The Basics of Behavior Modification: ABCs
Evaluating the antecedents, behaviors, & consequences (ABCs) can help identify patterns and cycles that contribute to disruptive behavior. By addressing an antecedent or consequence, one can often reduce the frequency of a disruptive behavior and increase the frequency of a positive behavior.
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The ABCs refer to:
Antecedents (what happened before the behavior)
Behavior (the identified behavior)
Consequences (what happened after the behavior)
When Modifying a Behavior, Use the ABCs
- Select a target behavior you would like to change, for example:
- Leaving seat
- Off task
- Identify antecedents to this behavior (context, time of day), for example:
- Difficulty with independent seat work.
- Limited attention from teacher and peers.
- Transition to a difficult subject or certain time of day.
- Identify the consequences of the behavior (what follows the behavior). Consequences can be positive (e.g., reward, attention) or negative (e.g., reprimands, punishment), for example:
- Student escapes from completing work.
- Attention from the teacher and/or peers.
Changing the Antecedents
Once you have identified the ABCs, you can use this information to help change behavior. Altering the antecedents is a preventative approach, sometimes referred to as antecedent control. Think about how you can give the child what they are needing before the disruptive behavior occurs.
For example, a student who gets out of his seat may receive attention (reprimands). The teacher could praise the student when he is quiet and on task, regularly stop by the student’s desk to check on work progress, or provide brief attention or praise to other students who are on-task.
Other antecedent control strategies include:
- reviewing rules before activities
- using clear commands
- giving preferential seating
- providing routines and structure
- offering assistance to the student before a behavior occurs
- keeping close proximity to the student
- providing attention, praise, or rewards
Changing the Consequences
While altering the antecedents to the behavior is helpful, sometimes it may not necessary to also provide consequences. In these instances, the current consequences of the behavior may be too strong to allow behavior change.
For example, a student who gets out of her seat may do so because she can avoid work. A teacher could provide rewards for staying in her seat and additionally require the student to finish uncompleted work during recess or for homework.
What message would this send the child?
Consequences following negative behavior can include:
- A loss (e.g., class token)
- A requirement to work during free time
- Removal of attention (e.g., student no longer sits with peers for activity)
- Skills practice (such as raising hand instead of interrupting)
Alternatively, you can change the positive consequences following positive behavior:
- Praise (verbal or non-verbal) or offer small reward for desired behavior
ABC Trouble Shooting
Issue: This behavior keeps happening after I
changed the consequence!
Questions to ask yourself:
- Does the child enjoy the reward provided, and/or are the current consequences for misbehavior (e.g., peer attention) more rewarding?
- If the reward is not motivating to the child then it will not likely change the behavior.
- Are the consequences occurring immediately after the behavior?
- If not, can you alter your reward schedule to have more frequent or immediate rewards?
- Can you use antecedent control to prevent the behavior before it occurs?
Issue: There appear to be multiple antecedents,
which do I target?
Questions to ask yourself:
- Is one antecedent more strongly linked to the behavior than the other antecedents?
- For example, if disruptive behavior occurs during unstructured times and when a child is with peers, does one seem to drive the behavior more?
- Which antecedent is easier to target?
Issue: What if I already have steps in place to change disruptive classroom behaviors?
- If you already have steps in place, that’s great! We are here to help make your classroom work well for you and your students.
- Monitoring behaviors can help you get an idea of what is already happening and determine if a change is needed. If there are no problems, then there is no need to add anything. Using the ABCs is there for you when you need it.
Putting this information to use!
Often, the consequence of one behavior can act as an antecedent to another behavior, resulting in a cycle of ABCs. Addressing the first behavior can interrupt this cycle and prevent additional misbehavior.
Below is an example of this cycle.
| Antecedent | Behavior | Consequence |
| (1) Bill is supposed to complete a math assignment but has a question about how to proceed. | (2) Bill raises his hand to ask a question | (3) The teacher does not ‘call on’ Bill because she is answering questions for students who have gone to her desk. |
| (4) Bill is ignored by the teacher. | (5) Bill leaves his seat without permission to go to the teacher’s desk to ask his question. | (6)Teacher says, “Bill, you are supposed to be in your seat doing your math assignment. If you have a question, raise your hand and wait for me to call on you.” |
| (7) Bill is told to return to his seat in order to ask questions, but observes other students getting answers by approaching the desk. | (8) Bill stays at teacher’s desk and asks, “Okay, but how do I do number 7?” | (9) The teacher answers his question and then tells him that next time he should stay in his seat and raise his hand to ask such a question. |
Reflection Questions:
What behavior did the teacher punish in (3)?
What behavior did the teacher reward in (9)?
What could the teacher do at point (3) to prevent the cycle?
Bill ignored the teacher’s direction to return to his seat. What was his consequence for this (reward or punishment)?
Another Example of ABCs in Action:
Read the example below and try to identify how the consequence of one behavior turns into the antecedent to the next disruptive behavior.
ANTECEDENT: The class is instructed to come to the carpet for circle time.
BEHAVIOR: Jaylen wanders over to the coat cubbies to get something from her coat.
CONSEQUENCE: The teacher’s assistant follows Jaylen to the cubbies and gives her multiple instructions to get her to the carpet (adult attention).
ANTECEDENT: Jaylen receives attention from an adult.
BEHAVIOR: Jaylen sits quietly for 5 minutes in the circle. The teacher continues with the lesson, and the teacher’s assistant goes to the back of the room to prepare for the next activity.
CONSEQUENCE: Jaylen receives no attention from an adult.
ANTECEDENT: Jaylen lays down and begins to play with the rubber band she found in her coat pocket.
BEHAVIOR: The teacher says, “Jaylen sit up and pay attention or you will lose a class token.”
CONSEQUENCE: Jaylen receives attention from an adult.
Reflection Questions:
For what behaviors did Jaylen receive adult attention?
For what behaviors did Jaylen not receive adult attention?
What behaviors of Jaylen’s are likely to increase and not increase?
What could the teacher do to avoid this cycle?
What if the teacher positively attended to Jaylen’s desirable behavior?
Although this may seem like an unlikely or contrived example, many negative behaviors receive unintentional attention and many positive behaviors go unnoticed. Challenge yourself to look for these patterns in your classroom and use antecedent modifications to correct them.