors.
For instance, a learner may have been engaging in interfering behaviors during a
specific activity because she did not have the skills necessary to participate. The activity
itself was the antecedent that prompted the learner to engage in the behavior. However,
when the teacher altered instruction by modeling the correct response, the learner no
longer engaged in the interfering behavior.
The graphic to the right provides an example of the Curriculum Modifications document
in the documents section which lists common curriculum modifications that may be used
to alter the manner in which instruction is delivered.
Courtesy of Kara Hume, Ph.D.
The examples to the left illustrate how teachers/practitioners can use instructions to
outline how learners with ASD should complete a particular activity (invisible support).
For learners who lack the skills necessary to independently participate in certain
classroom activities, curriculum modifications may not be enough. Teachers/
practitioners may first need to teach learners how to independently use materials. This
is often accomplished through the use of structured work systems or other evidencebased practices such as discrete trial teaching. After learners acquire key skills, they
can use them within particular routines and activities using the curriculum modifications
described above (Wolery, 1994).
Please refer to the AIM module on Structured Teaching for additional information about
these practices.
Determining Appropriate Curriculum
Modifications
Determining Appropriate Curriculum Modifications
The principle of participation can be used when modifying or altering learning
environments or activities to promote learning and engagement. This principle suggests
that learners with ASD should take part in all activities and that the necessary
adaptations should be identified and used to ensure learning, engagement, and
independence across the day (Wolery, 1994).
The following steps are helpful when trying to identify appropriate curriculum
modifications for individual learners with ASD.
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Complete an inventory of a typically developing peer completing the skill,
task, or activity. Observe the peer completing the task in the designated
environment and record the behaviors needed to complete the task.
EXAMPLE: Mrs. Lake observes Tricia, a 9-year-old without ASD, complete a worksheet
during math class. Mrs. Lake writes down every step that Tricia completes during the
task.
1. Writes name at top of page
2. Writes answers next to each question
3. Takes paper to teacher's desk after complete
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Complete an inventory of the learner with ASD completing the same skill,
task, or activity. Observe the learner completing the task and record all behaviors
that are performed independently and those that are not performed independently.
EXAMPLE: Mrs. Lake observes Mark completing the same task. Next to each step, Mrs.
Lake records whether or not he was able to complete the step independently. She also
makes notes next to each step regarding Mark's behavior. For example, she noted that
he was not independent in any of the steps of the activity and required either prompting
or teacher assistance to accomplish all of the steps.
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Identify the behaviors that the learner with ASD cannot be expected to
perform independently.
EXAMPLE: Mrs. Lake talked with the special education teacher and Mark's parents to
determine whether or not Mark had the skills to participate in this math activity. After this
discussion, it was determined that Mark was capable of writing his name, completing
math questions with a calculator, and turning his paper into the teacher. The next step is
to identify relevant curriculum modifications.
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Generate a set of adaptations that would allow the learner with ASD to
participate in the activity.
EXAMPLE: Mrs. Lake identified the visual supports that could be used to help Mark
complete the math activity independently. For each step she outlined certain
accommodations or modifications that could support his independent completion of that
step. Use of a highlighter or a cue card, a calculator, and folder were simple visual
supports that take the "teacher assistance" and "teacher prompting" out of the equation,
helping Mark work towards independence.
From this process, teachers/practitioners can identify appropriate curriculum
modifications for learners with ASD and then use them during activities where
interfering behaviors are present. Because learners are provided with the necessary
supports to take part in activities or learn the skills necessary to participate, future
occurrences of interfering behaviors are often reduced or entirely prevented.
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Module Objectives
CEC Professional Standards
Why Use ABI?
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Who Can Use ABI and Where Can They Be Used?
With What Ages Are ABI Most Effective?
Antecedent-Based Intervention Strategies
Arranging the Environment
Changing the Schedule/Routine
Structuring Time
Using Highly Preferred Activities/Items
Offering Choices
Altering Instruction
Enriching the Environment with Sensory Stimuli
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Implementing Preactivity Interventions
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Case Study Examples
Summary
Evidence Base for ABI
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Citation and References
Post-Assessment
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RESOURCES
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Implementation Checklist
Documents
Discussion Questions
Activities
MODULE NAVIGATOR > ANTECEDENT-BASED INTERVENTIONS (ABI)
Enriching the Environment with Sensory
Stimuli
Many learners with ASD engage in sensory stereotypies that interfere with their learning
and development. For example, a learner with ASD may spin his pencil on his desk in
English class and not participate in the classroom activities. Another learner with ASD
may play with her saliva during circle time.
The goal of this ABI procedure is to identify the function of the interfering behavior and
replace it with a more appropriate material or activity that provides learners with the
sensory input that they are seeking. Research has demonstrated that when matched
sensory items are provided to learners with ASD, interfering behavior decrease, which
may lead to increased engagement in activities and learning of new skills (Ahearn,
Clark, DeBar, & Florentino, 2005).
Duration-based preference assessments often are helpful in identifying alternative items
that meet the same sensory function as the interfering behavior. For example,
teachers/practitioners provide continuous access to a particular item for approximately 5
minutes and record every 30 seconds whether or not the learner is engaged with the
item. This process can be repeated with a variety of items until high-preference items
have been identified. Items are considered high-preference if learners are engaged with
them during at least 75% of the 30-second intervals (Ahearn et al., 2005).
Examples of potential replacement items include:
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sitting on a therapy ball
squeezing foam blocks
playing with silly putty
squeezing a squishy ball
placing a weighted item (e.g., stuffed animal, ball) on a learner's legs
holding a vibrating object
Once high-preference items have been identified, teachers/practitioners provide
learners with continuous access to these items during routines/activities in which they
engage in the interfering behaviors. This can drastically reduce the amount of time that
learners with ASD engage in interfering behaviors that are sensory-based. As the
frequency of the interfering behavior decreases during these activities,
teachers/practitioners can begin to limit learners' access to the sensory items over time.
In this video example, the teacher is implementing a group activity focused on map
reading. During the activity, she notices that one of the students is getting fidgety and
may start engaging in an interfering behavior. To maintain on-task behavior and to
prevent interfering behaviors from occurring, the teacher asks the student if he needs to
stand up. He responds, "Yes," stands up, and continues to take part in the activity.
Implementing Preactivity Interventions
This ABI, implementing preactivity interventions, is designed to provide learners with
ASD with the information they need to participate in an activity or routine as
independently as possible. The goal is to provide learners with the information they
need during an activity. This, in turn, changes the conditions that prompted learners to
engage in interfering behaviors previously.
To accomplish this, teachers/practitioners can support learners with ASD before
activities and change conditions within particular activities by using some of the
following strategies to prevent or reduce interfering behaviors:
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providing a warning about an upcoming activity
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going over an assignment before class starts
providing information about schedule changes
using activity schedules '
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Additionally, teachers/practitioners can plan and set up activities prior to their
implementation to promote engagement and learning (Grisham-Brown et al., 2005).
Ensuring learner engagement is particularly important because learners who are not
meaningfully using and participating in learning activities are not acquiring key skills and
are more likely to display interfering behaviors. Teachers/ practitioners can plan for this
by:
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considering what materials and types of curriculum modifications are necessary for
learners to participate;
determining what materials will be needed for the activity as well as what supports
learners will need to participate in the activity (e.g., visual supports);
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arranging the environment to limit distractions and promote positive interactions and
behavior; and
determining particular skills that will be addressed during the activity (Bricker, PrettiFrontczak, & McComas, 1998).
An effective way to plan for activities before they are implemented is to design an
activity matrix. An activity matrix allows teachers/practitioners to identify daily routines
and activities, as well as the target skills that can be addressed during each activity and
the strategies that might be needed to ensure engagement and active participation.
