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. 2009 Summer;42(2):469-83.
doi: 10.1901/jaba.2009.42-469.

Antecedent versus consequent events as predictors of problem behavior

Erin M Camp  1 , Brian A Iwata, Jennifer L Hammond, Sarah E Bloom
Affiliations

Antecedent versus consequent events as predictors of problem behavior

Erin M Camp et al. J Appl Behav Anal. 2009 Summer.

Abstract

Comparisons of results from descriptive and functional analyses of problem behavior generally have shown poor correspondence. Most descriptive analyses have focused on relations between consequent events and behavior, and it has been noted that attention is a common consequence for problem behavior even though it may not be a functional reinforcer. Because attention may be prescribed simply as a means of stopping serious problem behavior, it is possible that naturally occurring antecedent events (establishing operations) might be better predictors of problem behavior than consequences. We conducted descriptive and functional analyses of the problem behaviors of 7 participants. Conditional probabilities based on combined antecedent and consequent events showed correspondence with the functional analysis data for 4 of the 7 participants, but antecedent events were no better than consequent events in identifying the function of problem behavior.

Keywords: descriptive analysis; functional analysis; problem behavior.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Results of descriptive analyses of antecedent and consequent events (left) and functional analyses (right) for Tara, Jerry, Kevin, and Travis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Results of descriptive analyses of antecedent and consequent events (left) and functional analyses (right) for Wyatt, Anna, and Bobby.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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