Choosing the Appropriate Consequence By Matching the Function of the Negative Behavior

It is very important to remember that in order to use meaningful consequences, you need to consider the function of the negative behavior, the child’s preferences, and the consistency with which you can deliver the consequences. Here is a brief summary of how to fit your intervention approach to the function of the behavior:

If the motivation underlying the undesired behavior is attention:

PREVENTION  (What to do before the behavior has a chance to occur):

1. Determine what kind of attention the child likes best.
2. Catch the child being good and provide lots of this kind of attention.
3. Determine the high-risk times for the behavior to occur and provide even more attention during those times.

INTERVENTION  (What to do once the behavior has occurred):

1. Do not give any attention to the child (while still maintaining his/her safety) until the behavior has stopped for at 5-10 seconds.
2. Once the child is behaving appropriately again, provide lots of attention.

If the motivation underlying the undesired behavior is tangible:

PREVENTION  (What to do before the behavior has a chance to occur):

1. Determine what kind of items the child likes best.  Rank these items by preference.
2. Limit access to these items to make them even more special.
3. Catch the child being good and provide these items at those times.
4. Determine the high-risk times for the behavior to occur and provide access to these items during those times.

INTERVENTION  (What to do once the behavior has occurred):

1. Withdraw these items immediately after the behavior has occurred.
2. Once the behavior has stopped for at least 10 seconds, allow access to some items, but not the most preferred items.
3. Once the behavior has stopped for at least five minutes, allow access to the most preferred items.

If the motivation underying the undesired behavior is stimulatory:

PREVENTION  (What to do before the behavior has a chance to occur):

1. Determine what kind of stimulation the child likes best.
2. Find many different ways of providing this stimulation in an appropriate way.
3. Catch the child being good and provide this stimulation at those times.
4. Determine the high-risk times for the behavior to occur and provide opportunities for the most preferred type of stimulation during those times.

INTERVENTION  (What to do once the behavior has occurred):

1. Withdraw the stimulating activity immediately after the behavior has occurred.  (Note:  this may include taking away materials, or removing the child from a certain place, or by physically stopping the child from being stimulated.)
2. Once the behavior has stopped for at least 10 seconds, allow access to an activity that provides a form of desired stimulation, though it may not be the most preferred kind of stimulation.
3. Once the behavior has stopped for at least five minutes, allow access to the most preferred kind of stimulation.

If the motivation underlying the undesired behavior is escape:

PREVENTION  (What to do before the behavior has a chance to occur):

1. Determine what form of escape the child likes to use most.  (Note:  examples may include listening to headphones, sitting away from others, etc.)
2. Find many different ways of providing this type of escape in an appropriate way.
3. Catch the child being good and provide this form of escape at those times.
4. Determine what situations the child wants to escape from.
5. Before these situations occur, prepare the child by showing a picture of what’s going to happen next (i.e. the upcoming event).  This will make the event predictable.
6. Plan for these events to be very short, in order to build in success.
7. Coach and support the child through these events, allowing the preferred way of escaping immediately after the event is over.

INTERVENTION  (What to do once the behavior has occurred):

1. Do not allow the child to escape people, activities, demands.  Maintain him/her in the exact situation he/she is in until the behavior stops, or until the child has complied with an approximation of your request.  Keep these experiences brief, in order to ensure success.
2. Once your goal has been met, allow the child to leave the situation.
3. After a few minutes, you may need to re-introduce the child to the situation which he/she was trying to escape. 
4. Coach and support the child through this situation, providing the preferred way of escaping immediately after completion.

Some consequences are useful for behaviors of many different functions.  These include:

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