The examples above and to the right (Activity Matrix: Early Childhood and Activity
Matrix: Elementary, Middle, High School) provide example activity matrices that might
be used to promote skill development and engagement across the day. By planning
activities in advance (including what skills will be addressed and which strategies are
needed), teachers/practitioners can prevent or reduce the occurrence of interfering
behaviors as well as promote skill development and engagement across the day.
Step-by-Step Instructions
The module authors have identified four essential steps for antecedent based
interventions. These include:
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Identifying the interfering behavior
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Collecting baseline data
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Implementing the appropriate antecedent based intervention, and
Monitoring progress.
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These steps are outlined more specifically in this section of the module.
Step 1. Identifying the Interfering
Behavior
Teachers/practitioners identify an interfering behavior demonstrated by a learner with
ASD that they would like to decrease. In most cases, the interfering behavior is one that
is interfering with learning and development (e.g., self-stimulation, repetitive, selfinjurious, stereotypical). Therefore, teachers/practitioners complete a high-quality FBA
to identify the function of the interfering behavior and select an ABI strategy that
addresses the function of the behavior and can be used to decrease the interfering
behavior.
Teachers/practitioners use direct observation methods that generally include
using:
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A-B-C data charts and
A-B-C data charts help determine what happens right before the behavior (the
antecedent), the behavior that occurs, and what happens directly after the behavior (the
consequence). These data provide insight into why the learner is engaging in a
particular behavior.
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Scatterplots.
Scatterplots help determine, (a) the possible functions of the behavior, (b) when the
behavior is occurring, and (c) the times of the day when an intervention might be
implemented to reduce the interfering behavior.
Teachers/practitioners use direct assessment results to identify:
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where the behavior is happening;
with whom the behavior is occurring;
when the behavior is happening;
activities during which the behavior occurs;
what other students are doing when the behavior starts;
what teachers/adults are doing when the behavior starts;
proximity of other students, teachers, and/or adults;
the noise level in the environment;
the number of individuals in the area;
other environmental conditions (e.g., lighting, door open/closed); and
the function of the behavior (i.e., to get or obtain something--obtaining internal
stimulation, wanting something because it feels good, obtaining attention, obtaining
activities or objects; or to escape or avoid--obtaining internal stimulation, not
wanting something because it feels bad, escaping or avoiding attention, avoiding
tasks or activities).
Teachers/practitioners develop a hypothesis statement for the interfering
behavior that includes:
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the setting events (i.e., the environment or conditions in which the behavior
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occurs), immediate antecedents, and immediate consequences that surround the
interfering behavior;
a restatement and refinement of the description of the interfering behavior that is
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occurring; and
the function the behavior serves (i.e., get/obtain, escape/avoid).
EXAMPLE: Kenny repeatedly bangs his head on his desk when his teacher asks
him to complete an in-class assignment because he does not want to complete
the task. His teacher then walks away, and Kenny does not have to do his work.
EXAMPLE: Mary flaps her hands, rocks back and forth, and yells loudly each time
the bell rings to switch classes because she does not like the noise; she then
needs help from a staff member to calm down and leave the room. This often results in
Mary missing part of or the entire next class.
Teachers/practitioners identify an overall goal for the learner that will be
accomplished as a result of the intervention.
EXAMPLE: Kenny will complete in-class assignments without banging his head.
EXAMPLE:
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Mary will engage in minimal hand flapping and body rocking when the bell rings at
the end of each class period.
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Mary will not yell when the bell rings at the end of each class period.
Mary will walk to class independently when the bell rings at the end of each class
period.
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Step 2. Collecting Baseline Data
Once the interfering behavior has been identified, teachers/practitioners collect baseline
data to determine how often the learner with ASD is currently engaging in the interfering
behavior.
Teachers/practitioners measure a learner's engagement in the interfering
behavior before implementing ABI by collecting
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Frequency data and
Frequency data measure how often a learner engages in a particular behavior. Event
sampling, a method for collecting data on behaviors that rarely occur, is used to record
every instance of the interfering behavior. Data are then used to identify a potential
pattern of a learner's behavior over a period of days or weeks.
