Aggressive Behavior in Autism is a difficult topic for many. In family unit and group living settings, Aggressive behavior causes emotional distress and threatens safety. However, as frightening as the behavior can be, at its core, it is no different than any other human behavior. By removing judgment from the behavior itself, and seeking to understand why the behavior happens, aggressive behavior can be replaced with functional behavior. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), the science of human behavior, offers a practical approach for reducing an individual’s aggressive behavior in everyday life.
In this article, we will discuss Aggression from a nonjudgmental, behavior analytic framework. We will discuss types of aggressive behavior, why they happen, modifying the environment and providing functionally equivalent replacement behaviors, and de-escalation techniques.
We believe that individuals displaying aggressive behavior have learned that this challenging behavior is the most effective way to get their needs met. While the method issocially unacceptable andunnecessary, it does not change the need. Every individual deserves to have their voice heard, and ABA provides the critical framework to help individuals learn the skills they need to replace aggressive behaviors.
Types of Aggressive Behavior in Autism
From an ABA perspective, aggressive behavior is any behavior performed with the intent of causing harm (emotional or physical) to another individual. It is important to note that every individual has a different threshold for what they personally consider violence; regardless of the magnitude or the severity, if a behavior is performed with the intent to harm, it is considered aggressive behavior.
When speaking about aggressive behaviors, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) divide behaviors into three categories:
Verbal Aggression
Verbal Aggression is using language and vocalizations that cause others to be upset.with the intent to harm. It includes things like raising one’s voice, excessive profanity, name-calling, and insults.
Physical Aggression
Physical aggression is any attempt to make contact with another individual with theintentpotentialto harm. Any time an individual makes contact with another individual, from small pinches to larger blows, falls under the definition of physical aggression.
Property Destruction
Property destruction occurs when an individual damages objects or domiciles. Examples include things like punching holes in the wall, picking at wallpaper, smashing doors, and smashing televisions. Notably, property destruction does not necessarily cause harm directly to another individual. However, property destruction behaviors often cause immediate emotional distress to another individual.
A Note on Self-Injurious Behavior
Many professionals also consider Self-Injurious behavior, known colloquially as self harm, to be a category of Aggressive behavior. However, it is the position of ABA-LLC, that more often than not, Self-Injurious behavior is not performed to cause distress or harm to another individual, and therefore exists in its own separate category.
Why does Aggressive Behavior in Autism Happen?
Put simply: aggressive behavior happens because it is highly EFFECTIVE.
Individuals on the Autism spectrum often struggle with communication. When they need to get out of situations that are stressful, uncomfortable, frightening, or just plain annoying, they will often resort to violence to quickly get what they want.
Think about it this way; if a nonverbal individual who is easily overwhelmed in crowded environments goes to Walmart with their Grandmother on a Saturday morning becomes uncomfortable, if they attempt to hit Grandma in the face, likely, the family will leave immediately. If an individual is being given a task prompt like “Clean your room,” when they do not want to clean their room, escalating the situation to violence will quickly shift the conversation away from an unwanted task.
Aggressive behavior is emotionally disruptive. It puts everyone in the situation surrounding it into fight or flight mode. However, functionally, Aggressive Behavior is no different than any other behavior. It happens because an individual is trying to change their circumstances, and sees aggressive behavior as the quickest means to achieve this goal. It is very challenging for people affected by aggressive behavior to observe the circumstances surrounding the behavior and not focus on the behavior itself.
Aggression is a zero frequency behavior; we don’t want it to occur at all. Therefore, we must take multiple proactive steps towards understanding, preventing, and replacing these challenging behaviors.
The ABCs of Behavior
To understand “WHY” aggressive behavior happens, we should first break down why behavior happens at all. While it may seem like certain behaviors come out of nowhere, all behavior is driven by a change in a person’s immediate circumstances, usually in the pursuit of a specific consequence. One way that Behavior Analysts understand this process is through the ‘ABCs’ of behavior.
A – Antecedent
An antecedent is “An environmental or stimulus change existing or occurring prior to a behavior of interest.” That’s a lot of words to digest, so let us refer to the antecedent as the “Trigger”. Essentially, we know that behavior only occurs when something in our environment triggers it to occur. Think cause and effect.
