Functional Assessments Part 1: Functions of Behavior

Written by Angela Benitez-Santiago, M.A., BCBA

When trying to understand problem behaviors and increasing or decreasing existing behavior, we first need to understand why the behavior is occurring.  In order to do this this, some type of an assessment based on the three-term contingency must be conducted to help determine the antecedent events that evoke the behavior (what happened before the behavior) and the reinforcing consequences that help maintain it (what happened after the behavior).  Identifying these variables before treating a problem behavior is called a Functional Assessment (Miltenberger, 2008).  In Part 1 of this mini-series we will discuss the functions of behavior.

There are four broad classes of reinforcing consequences or functions of problem behavior (Iwata et al., 1993; Miltenberger, 1998, 1999).

1.       Social Positive Reinforcement:  This type of reinforcing consequence is mediated by another person, and may involve attention, access to activities or tangibles.  When a positively reinforcing consequence is delivered by another person after the target behavior, it is called social positive reinforcement (Miltenberger, 2008).

   Examples:

       a.  Tommy received attention from his mother (which acted as a reinforcer) after he threw all his toys to the ground.

       b.  Angelica got all her toys back from the other children (tangible) after she engaged in some problem behavior.

2.       Social Negative Reinforcement:  Some problem behaviors can be maintained by the removal of an aversive interaction following a target behavior (negative reinforcement).  When the removal of that event is mediated by another person, it is considered social negative reinforcement (Miltenberger, 2008).

    Examples:

       b.  When Doug was instructed to do an academic task, he hit the teacher and the teacher removes that task, therefore he got to escape as a result.

3.       Automatic Positive Reinforcement:  When the reinforcing consequence is not mediated by another person, but rather as an automatic consequence of the behavior itself, the behavior is said to be maintained by automatic positive reinforcement.  Some behaviors produce sensory stimulation that reinforces the behavior (Mitenberger, 2008).

     Examples:

       a.  A child with autism who spins objects, rocks in his seat, or flaps his fingers in front of his face.

       b.  Arnold goes to the kitchen and pours himself a glass of orange juice.

4.       Automatic Negative Reinforcement:  “Automatic negative reinforcement occurs when the target behavior automatically reduces or eliminates an aversive stimulus as a consequence of the behavior” (Miltenberger, 2008). Escape from the aversive stimuli, in automatic negative reinforcement, is not mediated by another person.

     Examples:

       a.  Gerald closed the window to avoid the cold draft.

       b.  Helga turned down the volume of her television when a loud action scene blasted through the speakers.

Understanding the variables that reinforce and maintain problem behaviors is the first step to try to reduce problem behavior.  What are the events that occur before the behavior?  What happens after the behavior has occurred?  These answers and more can be found by conducting a functional assessment.  Look out for Part 2: Functional Assessment Methods, where we will discuss the different methods we can use to determine the function of our target behavior(s).

References:

Miltenberger, R. G., (2008). Behavior Modification Principles and Procedures, Fourth Edition

Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E.,  & Heward, W.L., (2007). Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition