Antecedent
In Plain Language
What happens or is present before a behavior.
ABA Definition
An environmental event or condition that precedes a response; temporal order alone does not establish a causal relation.
Everyday Example
A phone rings before you answer it.
ABA Example
A teacher offers a choice before the learner selects an activity.
How It May Be Used
Useful when describing the context in an ABC record.
Parent/Caregiver Tip
A preceding event is a clue, not proof of why a behavior happened.