Behavior often makes more sense when we stop asking, “How do I stop this?” and start asking, “What might this behavior be accomplishing or communicating in this situation?”
Key Idea
A possible function is a hypothesis about why a behavior may keep occurring. It is not a diagnosis and should not be determined from the behavior alone. Common patterns may involve: - getting away from or delaying something - gaining interaction or attention - gaining access to an item or activity - changing an uncomfortable environment or experience Other influences can include communication needs, task difficulty, predictability, regulation, physical discomfort, medical factors, sensory experiences, and many other variables.
What This Can Look Like
Two students may both yell. One frequently yells after difficult work is presented and work is then delayed. Another frequently yells when adult interaction decreases and adult interaction then increases. Same behavior. Different context. Potentially different explanations.
✓Try This
- •Look at what reliably happens before and after the behavior instead of guessing from what the behavior looks like.
Keep in Mind
One incident is not enough to establish why behavior occurs. Treat function as a working hypothesis to investigate, not a label to attach to a student.