An antecedent can be many different things in the environment. A few examples are when a child sees their favorite candy on the shelf at the store, a particular teacher they are not fond of, the sight of a playground on the way to school or being told they have a dentist appointment. Another great example is when kids see McDonald’s “golden arches” they instantly start wanting a Happy Meal.
B – Behavior
As you might guess “B” stands for behavior.
First off, what is considered behavior? According to Johnson & Pennypacker (2009, p. 31), the term “Behavior” is “That portion of an organism’s interaction with its environment that involves movement of some part of the organism.”
Simply put, a behavior is an actionanything that can be observed, measured, or counted. This can be when a child darts away from their parents in a crowded parking lot, whenever a child screams or interrupts a parent who is engaging in conversation, anything that we are able to observe and keep data on should be considered behavior.
C – Consequence
Finally, we arrive at the letter “C”, which stands for consequence. According to Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). A consequence is “ A stimulus change that follows a behavior of interest.” Some consequences have the ability to influence future behaviors.
Put plainly, a consequence is anything that happens immediately after the behavior ceases. Some examples of this could be when a baby stops crying when he is given a bottle of formula, burning your hand on a hot stove, getting a speeding ticket for driving too fast. Some consequences can reinforce a behavior which makes it more likely that the same behavior will occur again in the future (i.e. baby getting a bottle after crying) , while other behaviors act as a punishment to decrease the likelihood of the behavior from occurring in the future (i.e. burning your hand or getting a speeding ticket.).
Functions of Behavior
Now that we understand that all behavior is caused by stimuli in the environment and reinforced by consequences, we can begin to investigate the functions of behavior.
A large portion of typical problematic behaviors can be traced back to break downs in functional communication. As an individual is unable to effectively communicate their needs and desires, they use behavior as a means to get what they want. Through observation of environment, antecedent, and consequence, we can assess the possible functions.
In behavior analysis, there are four major functions of behavior.
Access
The function of access is best described in terms of an individual’s movement in the environment to obtain a specific tangible item, participation of a preferred activity, or spending time with a preferred person.
Attention
The function of attention is the one most parents are familiar with. Attention would best be described as the observable behavior, actions, or sounds that leads to others in the environment responding to the behavior either physically or verbally.Attention is usually not attention as the sole purpose, but to get someone’s attention who can grant them Access or Escape.
Escape/Avoidance
The function of escape or avoidance, can be referred to as any behavior an individual exhibits with the goal of removing oneself from an environment or other aversive stimuli, or the behavior prolongs or delays the presentation of a task demand or changes in the environment. Put plainly, escape is any attempt to avoid a task/demand/or environment.
Automatic/Sensory
Automatic/Sensory behavior is any behavior that is itself, reinforcing or comforting.
Working with a Behavior Professional to find Solutions for Aggressive Behavior in Autism
While this article is meant to serve as an overview of common interventions for aggressive behavior, it is not a replacement for working with a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). BCBAs are highly trained professionals with expertise and insight on developing personalized behavior plans. If there is an individual in your life on the autism spectrum displaying aggressive behavior, we strongly recommend you seek out the services of a Behavior Analyst.
Learn more about working with a Board Certified at ABA-LLC.
Solution for Aggressive Behavior: Environmental Modification
Before we implement any other solutions, we should do what we can to address whatever stimuli is at the root of the behavior.
If environmental factors are leading to aggressive behavior, one of the first things a behavior analyst will suggest is modifying the environment so the person does not have to engage with aversive stimuli. For example, if a person is always triggered by loud noises, try giving them noise-canceling headphones. If they don’t have to interface with aversive stimuli, they will not turn to aggressive behavior to avoid it.
Another instance in which Environmental Modification is an appropriate intervention is when you can identify a person’s Precursor Behaviors. Very few individuals truly go from zero to one hundred in an instant. Precursor behaviors are any behaviors a person regularly engages in before they engage in an aggressive behavior. Often things like pacing, wringing of the hands, or whining can be a clue to a person’s emotional state. Listen to these cues, and make the appropriate adjustments.
