ABC Charts

ABC stands for antecedent, behaviour and consequence. The antecedent is what happened just before the behaviour, the behaviour is exactly what the person did, and the consequence is what happened straight after. Many charts also record setting events, the background factors that make a behaviour more likely, such as pain, poor sleep or hunger. In this lesson you will learn each part in plain language and see a simple example. Key points: an ABC chart is a record of facts, not a judgement about the person, and it is completed as soon as possible after the event.

All behaviour has a purpose, and behaviours of concern are often a way of communicating a need, such as wanting to escape a demand, get attention or connection, get an item or activity, or respond to a sensory or physical need. ABC records collected over time help behaviour support practitioners identify patterns and the likely function of a behaviour, which guides the strategies in a behaviour support plan. In this lesson you will learn how your records feed into positive behaviour support and help reduce the use of restrictive practices. Key point: without accurate records, patterns stay hidden.

Good antecedent records describe exactly what was happening just before the behaviour: where the person was, who was there, what was said or asked, what activity was happening or about to change, and anything in the environment such as noise, heat or crowds. Setting events describe earlier or background factors, such as sleep, pain, illness, hunger, medication changes or upsetting news. In this lesson you will learn to record these objectively and specifically. Key points: include time and place, record what was said, and note changes to routine, even if they seem small.

The behaviour section should describe exactly what the person did, in observable terms that anyone could picture, including how long it lasted and how intense it was. Avoid labels such as aggressive, manipulative or having a meltdown. The consequence section should record what happened straight after: what staff and others did, what changed for the person, how the behaviour ended, and any injuries or damage. In this lesson you will learn to write both parts objectively. Key points: describe actions, not feelings or intentions, include duration and intensity, and record every response honestly.

This lesson walks through two complete ABC chart examples, one at home and one in the community, so you can see how each section fits together. For each, we compare a poor entry with an improved entry and discuss what patterns a practitioner might notice if similar entries appeared over several weeks. Key points: complete entries tell a clear story from setting event to follow up, small details such as time and exact words often reveal the pattern, and one entry is a snapshot while many entries reveal the function.

In this lesson you will learn good practice for ABC charts: complete them as soon as possible after the event and on the same shift, write only what you saw and heard, follow the participant's behaviour support plan, and treat records as private. You will also learn how ABC charts relate to incident reports and restrictive practices. Key points: an ABC chart does not replace an incident report when one is required, any use of a restrictive practice must be recorded and reported as our policy requires, and never use a restrictive practice that is not authorised in the person's plan.

This case study follows Kofi, a young man with autism who lives in supported accommodation and uses a few spoken words and a communication app. On some weekday mornings he bangs the table and pushes his breakfast away. The lesson shows how clear ABC entries written by different workers over three weeks helped his behaviour support practitioner see a pattern linked to rushed, unpredictable mornings. Key points: every worker's entry matters, observable descriptions let patterns emerge, and the plan changes that followed focused on meeting Kofi's needs rather than stopping the behaviour.

This case study follows Ruth, an older woman living with dementia in residential aged care, who calls out and pushes staff hands away during evening personal care. The lesson shows how ABC records helped the care team notice that the behaviour happened mostly late in the evening, when her pain relief was wearing off and care was rushed. It also explores why using medication to manage behaviour is a restrictive practice that needs consent and must only be a last resort. Key points: look for pain, record facts, and raise concerns with the registered nurse.