Understanding Your Child’s Behaviour:
The ABC Chart

This guide might be helpful for parents and caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and this approach/tool might help you understand why a person might behave in a certain way.

Think of it like a detective story :

You need to uncover the clues to solve the “mystery” of why your child is behaving in a certain way

The ABC Chart: Breaking Down Behaviour

The ABC chart helps you break down a behaviour into three parts:

Antecedent

What happened before the behaviour? This is like the clues the detective finds.

Examples: Was your child asked to do something they didn’t want to do? Was there a change in their routine? Was the environment loud or overwhelming? Even things that happen earlier in the day, like a lack of sleep or feeling sick, can influence behaviour.

Behaviour

What did the behaviour look like? This is the puzzle piece itself.

Examples: Did your child hit, scream, throw things, or run away?
Make sure your description is clear enough that anyone can understand what happened

Consequence

What happened after the behaviour? This is the result of the detective’s investigation.

Examples: Did the child get what they wanted (like a toy or attention)?
Did someone try to calm them down? Did they get in trouble?

Uncovering the “Why” Behind Behaviour

By analysing the ABCs of behaviour, you can start to understand why your child is acting in a certain way.
Here are some common reasons for challenging behaviour:

  • Physically unwell/underlying illness: Sometimes, the child might be acting out because they’re not feeling well (like crying because of stomach ache, or toothache)
  • Escape: The child wants to get away from a situation they find unpleasant or overwhelming (such as refusing tasks, leaving the classroom or mall)
  • Attention: The child wants to get your attention, even if it’s negative attention.
  • Tangible: The child wants a specific object or activity.
  • Sensory: The child is seeking sensory input to feel better (like spinning objects, rocking, or making noises)
  • Overwhelmed: The child is trying to cope with these feelings when faced with too much information/activity, or too many people.

Using the ABC Chart

  1. Focus on one behaviour at a time. For example, start by tracking only hitting, then move on to other behaviours.
  2. Fill out the chart right after the behaviour. This helps you remember the details.
  3. Look for patterns. Does the behaviour always happen in the same situation?
  4. Try to understand the purpose of the behaviour. Does it seem like your child is trying to escape something, get attention, or get a specific object?
  5. Think about how you can respond differently. Once you understand why your child is behaving in a certain way, you can start to think about how to respond in a more helpful and effective way. It may still be challenging to balance between simple rewards to manage the situation quickly rather than working on the actual cause but don’t give up, this will happen with time.

Some behaviours serve more than one purpose. For example, your child may hit and then get a snack (tangible) or hit and then a caregiver talks with them about it (attention).

Also, try to see if there is a pattern to the behaviour.

Example

Imagine your child keeps saying “Donald Duck” and walking around a locked door.
Using the ABC chart, you might discover:

A (Antecedent)

Your child just finished their afternoon snack and wants to go outside.

B (Behaviour)
Your child says “Donald Duck” repeatedly and walks around the door
C (Consequence)

You tell your child they can’t go outside yet

The Solution

You might realise your child associates “Donald Duck” with their shoes because they have Donald Duck pictures on them. By understanding this, you could help your child by saying, “You want to put your shoes on and go outside?” This could be a more effective way to communicate with your child than simply saying “no” or getting frustrated. Solution
You might realise your child associates “Donald Duck” with their shoes because they have Donald Duck pictures on them. By understanding this, you could help your child by saying, “You want to put your shoes on and go outside?” This could be a more effective way to communicate with your child than simply saying “no” or getting frustrated.

The ABC Chart can be a powerful tool for understanding and responding to your child’s behaviour. By learning to analyse their actions, you can create a more positive and supportive environment for your child.

Download this template HERE

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