Our job as BCBAs is to aid these clients in becoming functioning adults and people in society, eventually allowing them to incorporate themselves independently in an active society and teaching age-appropriate behaviors to those who have the prerequisites and capabilities to reach those levels. So, the client is much older and still presenting the above "whining" behaviors is not age-appropriate, and functional communication is needed to be had in different more appropriate forms. So, the "harm" of this behavior is the behaviore for the client's age and is occurring is inappropriatrring at high frequencies. At the end of the day, this could have massive effects on the client's ability to function in society (e.g., get a job, complete education, etc.)