But why doesn't it work?! (The problem with generalized behavior strategies)

As a continuation of our last post, here is some more information on behavioral interventions.


Now, we know that there are four functions for behavior.  Think of S.E.A.T  (Sensory, Escape, Attention, Tangible).  Every. Single. Behavior, occurs to access one of these 4 functions. (Remember this, it'll come in handy later).

Every single day I see posts asking for advice or interventions for a child engaging in some behavior that the parent/caregiver/teacher doesn't like.  I've seen everything from use essential oils, give him sensory breaks, use time out, spank him, and I get it.  Parents reach a point where they are willing to try anything to change the behavior they're seeing.  They'll turn to the internet, family members, pastors, teachers, psychologists.  Anything to get an answer and some help.

On each post I see, I offer the same advice.  Take some data, determine the function, and then find a replacement behavior.  Typically, people ignore me and that's ok!  I'm only here to offer advice based in scientific knowledge; I am not the perfect parent or the perfect person.  I cannot (and will not) make decisions for other families.

Taking data and finding the function isn't hard, it just sounds overwhelming, and to a parent that's already struggling, they want don't want more work they want an answer NOW.  The problem is, is that any interventions given without this knowledge are just a band-aid (shout out to Paradigm Behavior for this term).  Time out, removing toys, tokens, quiet time (etc etc) may all work in the short term, but eventually the behavior of concern will come back because the function of the behavior was not addressed.  This is why asking the internet for advice is a bad idea; the function of  a behavior are not static for every person and interventions can't be created without data!  (This is also why I have a hard time with School Districts that don't have BCBA's on staff - what happens if you put a kid in time out that wanted to escape from a task?  You guessed it - they're MORE likely to engage in the behavior you wanted to decrease).

So, now you're probably saying "Fine, I'll take your data if I have to but I don't even know where to start".  Ta-Da!  Presenting A-B-C forms for you to complete!

See!  Easy as pie!  Next time, we'll discuss how to start creating interventions!