The table to the right provides an example of an event sampling data collection sheet. A
blank data collection sheet is included in the Resource section of this module.
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Duration data.
Duration data are used to record how long a learner engages in a particular behavior
during a class, activity, or treatment session. For example, a teacher might collect data
on how long a learner with ASD engages in hand mouthing during math class.
The table to the right provides an example of a duration data collection sheet. A blank
data collection sheet is provided in the Resource section of the module.
Baseline data give teachers/practitioners a starting point from which they can evaluate
whether the interfering behavior decreases as a result of using ABI.
Teachers/practitioners collect baseline data for a minimum of four days before
implementing ABI.
Teachers/practitioners collect baseline data in numerous settings and/or
activities.
It often is useful to have more than one practitioner collect baseline data over the
course of several days to compare findings. Also, by collecting data in multiple settings,
teachers/ practitioners may be able to recognize patterns of behavior. For example,
does the learner engage in the interfering behavior more often in one setting than
another? This kind of information helps teachers/practitioners identify activities or
settings that can be modified using antecedent-based intervention strategies.
Step 3. Implementing ABI
Teachers/practitioners now identify and put forth ABI strategies that directly
address the function of the interfering behavior to prevent it from happening in
the future.
Teachers/practitioners identify one of the following ABI strategies that directly
addresses the function of the interfering behavior:
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using learner preferences,
changing schedules/routines,
implementing preactivity interventions,
using choice making,
altering how instruction is delivered, or
enriching the environment.
The graphic to the right provides an example from the table of intervention strategies in
the Resource section which provides descriptions and examples of each of these
antecedent-based intervention strategies.
Teachers/practitioners implement the selected ABI strategy by creating a lesson
plan that includes:
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weekly objectives for the learner with ASD that will lead to a decrease in an
interfering behavior;
a statement of the strategy and what the teacher will do (e.g., adapting instructions
for assignments); and
the materials needed to implement the antecedent-based intervention strategy.
The lesson plan provides teachers/practitioners with a structure for identifying what will
be needed to implement the strategy effectively and how the environment will be
modified to decrease the occurrence of the interfering behavior.
The table to the right provides a sample lesson plan.
Teachers/practitioners provide no reinforcement for the interfering behavior when
it occurs.
Extinction often is used in conjunction with ABI strategies. With this evidence-based
practice, teachers/practitioners no longer provide reinforcement for the interfering
behavior by ignoring it, which eventually leads to a decrease in or elimination of the
interfering behavior.
EXAMPLE: Mrs. Banks gives Kenny written instructions for how to complete an in-class
math assignment. Kenny immediately starts banging his head. Mrs. Banks ignores the
behavior and points to the sentence strip, which says, "Complete these math problems."
Kenny looks at Mrs. Banks and starts banging his head again. Again, Mrs. Banks points
to the sentence strip. Kenny bangs his head two more times and then starts the
assignment.
Teachers/practitioners provide learners with reinforcement each time they:
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do not engage in the interfering behavior, and
complete the weekly objective.
EXAMPLE: During math class, Mrs. Banks gives Kenny written instructions for how to
complete an in-class assignment. Kenny bangs his head on his desk one time and then
follows the checklist instructions provided with the math worksheet. After 10 minutes,
Kenny completes the assignment, and Mrs. Banks tells Kenny that he can play on the
computer for 10 minutes.
Step 4. Monitoring Learner Progress
Teachers/practitioners use progress monitoring data to evaluate whether the
interfering behavior is decreasing as result of the intervention.
The same data collection sheets that were used to collect baseline data can be used to
track learner progress.
Teachers/practitioners use progress monitoring data to adjust intervention
strategies if the interfering behavior does not decrease.
If the interfering behavior is not decreasing, teachers/practitioners must try to identify
potential reasons for this. Seeking answers to the following questions may be helpful
during this problem-solving process.
