Hello again! We hope you’ve been enjoying our look at the four functions of behavior – what we in ABA therapy refer to as the reasons behind behaviors of children with autism. If you’re new to our series, links to the first two parts are highlighted below.
In general, the reasons behind behaviors fall into these four categories:
- To Escape or avoid something (See Part 1)
- To get Attention from someone (See Part 2)
- To gain Access to something
- To meet a child’s Sensory needs
Today’s blog is all about #3 on our list, the Access function of behavior. You might not realize it, but your behavior getting to this article is an example of the Access function! You clicked a button on our website, in an email, or on a social media post to read this article. So, the reason behind your behavior was you wanted access to this blog.
Children wouldn’t want to read our blog, but they might want access to a toy, a food item, or their favorite activity. How they behave to get what they want and how ABA therapy helps us respond in the best way are the topics we’ll explore in this blog.
One goal of ABA therapy is to help kiddos with autism and other developmental concerns replace unwanted behaviors with alternative behaviors that ensure their needs are being met and support their well-being. The first step in reaching our goal is to identify the function of an unwanted behavior. Then, we can start work on helping a child learn a new one.
_____________________________________________________________________________
More to Explore >> New to ABA therapy? Learn about the gold standard early intervention for toddlers with autism as young as two.
______________________________________________________________________________
What the Attention function looks like
There are many ways a child can behave to get access to something they want. They can ask politely if they can and know how. They can go after what they want, like grabbing at something or running towards it. They can also cry or have a tantrum. Keep in mind that if a child learns crying or other unwanted behavior works to gain them access to something they want, they’re likely to repeat that behavior. The reverse is also true. If a child’s behavior no longer works to gain access to something they want, the behavior will stop and a new behavior will take its place.
How we know it’s an Access behavior
ABA therapists use the observational tool known as ABC to collect data and analyze what’s going on with a child’s behavior. ABC is an acronym for:
Antecedent – What happens right before a behavior
Behavior – How a child reacts to the antecedent
Consequence – What happens right after the behavior
Here’s an example of an access behavior using the ABC method:
The Antecedent could be a child sees another child playing with a toy they want.
The Behavior is the child runs off to get the toy.
The Consequence is the parent stops the child from getting to the toy, and the child starts to cry.
Since the child continued to act out, we’ve confirmed the function or the reason for the child’s behavior was to gain access to the toy.
How ABA therapy can help
ABA therapists focus on changing the Consequences of behaviors. We help children learn new behaviors that can replace unwanted ones, while ensuring the needs of the child are still being met.
Using the Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence example above, an ABA therapist can change the consequence of the behavior to use it as a learning moment for the child. Instead of denying the child the toy they want, the therapist could acknowledge the child wants the toy and teach them a replacement behavior by saying to the child, “You can say ‘I want to go play with that.'” Teaching them to communicate their needs replaces the behavior of acting out.
It’s about finding a way to say YES to a child when they want to engage with an item or activity. If what a child wants is not immediately available or doable, we remind the child of what is necessary before accessing the item or activity they want. For example, if a child wants to go outside, we might say, “We can definitely go outside. First, let’s finish (whatever they’re in the middle of), then we can go outside.”
If a child gets frustrated about delaying going outside, we use that as a teaching moment as well by saying, “I know you’re upset that we can’t go outside right now. Would you like me to set a timer so you know when we’ll be done?”
We teach these ABA therapy techniques and others to our clients, so they can continue to reinforce positive behaviors in their interactions with their children. Don’t be afraid to talk with your child’s BCBA and therapists for advice. A sign that you have a quality ABA therapy provider is their focus on a holistic approach that supports the needs of children as well as their families.
______________________________________________________________________________
More to Explore >> Find the best ABA therapy providers in your area who have earned accreditation as a Behavioral Health Center of Excellence®.
______________________________________________________________________________
When ABA therapy should be started
For the best outcomes, children should start ABA therapy as soon as they are reliably diagnosed around the age of 2. It’s this period between birth and 5 years of age when children’s brains are forming a foundation for learning as they make vital connections with everything in their environment, shaping their behavior. Children with autism need extra help making those connections so they can learn and develop in ways that enable them to achieve their full potential in life.
We can help you identify, understand, and help shape your child’s behavior through expert and caring ABA therapy services, including our fun, early start B.E.E.S. program and Parent Training. By enrolling your child in ABA therapy early, you’re giving them the skills they need for a brighter future!
Get them started by completing our contact form or calling 972.312.8733. We serve awesome families from three locations in Plano, Frisco, and Prosper, and we’re the FIRST ABA therapy provider in all of North Texas to earn the highest accreditation possible – the prestigious 3-year accreditation as a Behavioral Health Center of Excellence®.
Be sure to watch for the last installment of our series on the function of behavior. It will be all about behaviors that meet the sensory needs of kiddos. If you have any questions in the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out to our autism and ABA therapy experts. Just email [email protected].
