4 Functions of Behaviors

There are a number of reasons why children exhibit negative behaviors from time-to-time. It could be emotional or biological issues, a form of communication, to gain attention, or to obtain something.

If your child is being seen by a behavior specialist, he or she likely has an FBA (i.e., Functional Behavioral Assessment). FBAs typically lists concerning behaviors, hypotheses of why a child might be exhibiting said behaviors, and interventions to target each behavior.

Below is a list of what each function of behavior does for a child, when it typically happens, and what to do to manage behaviors. Note that the list is not all inclusive. If your child's behaviors have yet to be assessed and you are concerned, please contact Honu Intervention today.

Click here if you want to learn more about function-based intervention strategies based on the four functions of behavior.