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Is the interfering behavior well defined? That is, is it observable and measurable?
Are ABI strategies being implemented consistently by all staff?
Do the ABI strategies directly address the function of the behavior identified during
the FBA?
Case Study Examples
The module authors provide two case examples for antecendent-based interventions.
Tommy is a 4-year-old with ASD. Ms. Smith has noted that Tommy screams, kicks, and
throws himself to the floor when any demands are placed upon him. Kaede is a sixthgrader with ASD who needs little support during academic classes. Recently, Kaede
has been having difficulty in English class when asked to complete an independent
assignment in class, she often talks loudly to herself and smacks her desk with her
hand. ABI have been implemented to address these behaviors.
Tommy
Case Study: Tommy
Tommy is a 4-year-old boy with ASD who receives services within a self-contained early
childhood autism classroom. There are three permanent staff members in the
classroom, consisting of the teacher, Ms. Smith, and two teaching assistants. Although
Tommy was diagnosed with autism at 2 years of age; this is his first experience in a
group setting.
Ms. Smith has noted that Tommy screams, kicks, and throws himself to the floor when
any demands are placed upon him. Currently, the classroom staff are using a picture
schedule with Tommy to help him transition from one activity to another. Ms. Smith is
frustrated with Tommy's behavior and does not know what to do. As a result, the autism
consultant for the program, Ms. Miller, meets with Ms. Smith to help her address
Tommy's behaviors.
During their meeting, Ms. Miller asks Ms. Smith about Tommy and his behavior,
including what types he engages in and when they occur most often. Ms. Smith tells Ms.
Miller that the behaviors are most problematic during free play and at lunch. She notes
that Tommy tantrums when any staff member prompts him to engage in an activity
during free play. She also tells Ms. Miller that Tommy wanders the room during the
duration of free play unless they try to get him engaged in an activity. Currently, they
take him to an area numerous times during free play to help him interact with materials;
however, he yells and throws himself to the ground when this happens. Ms. Smith
explains that lunch is very problematic because Tommy will not stay seated at the table
for longer than one minute. When he is told to eat his food, he pushes his chair out,
screams, and throws himself on the ground.
After hearing Ms. Smith's report, Ms. Miller decides to observe Tommy in the classroom
during free play and lunch. During the observation, Ms. Miller notes that Tommy
consistently engages in the interfering behaviors when he is taken to nonpreferred play
areas during free play. Lunch also is a nonpreferred activity for Tommy. Ms. Miller then
meets with Ms. Smith again after the observation is complete.
Based on the initial interview with Ms. Smith and the observations conducted within the
classroom, Ms. Miller and Ms. Smith conclude that Tommy is engaging in the interfering
behaviors because he is trying to escape from the activities that are not his favorites or
that do not include preferred materials/items.
Once they have identified the function of the interfering behaviors, Ms. Smith and Ms.
Miller must decide which ABI strategies to use. They determine that offering choices
(using objects) and using highly preferred materials during free play might motivate
Tommy to participate in the activity because it appears that he trying to escape or avoid
activities that he does not prefer. From observing him in the classroom and by talking
with his mother, Ms. Smith knows that Tommy loves puzzles and toy people. Ms. Miller
and Ms. Smith decide that they will offer Tommy two choices during free play. Initially,
both object choices will be highly preferred materials so that Tommy will be motivated to
participate in the activity. Ms. Smith and Ms. Miller anticipate that Tommy will initially
engage in the interfering behaviors despite the use of highly preferred materials.
Therefore, Tommy will only be required to stay at the area for 2 minutes; however, he
must not engage in any interfering behavior during this time. After Tommy participates
in the activity for 2 minutes with no occurrences of the interfering behavior, he will be
permitted to leave. At first, Ms. Smith plans to offer Tommy two highly preferred choices
three times during free play so that Tommy gets used to the intervention strategy. As
Tommy begins to make choices without engaging in interfering behaviors, she will begin
to offer choices more often during free play. At this time, she also plans to incorporate
one nonpreferred item when offering Tommy choices so that he begins to understand
the concept of choice making.
