The ABCs and Function of Behaviors in Individuals affected by Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury and other Catastrophic Diagnosis
Author: Vanessa Bracero, Behavior Specialist
Often, in working with the family of a client and the client with behavior challenges, I have observed them attempting to find a reason why certain behavior is happening. The result is usually “explanatory fiction/circular reasoning.” It does not explain why problem behaviors happen and how to respond but, instead, may sound like, and provides the image of someone running in circles.
Here’s an example: You are waiting to check out at the grocery store and a husband and wife are checking out ahead of you. The cashier says to them, “Would you like to include a Mountain Dew with your purchase? They are ‘buy one get one free today.’”
Suddenly, the husband starts asking his wife for a Mountain Dew. He is persistent and repeatedly asks for the item as she attempts to ignore his requests. The man’s voice gets louder and louder and the requests are increasing in frequency. His wife gives him a Mountain Dew, turns to you and the cashier and apologizes with, “Sorry, he’s got a traumatic brain injury.” This is an example of circular reasoning, as she is making the TBI diagnosis the reason for the behavior and the behavior the reason for the TBI diagnosis. This circle goes on and on.
Does the above scenario tell you specifically why the behavior is happening or do you think this is just simply a “label”? Does the “label” help you understand better what environmental factors contributed to the problem behavior? Does the “label” help you determine the function of the behavior and the ABCs of each situation, incident or event, so that you know what to do about the behavior? If the answer is “no,” then you have just confirmed that the scenario above is an “explanatory fiction.”
One of the most important tasks to perform as a behavior analyst, specifically when assessing behaviors, attempting to develop effective/functional interventions and when helping family members understand why individuals affected by a TBI or other catastrophic diagnosis engage in problem behavior, is to assess the ABCs of the situation, incident or event as determine the function of behavior:
A = antecedent: what happens immediately before a behavior
B = behavior of concern
C = consequences that follow a behavior
Here’s how it works: take the scenario described above and determine what the antecedent and consequence to the behavior was. What was A? What was B? What was C?
A = Antecedent: cashier offered a Mountain Dew
B = Behavior: repeated, loud requests for a Mountain Dew
C = Consequence: wife gives him Mountain Dew
Behaviors are maintained by:
- Social attention, reaction
- Tangible access to item, person, place, thing, activity
- Escape or avoid a person, place, thing, situation, activity
- Sensory stimulation: because it feels good, relieves discomfort, etc.
If the behavior described above led to the husband getting a Mountain Dew, then his wife just reinforced the yelling, repeated requests, etc., and may begin to see a pattern of every time he wants something, he yells and repeats the request. In this scenario then, the function of behavior would be for access to tangible items. Please note that often behaviors have multiple functions. For example, some behaviors, at times, may be for both access to tangible items and attention at the same time.
It is very important to know the patterns and specific functions of behaviors so that you know how to respond appropriately to it and not reinforce undesirable behavior. You must also know how to reinforce the appropriate, positive behaviors you want to see.
NeuLife Neurological Services in Mount Dora, Florida, is a fully accessible residential post-acute program providing superior care and specialized rehabilitation to individuals diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic amputations and other catastrophic injuries.
NeuLife
2725 Robie Avenue
Mount Dora, Florida 32757
Phone: 800.626.3876
Email: [email protected]
NeuLifeRehab.com
