We are what we learn to do..

I was browsing on the internet and I found this picture about "tantrums" and "autism meltdown." This picture describes two separate behaviors that parents often observe among their children diagnosed with autism. These behaviors are also often observed in children of typical development.

This picture paints an inaccurate image of how behavior should be observed and does not provide an accurate reflection of how most behaviors function. Behaviors be it a tantrum behavior or an "autism meltdown" is a function of the environment. Because each child with autism is affected differently by autism, each behavior is unique. We as human beings also respond differently to the same set of environmental conditions.

Therefore, to say that a tantrum is "Want directed" for example is a generalization. It can be "want directed", but we don't know this until a formal functional assessment is done. Some children with autism, tantrum due to routine changes, unexpected events, sickness, etc. We will never know why a behavior happens until a formal assessment is done. Therefore tantrum behavior and the antecedent for that behavior will depend on the child and the child's current environment.

In addition, I don't quite comprehend what is an "autism meltdown". All behaviors in our environment especially when dealing with a child with autism, should be objective and well defined. In other words, how do we know if a child is "overstressed or overwhelmed?" How do we measure this subjective behavior? But, we as behavior analysts can measure screaming, crying, shouting, etc and based on those observable behaviors that can me measured, will determine why the child is doing what he/she is doing.

"As each of us experience varying contingencies of reinforcement, some behaviors are strengthened and some are weakened.....We are what we do and we do what we have learned to do." ( Cooper, Heron & Heward, 2007)

We do what we have learned to do. Children with autism have learned to do what they do through contingencies set by their environment. Behaviors have four functions:

1) Attention maintained
2) Escape maintained
3) Automatically maintained
4) Play maintained

A functional behavior analysis should be done to determine the function of a behavior. In other words, if you child is engaging in "tantrum behavior" or an "autism meltdown," a good behavior analyst should determine the function of these behaviors through (a) a functional analysis, (b) descriptive assessments and (c) indirect assessments. Please ask your provider about these assessments when looking at behaviors of concern such as the above. The less assumptions we make about behavior the more effective teachers we will be to our children.

For more information on these assessments, please feel free to email littlestepsmalaysia@gmail.com