Ms. Smith and Ms. Miller also discuss lunchtime. Ms. Miller tells Ms. Smith that during
her initial observation, she noted several factors in the environment that might be
causing Tommy to engage in the interfering behaviors. For example, she observed that
there was a lot of food on his plate, which might be overwhelming. She also noted that
Tommy did not seem to like the food that he was offered. For these reasons, Tommy
may not be that motivated to stay and eat his lunch. Therefore, Ms. Miller suggests the
following recommendations: (a) reduce the amount of food on his plate so that he
knows his choices and (b) include at least one of his favorite foods so that he likes what
is being offered. Ms. Miller feels that these environmental modifications might motivate
Tommy to stay seated. She also recommends that Tommy initially be required to take at
least one bite of food and stay seated without any interfering behaviors for 2 minutes
before being allowed to leave. Ms. Miller feels that the combination of the preferred food
items with the reduced amount of food will motivate him to stay seated by eliminating
the potential causes of the interfering behaviors.
During their intervention planning meeting, Ms. Smith and Ms. Miller also identify
additional supports that might be needed to ensure the intervention will be successful.
Ms. Smith tells Ms. Miller that she is very nervous about implementing the intervention
and would like Ms. Miller to show her how to do it and coach her through the process
when she attempts to implement it. They decide to implement the intervention the
following week.
On Monday, Ms. Miller comes to Ms. Smith's classroom to help her implement the ABI.
They both observe Tommy as he wanders the classroom, unengaged in any activity.
Ms. Miller suggests that Ms. Smith go get a puzzle piece and a toy person to offer
Tommy choices. Ms. Smith brings the objects to Ms. Miller, who then walks over to
Tommy and says, "Tommy." He looks at Ms. Miller, who then says, "Puzzle or people?"
while holding them up for him to see. Tommy turns and walks away; however, Ms. Miller
follows him and repeats the request. Tommy lightly touches the person in Ms. Miller's
hand, and Ms. Miller then says, "People. You chose people." Ms. Miller puts the person
in Tommy's hand and takes him to the classroom area where the people are located.
Tommy begins to yell and throws himself to the ground. Ms. Miller then asks Ms. Smith
to help her lift Tommy off the ground. They help Tommy walk to the play area where the
toy people are sitting on the floor. Tommy continues to scream and tries to leave the
area several times; however, Ms. Miller stands at the entrance to the play area and
does not let him get out. Ms. Miller then prompts Ms. Smith to start putting the toy
people in the bus. Ms. Smith says, "I'm putting the people on the bus. Bye-bye," and
drives the bus around the floor. Tommy looks in Ms. Smith's direction and then walks
over and sits down on the floor. He takes the people and starts putting them on the bus
as well. Tommy stays at the activity for 5 minutes before attempting to leave. Because
he engaged in the activity for more than 2 minutes without any interfering behaviors, he
is allowed to leave. Ms. Smith and Ms. Miller repeat this process two more times during
free play. After the third opportunity, Tommy makes a choice and walks to the area
independently; however, he screams as he does so. He also stays at this activity for 5
minutes without any interfering behaviors.
During lunch that same day, Ms. Miller hands Tommy a spoon, which signals that it is
time for lunch. Tommy runs away and screams. Ms. Miller then goes to Tommy and
says, "Time for lunch," and takes him to the table. Ms. Miller sits behind Tommy so that
he cannot push his chair out. The teaching assistant who set up lunch while Ms. Smith
conducted circle time placed small portions of the day's lunch on his plate and also gave
him a small serving of goldfish crackers, his favorite food.
