Your child doesn't do things for no reason; there is a reason or function behind every behavior your child exhibits. And this is true for all humans, regardless of whether they have autism or not. However, children with ASD may have more intense behaviors that compromise their well-being, the well-being of others, or that completely disrupt daily routines. This requires assistance from ABA (applied behavior analysis) experts who act like private investigators, examining the behavior and uncovering its underlying cause.
ABA categorizes behaviors using four clear identifiers: sensory, escape, attention, and tangible (SEAT). While these behaviors take different forms, the form itself does not reveal their function. Instead, as board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs), we use Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) to listen to our clients' and their families' experiences and observe the child's behaviors in real-time settings to identify the function of the behavior. By identifying the function or underlying reason for the individual's actions or reactions, we can design personalized and effective treatment plans.
Parent and caregiver observations are integral to this process; nobody knows your child and their environmental or situational triggers better than you. Together, we use something called the ABC model to determine the antecedent or precursor to a disruptive or harmful behavior, observe the resulting behavior, and then examine the consequence of that behavior. In this case, consequence does not mean "punishment." Consequence refers to the outcome of the behavior (what is gained from it).
Understanding the ABCs of your child's behavior is the first step toward developing a treatment plan that supports their whole-child well-being at home, at school, and in social environments.
NOTE: We understand that these acronyms and other ASD-related terms may be completely new to you, especially if your child just received a diagnosis. In that case, please visit our page on common autism terms or use high-quality internet results to familiarize yourself.
Your child's behaviors have a root cause, and they ultimately serve your child. The behavior gives them what they want or need. So, we go beyond looking at the form of the behavior (what it looks like on the outside) and look deeper into the function (the environment and/or what happened before the behavior), which sheds light on the cause.
For ABA therapy, we use the SEAT acronym to categorize a child's behaviors:
While these causal categories are relatively universal, the form of the behavior is not as concretely indicative of a child's needs. The same behavior can have different functions for different children.
For example, a child who craves sensory stimulation (Sensory) and a child who wants to avoid doing a math assignment (Escape) may both bang their head on the desk or rapidly drum their fingers or hands on their legs. This is why taking a broader big-picture approach, identifying precursor triggers or environmental cues (the antecedents), is so essential for interpreting the function of a specific behavior.
As a result, while the behavior is the same, they have different functions, which require different treatment or intervention approaches.
Here is what each of the four behavioral functions looks like in real life.
Key Takeaway: The same behavior can look identical but serve completely different functions for different children. Head-banging might be sensory stimulation for one child and demand avoidance for another. This is exactly why a Functional Behavior Assessment matters before designing any treatment.
Sometimes there is no trigger required. The behavior itself generates an internal sensation or external sensation that is its own reward. The urge to stretch or fidget when sitting or lying down for long periods of time is an example of that. There is no social trigger required. The same is true of stroking soothing fabrics (or our pets' fur) when we're nervous or expressing love.
Some of the most common sensory reinforcing behaviors for children with ASD are:
The best indicator that a person's behaviors stem from sensory needs is that they occur with or without outside stimulus or triggers, and they also occur when the child is alone (no audience required).
Rather than eliminating these behaviors, which would be impossible and unfair, we can provide ways to redirect or reduce them through appropriate, child-centric sensory accommodations.
How many times have you found yourself doing everything but the task you're supposed to be doing? Escape and avoidance behaviors are normal. However, in young children or children with autism, these behaviors can range from mildly disruptive to debilitating for the individual and those around them. Perhaps a child has a meltdown when it's time to leave for a birthday party or an event they know will be overwhelming.
They may also start crying or throwing a tantrum when it's time to do homework, or they flail around or strike out when it's time to put on shoes or certain articles of clothing. Avoidant behaviors can also be a way to delay the onset of something, which is common in children who have difficulty transitioning between activities or locations. And while it's easy to understand why parents give in, the escape function is maintained by negative reinforcement.
The tricky thing for parents, caregivers, or teachers to recognize can be whether the meltdown is a temper tantrum, like that of any child not getting their way, or whether the behavior is a genuine response to a historical trauma or a more fear/anxiety-stimulating trigger. Caregivers often struggle with knowing whether to discipline a child or honor their resistance, which can be confusing for everyone - and can put strain on a couple when they are on opposite sides of the line.
A key indicator that a behavior is in the avoidant or escapist category is that the child's behavior increases when the demand or event occurs and then stops once the demand is removed. When a parent backs off of a request or instruction after a meltdown, they reinforce the escape function, and children learn, "Hey! This behavior works great!"
Again, we want to emphasize that not all escape function behaviors are petty or willful. Some can indicate historical trauma or a more significant underlying cause. ART's trauma-informed approach allows us to get a more nuanced impression of what's going on beneath the surface.
Important: When a parent backs off a request after a meltdown, the escape function is reinforced. The child learns that the behavior works. Understanding this pattern is crucial for avoiding accidentally strengthening the very behavior you're trying to reduce.
Sometimes, the function of behavior communicates that a child wants attention. Attention seeking can be one of the most misunderstood behavioral functions. So, caregivers must understand that attention-seeking is communication, not manipulation, even though it can feel like that at times.
