Antecedents
- 20 Nov 2020
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Antecedents
- Updated on 20 Nov 2020
- 1 Minute to read
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Clinical Use: Antecedents
Antecedents: Events, actions, interactions, or objects that happen right before a target behavior. Antecedents include where the target behavior occurred (physical environment), when the target behavior occurred (time of day, activity), what happened just before the target behavior occurred (type of instruction, social interaction, transition), and other environmental variables that may “trigger” a target behavior.
For example, being teased by a classmate during lunch may be antecedents to aggression toward peers, writing tasks, especially during Language Arts and Study Skills classes may be antecedents to work refusal and leaving the learning area, or not receiving direct staff attention during whole group activities may be antecedents to blurting out or disruptive behaviors.
Hint: Identify consistent antecedent patterns based on observations, interviews, assessments, and/or record reviews.
Clinical Use: Setting Events
Setting events: Setting events are less frequent events, or events outside the immediate environment, that indirectly impact the likelihood that a behavior will occur. Setting events in this program generally refer to events that happen before the direct situation in which a target problem behavior occurs. Lack of sleep, hunger, missed medication, trouble in a previous class, fight with a peer, etc. can all indirectly affect whether or not an antecedent will actually “trigger” a behavior.
For example, Michael does not always follow teacher directions, but his rate of “noncompliance” appears to increase significantly when he arrives at school reporting that he has not eaten breakfast or went to bed late the night before. The setting events, in this case, are hunger and lack of sleep. The antecedent to “noncompliance” is still teacher instructions, but these “triggers” become more likely to result in “noncompliance” behaviors when Michael is hungry and tired.