Functions of Behaviour
All behaviour is a form of communication and enables your child to interact with his/her environment. It is important to remember that your child’s behaviour always serves a purpose and that means that there is a reason as to why he/she is acting in a certain way. This is particularly significant when looking at challenging behaviours and helpful to remember that your child is trying to communicate to you.
At times, you will be able to immediately understand what your child is trying to communicate to you. However, unfortunately, at other times, it might not be as clear cut.
Below are examples of the 4 most common functions of behaviours. Remember that one behaviour can have multiple functions!
| Function | Description | Examples |
| Escape/Avoidance | A child behaves in a certain way in order to get out of something that he/she does not want to do. | Jane does not want to do her homework so she throws a tantrum. Upon seeing her crying and screaming, grandma takes away her homework and gives her a break. |
| Attention |
A child behaves in a certain way in order to obtain attention from the people around them. Note: This can be in terms of positive attention (e.g. praise) as well as negative attention (e.g. scolding). |
John throws his toys when his mum is busy talking on the phone. Mom ends her conversation and rushes over to reason with him. |
| The desire to obtain tangible objects | A child behaves in a certain way in order to get a preferred item or engage in an enjoyable activity. | Lilly wants a bar of chocolate. She stands very nicely next to mum at the grocery store checkout and mum buys her a chocolate bar as a reward. |
| Sensory Stimulation | A child behaves in a certain way to satisfy any underlying sensory needs. | Tom clenches his fists whenever he gets excited. |
We encourage you to try and brainstorm about what your child is trying to tell you through their actions. This means that in turn, you will be more likely to help them find other, more acceptable, ways to communicate!