Solution for Aggressive Behavior: Functionally Equivalent Replacement Behavior
To truly get rid of a challenging behavior, you need to offer an individual a Functionally Equivalent Replacement Behavior (FERB).
Using what we learned earlier in this article about the function of behavior, we know that every behavior is performed for a reason. If an individual is not given a new, positive way to get what they want or need, they will continue resorting to aggressive behavior. Teaching Functionally Equivalent Replacement Behavior shows a person that they have another option.
Let’s say an individual repeatedly uses aggressive behavior to get out of Walmart on a busy Saturday afternoon. A Functionally Equivalent Replacement Behavior might be a specific hand gesture, a tug on the arm, or even a specific card. It needs to be something quick and accessible. Before going into the store, whoever is with the individual should remind them that they have this tool as an option. Then, when the individual uses the FERB, the caregiver should provide praise and immediately help the individual to exit the store.
A Note on Positive Reinforcement
The Functionally Equivalent Replacement Behavior needs to be even more effective than any aggressive behavior. One of the important ways to impart this is by always focusing on the positive behavior. Give the individual what they asked for, and continually praise them for using the FERB. If they try to resort to aggressive behavior, stay calm, de-escalate the situation, and remind them to use their FERB. You must give more attention to positive behaviors than challenging ones.If an individual has engaged in aggressive behavior but then uses the FERB, reinforcer the FERB while ‘ignoring’ the aggression. Every time they use the FERB reinforce it and eventually the aggressive behavior will not be necessary.
Solution for Aggressive Behavior: Ask, don’t demand.
Remember, no one likes being made to do things they don’t like doing. We often see aggression manifest as a functional escape from certain task-demands. You can flip the script by asking instead of demanding. If, for example, your son becomes aggressive when you tell him to clean his room, don’t demand he do it on your schedule. Try asking, “Would you like to clean your room today?” and if you get a resounding “NO,” try asking “Okay, when would you like to clean your room?” This puts the individual in the driver’s seat.
De-Escalating Aggressive Behavior
If someone in your life displays aggressive behavior, learning to de-escalate the situation is an essential skill to guarantee everyone’s safety. No matter what interventions are implemented, de-escalation makes violence less efficient, meaning it is less likely to happen.
Whenever an individual begins to display aggressive behaviors, do your best to stay calm. This will take practice, as it is biologically the opposite of how our bodies react when they feel they are in danger. Take a deep breath, remind the individual displaying aggressive behaviors of their functionally equivalent replacement behavior, and do your best to not let the aggressive behavior heighten your emotions. Showing that you are calm, collected, and unaffected by aggressive behavior will hopefully encourage others to do the same.
Another way to easily de-escalate the situation is to remove yourself from the situation. If an individual begins showing aggressive behavior, it is perfectly appropriate to walk away, and even lock yourself in a separate room. If you’re outside, you can walk or run out of the way. It is important to do so as calmly as you can, so as not to escalate the situation.
Removing the Stigma from Aggressive Behavior
As we’ve stated many times throughout this article, aggressive behavior brings up a lot of emotions in everybody. While it’s challenging to not let yourself get caught up in our social, emotional, and cultural associations with aggression, it’s important to step back with compassion. Aggressive behavior is rarely performed for the sake of aggression. Individuals who display aggressive behaviors are not inherently bad. ABA-LLC encourages all individuals to approach the subject of aggressive behavior with curiosity and compassion. Remember – focus on the environment surrounding the behavior, not the behavior itself.
About ABA-LLC
ABA-LLC is one of the largest suppliers of Behavior Support in the State of Kentucky. Since 2007, the agency has created innovative strategies to improve the lives of unique individuals. ABA-LLC works with around 190 contractors, each dedicated to building an inclusive culture that celebrates individuals of all abilities. No matter who you are, you can reach your goals at ABA-LLC.
ABA-LLC is set apart from its competitors by its uniquely person-centered approach. The agency strives to provide services from a place of deep love for the population they serve. Their work exemplifies the belief that every individual has a right to live a fulfilling and independent life integrated within their communities. There is no objective to change a person, but rather to give them the tools they need to succeed. B.F. Skinner summarizes this vision in his quote: “I’m not trying to change people. All I want is to change the world in which they live.” Learn more about us at https://aba-llc.com/