After he is seated at the table, Tommy immediately begins yelling and tries to push his
chair out, even though he has not even looked at his plate yet. Ms. Miller then says,
"Look, Tommy. Goldfish," while pointing at his plate. Tommy looks at his plate and
grabs a few goldfish and begins eating. He stays at the table for 2 minutes eating his
goldfish without any interfering behaviors; however, he does not try to leave after he
eats his goldfish. Instead, he tries to grab the bag of goldfish that is just out of reach on
the table. Ms. Miller then prompts Tommy to say, "More." He vocalizes, "Muh" and gets
more goldfish.
This ABI strategy is producing a more motivating environment for Tommy as well as
providing additional opportunities to work on language and communication. As Tommy
begins to transition to lunch independently and sits at the table with few interfering
behaviors, staff members will require Tommy to start eating some of the other food on
his plate before getting the goldfish. Classroom staff will collect data on how often
Tommy engages in the interfering behaviors during nonpreferred activities, particularly
lunch. Data from this activity in particular will help the teacher and other classroom staff
make decisions about when Tommy should be required to try new foods before getting
goldfish. Classroom staff determine that new foods will be introduced when Tommy is
not engaging in interfering behaviors for at least 80% of the time. They expect his
interfering behaviors to return when they introduce new foods; however, they feel that
the ABI strategies that they have identified will prevent these behaviors from becoming
too severe.
Kaede
Case Study: Kaede
Kaede is a sixth-grade learner with ASD who receives services primarily within general
education classes. Kaede is very high functioning and needs little support during
academic classes. Recently, Kaede has been having difficulty in English class,
however. When asked to complete an independent assignment in class, she often talks
loudly to herself and smacks her desk with her hand. Kaede's English teacher, Mr.
Brooks, has asked the autism coordinator, Ms. Lane, to help him because Kaede's
behavior has begun to disrupt the other students, often keeping them from doing their
work as well.
After school one day, Ms. Lane meets with Mr. Brooks in his classroom. Ms. Lane starts
by asking Mr. Brooks about anything that has changed in the class recently, including
what they might be learning about. Mr. Brooks tells Ms. Lane that they have begun
talking about parts of speech and proper grammar. Most of the in-class assignments
focus on having the students identify parts of speech in sentences by writing the
appropriate letter above the part of speech. For example, when identifying the noun in a
sentence, a student would be required to write an "N" above the word. Mr. Brooks also
indicates that he is asking students to circle forms of punctuation within excerpts from
books. For example, one assignment requires that students circle all of the commas. He
has noticed that Kaede's interfering behaviors began at this time.
As part of the intervention process, Ms. Lane also talks with Kaede to find out why she
might be engaging in these behaviors during English class. When she asks Kaede why
she talks loudly and hits her hand on her desk during English, Kaede responds,
"Because I forget which letter goes" with each part of speech. She also tells Ms. Lane
that "The parts from the books are too big. I can't find the commas and stuff."
After talking with Mr. Brooks and Kaede, Ms. Lane determines that Kaede might need
some curriculum modifications to help her complete the assignments. The goal of the
intervention is to remove the conditions in the environment that are prompting Kaede to
engage in the interfering behaviors. In this case, there is too much information on the
page for Kaede to process, which causes her anxiety. The use of curriculum
modifications will alter instruction so that Kaede has the supports she needs to
complete assignments independently. Also, the conditions present during the activity
that were prompting Kaede to engage in the interfering behaviors have been changed
(i.e., too much information). Therefore, Kaede should no longer engage in the interfering
behaviors.
Before beginning the intervention, Ms. Lane talks with Mr. Brooks to help him use some
of these strategies when asking Kaede to complete in-class seat work. They decide to
provide Kaede with a key for parts of speech so that she won't have to remember which
letter goes with which part of speech. Ms. Lane plans to create this key on a laminated
index card that Kaede can keep with her in her English notebook or binder.
To address the problem Kaede is having with identifying forms of punctuation, Mr.
Brooks and Ms. Lane decide to reduce the amount of writing on each page. Rather than
being required to find forms of punctuation within an entire excerpt from a book, Kaede
will only need to circle commas, periods, etc., in two or three sentences. The hope is
that this will be less overwhelming and will help her to complete her assignments.
