Antecedent interventions in the management of maladaptive behaviours in a child with brain injury

Typically behaviour management plans attempt to change behaviour by manipulating the environmental consequences of selected behaviour. However, identifying the antecedent events that precede behaviour has also been demonstrated to be an important component of effective behaviour change programmes. The present case presentation attempts to demonstrate how antecedent procedures could be used to effectively manage behaviour problems in individuals with brain injury. Visual inspection of changes in the frequency of physical aggression and self-injurious behaviour of a child with brain injury provides preliminary data supporting the use of an intervention package of antecedent and consequence-based procedures. Clinical implications, limitations and possibilities for future research of antecedent control procedures are discussed.