The ABC’s of Behavior:
Understanding the ABC’s (Antecedent-BehaviorConsequence Analysis) across the PBS Triangle
Compiled June 2007, by Chris Borgmeier, Ph.D, Portland State University; Ericka Guynes, M.S.,
David Douglas SD; and Michele Cook, M.S., Multnomah ESD and Gresham-Barlow SD.
Content and materials contained in this staff development curriculum are provided by the many
outstanding members of the greater PBS community.
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Introduction to The ABC’s of Behavior:
A Curriculum for Training Your School Staff to Better
Understand the ABC’s & Function of Problem Behavior
PBS Team StepBy Step Planning
Guide
ABC’s across
the Triangle
Audience:
 Administrators, Certified Staff, Classified staff, Specialists and anyone who
else who works with challenging students on a regular basis
Training Goals:
School Staff will:
 Acquire an awareness of the ABC’s and that students engage in recurring
problem behavior for a reasons
 Understand the ABC analysis process well enough to participate in student
support discussions surrounding the function of student’s behavior
 Practice analyzing the ABC of behavior and develop a hypothesis statement
about the function of students behavior
 Support development & implementation of more effective interventions for
students
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PBS Team &
Administrator
Step-By Step
Planning Guide
ABC’s across
the Triangle
In August/September:
 Identify a recurring staff development time that all staff can attend (administration,
certified and classified), designate dates/times for ABC Training Series to be presented at
staff meetings (reserve enough staff meeting time to one lesson of 40 minutes and five 20
minute follow up lessons). It is recommended that lessons be delivered about monthly
September – March:
o
PBS Team will attend three ½ day trainings – ABC Training Series Lesson(s) will be
modeled and the team will have time to plan how to use the curriculum materials to
develop a lesson to share with all staff
o
For each lesson, the PBS Team will present the lesson to all staff, give staff a ‘homework
task’ between staff meeting trainings, and then staff will report back experience/learning
At staff meeting:
 PBS Team will present the lesson to all staff
 Each lesson will end with an “Application Activity” that staff will use to practice
applying skills taught between staff meeting trainings
 Staff will bring ‘homework task’ to next staff meeting which will be used with next
the next steps in the training
 PBS Team will repeat these steps for each lesson
Tip: For sustainability purposes, create a schedule to revisit ABC training
and train new staff for next school year.
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Content of Training:
Lesson # 1 - Introduction
o
o
o
o
Understanding behavior
Summary statements
Practice activity 1
Homework activity 1
Lesson # 2 – ABC Practice
o
o
o
o
Review Lesson #1 and share homework summary statements
Linking function of behavior with ‘possible motivation’ on referral form
Practice activity 2 (1 pages)
Homework activity 2 (2 pages)
Lesson # 3 – ABC Practice
o
o
o
o
Review Summary Statements
Video vignette practice
Practice activity 3 (2 pages)
Homework activity 3 (2 pages)
Lesson # 4 – Proactive v Reactive Responses
o Shifting from students perspective (function) to our perspective (adult
response)
o Comparing traditional responses to PBS responses
o Practice Activity (1 pages)
o Homework Activity (1 pages)
Lesson # 5 – Function Based Interventions: Attention
o Review traditional responses and PBS responses
o Interventions: Prevention, Teaching and Reinforcing when the function is
attention
o Practice Activity (1 pages)
o Homework Activity (1 pages)
Lesson # 6 – Function Based Interventions: Avoid/Escape
o Review traditional responses and PBS responses
o Interventions: Prevention, Teaching and Reinforcing when the function is
escape
o Practice Activity (1 pages)
o Homework Activity (1 pages)
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Organization of Training:
There will be an introductory 40 minute lesson and five 20 minute lessons.
All PowerPoint presentations and video are on the CD, there is a folder for each
lesson and contains the supporting resources for each lesson following:
Lesson #1
Lesson #2
Lesson #3
Lesson #4
Lesson #5
Lesson #6
Each lesson has a consistent format, has its own tab/sleeve and includes the
following:
Lesson Plan
PowerPoint with notes for presenter (2 slides per page loose leaf)
A PowerPoints Handout (6 slides per page) to make copies for staff
Activity/Practice Worksheet(s) to make copies for staff
Homework Activity/Task to make copies for staff
TIP for PBS Team – to ensure the PBS team has time to get through all six
lessons by April 1st, we recommend reserving staff development time on
your school’s master calendar by September 30,
(see the recommended training schedule)
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Sample ABC Training Calendars - ABC Training modeled at Quarterly Trainings and Taught by PBS Team at Staff meetings
Sample PBS ABC Training/Meeting Timeline
August
September October November December January February
ABC Training
Lesson 1 & 2
modeled for
PBS Team
PBS
Trainings
&
PBS Team
develops plan
to deliver ABC
lessons to staff
PBS Team
Meetings
School
Staff
Meetings
Plan for
Introduction &
Kick Off
activities for
SW-PBS
implementation
PBS Team
Teaches
Lesson 1 of
ABC
Training
Series
ABC
Training
Lesson 3 & 4
modeled for
PBS Team
ABC
Training
Lesson 5 & 6
modeled for
PBS Team
PBS Team
develops plan
to deliver
ABC lessons
to staff
PBS Team
develops
plan to
deliver ABC
lessons to
staff
PBS Team
Teaches
Lesson 2
PBS Team
Teaches
Lesson 3
PBS Team
Teaches
Lesson 4
PBS Team
Teaches
Lesson 5
March
April
May
June
PBS Team
plans for
ways to
follow-up
with ABC
Training next
year
PBS Team
Teaches
Lesson 6
***Develop plan to revisit ABC’s next school year & train New Staff
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