During the next English class, Kaede is able to complete her in-class assignments
without engaging in any interfering behaviors. Mr. Brooks and Ms. Lane will collect data
on the occurrence of interfering behaviors to monitor the success of the intervention.
Each week, they review the data and conclude that the intervention has been
successful because Kaede is no longer engaging in interfering behaviors during
English. Now that Mr. Brooks understands that similar assignments might cause Kaede
anxiety, he will be able to use the antecedent-based intervention strategies to prevent
interfering behaviors in the future.
Summary
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Antecedent-based intervention strategies can be used to address both on-task and
interfering behaviors.
This evidence-based practice involves using environmental modifications to change
the conditions in the setting that prompt a learner with ASD to engage in an
interfering behavior.
The goal of ABI is to identify factors that are motivating the interfering behavior and
then modify the environment or activity so that the factor no longer causes the
interfering behavior.
Common antecedent-based intervention procedures includearranging the
environment;changing the schedule/routine;structuring time; using highly preferred
materials; offering choices altering instruction; enriching the environment so that
learners with ASD have access to sensory stimuli that serve the same function as
the interfering behavior (e.g., clay to play with during class, toys/objects that require
motor manipulation); and implementing pre-activity interventions.
Antecedent-based intervention strategies are often used in conjunction with other
evidence-based practices such as functional communication training (FCT),
extinction, and reinforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. How do I know which ABI strategy to use?
A. First, you will need to conduct a functional behavior assessment (FBA) to determine
the function of the interfering behavior. This information will help you choose which
strategy might be most helpful in addressing the function of the interfering behavior as
well as the appropriate strategy for reducing its occurrence.
Q. How do I go about implementing ABI strategies across daily routines and
activities?
A. The FBA will help you identify when and where the interfering behavior is occurring.
As a result, you will know when to implement the appropriate ABI strategy. Creating an
activity matrix will help you plan the intervention, including when and where it should
occur as well as the person(s) responsible for implementing it.
Q. What do I do if the learner with ASD uses the interfering behavior when I begin
implementing ABI during a particular activity?
A. Antecedent-based intervention strategies are often used along with other evidencebased practices such as extinction and reinforcement. When a learner with ASD begins
engaging in the interfering behavior when first implementing an ABI strategy, it is best to
use extinction. This practice focuses on no longer providing reinforcement when a
learner engages in an interfering behavior. The goal is to eliminate the source of
reinforcement for the interfering behavior through the use of extinction and ABI.
Q. Are there any other evidence-based practices that I should use when
implementing ABI?
A. First, an FBA should always be conducted prior to implementing ABI. The FBA will
help you identify the function of the interfering behavior as well as which ABI strategies
would be most effective at addressing the function of the behavior. Additional evidencebased practices that often are used along with ABI include extinction, reinforcement,
structured work systems, and visual supports.
Post-Assessment
Post-Assessment
Antecedent-based interventions involve:
Select an answer for question 413
Antecedent-based interventions are used to prevent and reduce interfering behaviors.
Select an answer for question 414
Which of the following is NOT an antecedent-based intervention strategy?
Select an answer for question 415
Antecedent-based interventions are consequence-based interventions.
Select an answer for question 416
Specific steps for implementing antecedent-based interventions include which of the
following?
Select an answer for question 417
Antecedent-based intervention strategies can be used effectively across the age range.
Select an answer for question 419
Citation and References
If included in presentations or publications, credit should be given to the authors of this
module. Please use the citation below to reference this content.
Neitzel, J. (2010). Antecedent-based interventions for children and youth with autism
spectrum disorders: Online training module. (Chapel Hill, NC: National Professional
Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, FPG Child Development Institute,
UNC-Chapel Hill.) In Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI), Autism
Internet Modules, www.autisminternetmodules.org.Columbus, OH: OCALI.
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