Antecedent-based interventions include a wide range of interventions that can either be used in a standalone treatment or be included as a component in a larger treatment package. For example, a clinician may choose to use non-contingent reinforcement (NCR) as a standalone intervention to treat attention-maintained challenge behavior by providing noncontingent access to attention or attention on a fixed time schedule with no other contingencies provided for either appropriate or challenge behavior. On the other hand, a clinician may choose to use demand fading as part of a larger treatment package with demand fading functioning as an antecedent intervention (i.e., abolishing operation) to engage in challenging behavior while also providing differential reinforcement for compliance.

There are two likely mechanisms related to the effect of antecedent-based interventions: motivating operations (MOs) and stimulus control. MOs impact the value of a reinforcer by either increasing (establishing) or decreasing (abolishing) that value. Most antecedent interventions manipulate MOs in such a manner that the value of the reinforcer is decreased. Thus, the value of the reinforcer is diminished leading to the individual being less motivated to engage in the challenging behavior to obtain the reinforcer. For example, a child who engages in attention-maintained challenging behavior might be provided with ongoing attention as a way of reducing motivation for attention-seeking behavior. However, in some cases the antecedent interventions may also function as an establishing operation for engaging in an appropriate replacement behavior.

Another mechanism related to antecedent interventions is alternating stimulus control. Stimulus control procedures work by paring specific stimuli with specific consequences leading the stimuli to exhibit discriminative control when presented. The pairing process that is required for the stimuli to exhibit discriminative control does require use of consequence base procedures, however once the stimuli have discriminative control the presentation of the stimulus as either a sole component or part of a larger treatment package is considered an antecedent intervention.

Antecedent-based interventions can fall into two different categories:

1. Default interventions that do not rely on identification of specific variables maintaining the challenging behavior (e.g., environmental enrichment), and

2. Function-based, which relies on identification and manipulation of the functional reinforcer (e.g., NCR).

Therefore, they can be used for all behavioral functions and can be a good choice when a function for challenging behavior cannot be identified. Antecedent interventions can all be used for all levels of severity and can be good options for very severe forms of challenging behavior especially when extinction is not safe or feasible. 

Antecedent interventions are often very easy to implement and can be implemented in a variety of settings by a wide variety of caregivers making them a great choice in many different situations. Because they do not rely on consequences, they can be used when other consequence-based interventions are not possible such as extinction. They also work well when combined with other behavioral components such as differential reinforcement. Antecedent interventions are often used to decrease motivation to engage in challenging behavior, which can then in turn increase the likelihood that individual contacts differential reinforcement (DRA, DRO, etc.).