This behavior takes various forms, including a child throwing toys or trying to distract you when you're on the phone or in a conversation with someone else. They might hit a sibling, intentionally push their buttons to get a parental response, or make loud vocalizations in public.
One of the most telling clues that your child seeks attention is that the behavior occurs only in the presence of others and decreases or disappears altogether when they receive attention or are engaged in something that interests them.
Seeking attention is a normal and healthy human need. Balanced, healthy attention-seeking is about connection. For children with ASD, especially those who struggle more in social situations or who have limited verbal ability, attention-seeking behaviors are more prevalent because they are limited in ways to communicate their need for attention or affection.
Rather than ignoring attention-seeking behaviors, which can backfire and intensify them, we find ways to teach "replacement communication." This allows the child's needs to be met without disruptive or harmful behaviors.
Remember: Attention-seeking behavior is communication, not manipulation. Children with limited verbal skills rely on behavior to signal their needs for connection. The solution is not to ignore the behavior, but to teach a replacement behavior that gets the same need met appropriately.
Sometimes children learn that a certain behavior gives them access to something they want, such as a specific item, an activity/game, or a desirable place. For example, the child may scream until you give them their tablet. They may grab a toy from a peer, even when sharing rules are in place, or hit or pinch a sibling to get the remote.
Again, this is not greed or defiance. This is completely normal early childhood behavior, often more intensified for those with heightened sensitivities or who struggle to communicate. As with the above functional behaviors, tangible and access-centered behaviors communicate an unmet need. The child has yet to identify or trust that there is a reliable way to ask for what they want, or that they'll get it when they ask the right way.
We suspect a child's behavior is in the tangible or access category when it only shows up when they want something or when it's taken away. Without the desirable object or event in the picture, this behavior doesn't show up. Interestingly, some children have learned that disruptive or harmful behaviors lead to time-outs. So, we sometimes find that, rather than seeking a quiet or calming space on their own or asking for access to a designated calming corner at home or in a classroom, children may act out. They've connected that a big behavior can gain access to a calm space. In this way, we learn it's time to teach them to ask for a break or time at a sensory-soothing location rather than act out.
Depending on the child's age and communication skills, we use multiple approaches to teach children how to ask for or signal their needs to us. This can include verbal requests, but might also include pointing to a picture, creating picture sentences with PECS cards, or using sign language.
Are any of these challenging (but functional) behaviors sounding familiar? A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is a good first step to learning more about what these behaviors mean for your child. FBAs are the process a Board-certified Behavior Analyst uses to identify the function and learn more about the root cause of the behavior.
FBAs include:
We also ask parents to keep ABC logs at home. Home observations provide a level of authentic data that we simply can't recreate in our clinic.
Pro Tip: Parents should keep ABC logs at home between therapy sessions. Home observations capture authentic data that clinic settings can't replicate. Your observations as a parent are just as valuable as what we see in our clinic, and the combination of both gives us the clearest picture of your child's needs.
The four functions are the foundation of every FBA. By the time we've reviewed all of the data, ART has the information we need to create function-based behavioral intervention plans (BIPs), which research shows produce more durable change than other approaches. The goal of each personalized BIP is to teach children and families how a replacement behavior serves the same function as a challenging behavior, but with far less disruption or long-term harm.
Ultimately, our goal is not to eliminate or deprioritize a child's needs; their needs are normal and part of being human. Instead, we want to give children better tools to meet their needs, which helps build daily living skills and more positive social relationships.
A: The four functions are sensory/automatic, escape/avoidance, attention, and tangible/access. Each describes what a child gets or avoids through a behavior. ABA therapists use the acronym SEAT to remember them.
A: A BCBA identifies function through a Functional Behavior Assessment, which includes interviews, observation, and ABC data collection. Parents contribute by logging what happens before and after the behavior at home. Guessing the function without assessment often leads to responses that accidentally reinforce the behavior.
A: Most behaviors have one primary function, though co-occurring functions are possible. A BCBA's assessment will identify the primary driver so the intervention targets the right need.
A: Ignoring only reduces behavior maintained by attention. For escape-maintained behaviors, ignoring can reinforce the behavior (the demand disappears). For sensory behaviors, ignoring has no effect. Knowing the function first determines whether extinction is even appropriate.
A: The team develops a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) that teaches a replacement behavior serving the same function. The replacement gives the child a more appropriate way to meet the same need.
When parents and therapists understand why a challenging behavior happens, they can respond in ways that work rather than those that backfire or escalate the situation. The BIPs and work we do with children and their families are never about trying to control or diminish a child. This is not about making anything "go away." Rather, our goal is to see the whole child, recognize their normal, healthy, underlying needs, and create ways to connect ever more deeply with their inner and outer worlds.
ART focuses on a family-centered approach where parents/caregivers and siblings are active partners in the process, rather than feeling like bystanders.
Do you want to gain a better understanding of your child's behaviors, as well as compassionate ways to meet their needs without all the meltdowns and physical disruptions, and with more grace throughout the daily household activities? Our board-certified behavior analysts at ART can help. Schedule a free ABA consultation.
