THE FOUR PRINCIPALS

Consequence in ABA
Although human behavior cannot always be
predicted with certainty, it can be predicted at high
levels of accuracy. In the home, there are four
principles of human behavior that can predict
positive behavioral events in your environment.
Understanding these principles will help you skillfully
apply these principles in your family setting. The
application of the principles will remarkably improve
the quality of the home experience and family
relationships.
PRINCIPAL 1: BEHAVIOR IS
STRENGTHENED OR WEAKENED BY ITS
CONSEQUENCES
When you think of the word “consequence”, you
may think of something negative. However, a
consequence is anything (good or bad) that happens
after a behavior. You also might also be surprised to
learn that consequences shape behavior far more
than genetics. Events that happen after a behavior
will increase or decrease that behavior to continue
to happen. Careful arrangement of consequences
will have a great effect on behavior and can increase
positive behaviors while decreasing unwanted
behaviors from your child.
Before Consequence
Behavior
Hands feel Hands feel
gross
Wash hands
better
with soap
because they
and water
because they
are dirty are clean
A CONSEQUENCE IS WHAT HAPPENS
AFTER A BEHAVIOR. A
CONSEQUENCE CAN BE POSITIVE OR
NEGATIVE. A CONSEQUENCE CAN
INCREASE OR DECREASE A
BEHAVIOR.
Getting a paycheck is a consequence of
going to work. This will increase the
probability of that person continuing to go to
work.
Getting a speeding ticket is a consequence
of driving too fast. This will decrease the
probability of that person continuing to drive
over the speed limit.
PRINCIPAL 2: BEHAVIOR ULTIMATELY
RESPONDS BETTER TO POSITIVE
CONSEQUENCES
Taking advantage of opportunities to reward and
praise wanted behaviors has a much more
lasting effect than punishing unwanted
behaviors. Negative consequences are
ineffective ways of controlling a child’s behavior
in most cases. Although you may get immediate
results with negative consequences, they are
very often short-lived gains. Instead, positive
reinforcement with helpful instruction has
lasting and beneficial results for a healthy family
environment and stronger relationships.
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT IN THE HOME
Examples Of Positive Reinforcement
• Verbal Praise, “Wow! You did such a good
job cleaning”
• Giving a high five or a hug
• Clapping or giving a thumbs up
• Offering a reward like playing a game, or a
special activity together
Telling others how proud you are of your
child’s behavior when the child is listening
Behaviors To Use Positive Reinforcement
• Being a good sibling/friend
• Completing chores
• Being flexible
• Handling disappointment without a
tantrum
• Putting effort into a task or chore
• Talking about their feelings
Showing compassion
Things to remember
• Respond quickly to connect praise with
the behaviors you want to reinforce
• Try to avoid giving constant physical
rewards
• Avoid accidental positive reinforcement to
behaviors you do NOT want to continue.
An example is telling your child to “stop”
every time they are seeking attention by
annoying you.
 SUMMARY
PRINCIPLE 3: BEHAVIOR IS KNOWN ONLY BY
THE COURSE OF THE BEHAVIOR IN THE FUTURE RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THE MOST
EFFECTIVE WAY TO REDUCE PROBLEM
An understanding of these four principles will give the
BEHAVIOR IN CHILDREN IS TO STRENGTHEN
Principle 3 encourages parents to observe what happens opportunity to manage and predict behavior. It does
DESIRABLE BEHAVIOR THROUGH POSITIVE
over the course of time to determine if the desired not mean that a child’s behavior will never annoy or
REINFORCEMENT RATHER THAN TRYING TO
result is being reached. This will tell us if the upset us, or that we will never misstep or have to
WEAKEN UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIOR USING
reinforcement or punishment is working. For example, if reevaluate. But as with all science, the working
AVERSIVE OR NEGATIVE PROCESSES
you want to strengthen a behavior to increase the knowledge of the principles will increase the
probability of it happening, you want to pick a Dr. Sidney Bijou probability that our children’s behaviors will be more
reinforcement that will do that. However, if you choose wonderful because as parents, we are more skilled.
a reinforcement that your child doesn’t care about, you When all else fails, we must create a positive,
PRINCIPLE 4: BEHAVIOR IS LARGELY A PRODUCT reinforcing environment within our homes irrespective
are less likely to see results. Therefore, your
reinforcement isn’t working, and you need to try
OF ITS IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT of our children’s behavior. Even if the child is out of
something else. You may hear parents exclaim that they control, the parents must be in control to keep the
try punishing their child, but the child continues the family in control. Proactive parenting will help reduce
A disciplined child is a product of an environment the “growing pains” of childhood and being armed
unwanted behavior. That is because they have chosen
controlled by the parent. It is not enough to correct a with knowledge and possessing the tools of behavior
the wrong punishment for that child. This is evident in
child’s behavior. It is equally important to set the analysis will make a significant difference in our family
the fact that the behavior has not changed. As parents,
child up for success by providing for their needs in environment.
carefully observing the course of the child’s behavior
everyday interactions. For example, imagine you have
and being prepared to change how you respond will help
two brothers who fight daily, one is punished for Behavior is
improve unpleasant situations. It may take you out of Behavior responds
hitting, and one is comforted when he cries, and the strengthed or
your comfort zone, but if you want to see results, you better to POSITVE
behavior persists. The reason the behavior may weakened by its
must be ready to make impactful change. consequences
continue is that they both are being served with consequences
attention from the parent. If you change the
environment to provide positive attention during the
Behavior is nown Behavior is largely a
day when the children are behaving, the more likely
only by the course product of its
the hitting and crying cycle can be eradicated.
of the behavior in immediate
Additionally, when unwanted behavior occurs, it is
the future environment
better to redirect it and reinforce the redirected
behavior instead of the unwanted behavior. Our job
as parents is to teach appropriate behavior and to
“catch” our children being good to provide an
environment of support and reinforcement. Strive to
have an environment where positive interactions
outweigh the negative substantially. Find the positive
behaviors and allow them to blossom by recognizing
them and acknowledging them with positive
reinforcement