Function over form: why the reason matters more than the behaviour itself
It’s not just what the behaviour looks like, it’s what it’s doing.
When we see a behaviour of concern, such as swearing, running away, hitting, or yelling, it’s easy to focus on what it looks like. But in behaviour support, what we really care about is why it’s happening.
This is the difference between form and function.
Form = What the behaviour looks like
The form is the top layer. It’s what we observe, the external behaviour.
For example:
Throwing a chair
Crying and refusing to move
Hiding under a table
Punching a wall
Each of these behaviours looks very different, but that’s not the whole story.
Function = What the behaviour achieves
The function is the deeper layer. It’s what the behaviour is doing for the person, the reason behind it.
There are four common behavioural functions:
Escape – Avoiding something (e.g., schoolwork, a demand, a social situation)
Attention – Gaining interaction or connection from others
Access to tangibles – Getting something they want (e.g., food, toys, a turn)
Sensory – Meeting internal sensory needs (e.g., movement, pressure, sound)
And here’s the catch: completely different behaviours can serve the same function.
An example: same function, different form
Let’s say two children both want to escape a maths task:
Child A throws their book on the floor and yells.
Child B shuts down and refuses to speak.
Different forms, same function: escape.
If we only focus on the form, some may punish the yelling child and think the quiet one is “compliant.” But neither is coping; they’re just showing us in different ways.
Why function matters more than form
If we understand function, we can:
☑️ Create meaningful, personalised supports
☑️ Teach safer, more appropriate replacement behaviours
☑️ Stop misinterpreting behaviour and punishing young people for struggling
☑️ Respond to the need, not just the noise
If we only focus on the form, we risk missing the point entirely, and the behaviour keeps coming back.
How do we figure out the function?
Through tools like Functional Behaviour Assessments (FBAs), observations, interviews, and good old-fashioned curiosity. We look at the ABCs:
What happened before the behaviour?
What did the person do?
What happened after the behaviour?
Over time, patterns emerge, and we begin to see the function more clearly.
Form ≠ function: Why this matters for caregivers and educators
It’s easy to label behaviours as “good” or “bad” based on how they look. But two young people could be trying to meet the same need, one through swearing, one through tears. The young person who yells might get told off, while the quiet one goes unnoticed.
Behaviour support isn’t about punishing one form and rewarding another. It’s about asking:
“What need is this behaviour meeting and how can I help meet it in a safer, more helpful way?”
Final thoughts
Understanding behaviour isn’t about controlling it; it’s about making sense of it.
When we look beyond the surface and focus on the function, we stop reacting and start responding. We meet kids with empathy. We build real support. We create space for growth, safety, and skill development.
Because what matters most isn’t how the behaviour looks, it’s what it’s trying to say.
Rosie 🌹