A consequence is something good or bad that follows naturally from our behaviors and choices. Punishments and rewards are things that come from other people. Punishments and rewards are a form of consequence that is usually someone’s reaction to our behavior.
Most parents and teachers manage behavior problems through consequences: they reward, ignore or punish.
Learning from consequences may not work as well following brain injury, but rewards can still be helpful and should be considered as another useful strategy for behavior management.
Types of Consequences
Rewards
When a teen is rewarded for behavior, they are more likely to do the behavior again. For example, Josh studied for a test and got an A. His parents rewarded his hard work by taking him out for ice cream. Josh’s parents reinforced the importance of studying for tests and Josh is likely to continue to study hard for tests.
Additional Examples of Rewards:
Praising your teen for completing work
Giving your teen an allowance for completing chores
Ignoring Inappropriate Behaviors
When parents ignore inappropriate behaviors, the teen is less likely to continue the behavior. For example, when parents ignore their teen’s whining about having to do the dishes, the teen is likely to stop whining.
Parents should never ignore dangerous behaviors!
Punishment
When a teen receives a punishment for behavior, they are less likely to do the behavior again. For example, Jen didn’t study for a test and got an F. Her parents reacted to this lack of effort by taking away some of her privileges. Jen is likely to put more effort into her schoolwork in order to get some privileges back. However, it is important to note that punishment is generally less effective than rewards!
Additional Examples of Punishments:
Grounding your teen for coming home late
A principal expelling a student for a serious infraction of school rules
Natural Consequence: Learning Through Experience
For example, Anna forgot to let the dog out and he peed and pooped in the house. That is a natural consequence of not putting the dog out. Anna may assume that the dog did this to punish her but really, the dog just had to go.
Additional Examples of Natural Consequences:
A teen is hungry after missing dinner.
A teen gets in a car accident from driving too fast.
Sometimes natural consequences can be too severe or delayed to be effective.
