Functional Assessment
SPED 3380
Chandler, L.K. & Dahlquist, C.M. (2002). Functional Assessment:
Strategies to Prevent and Remediate Challenging Behavior in
School Settings. Merrill: Columbus Ohio.
Challenging Behavior
• All Behaviors Serve a Function
– It produces a desired outcome
• Examples:
– When John uses profanity his peers look at him and laugh
• His profanity produces desired attention from his peers
– When Sarah rips her math worksheet she is sent to the office
• Destroying her worksheet results in leaving the math
instruction period and not having to complete the worksheet
Challenging Behavior
• The behaviors John and Sarah exhibit produce desirable
outcomes for each
– From each student’s perspective the behaviors are very logical and very
effective
– From the perspective of many others (i.e.: peers, parents, teachers, etc.)
the behaviors are often identified as “challenging”
• A large amount of variability exits across perspectives: which
behaviors are “challenging” and which behaviors are
“appropriate” ?
Factors to Consider Before Identifying a Behavior as
Challenging
• Dimensions
– Interferes with the student’s learning or the learning of other individuals
– Hinders positive social interactions and relationships; or
– Harms the student, peers, adults, or family members
Factors to Consider Before Identifying a Behavior as
Challenging
Degree of severity: mild to severe
– Severe: disruptive, destructive , dangerous – easy to identify
– Mild – Moderate: sleeping, refusals, inattentiveness, off-task, tardiness,
etc. - more difficult to identify and/or classify
• Impact of the behavior on student and others
• Frequency of the behavior
• Age appropriateness of the behavior
What is a functional behavioral assessment?
• Systematic process for
– describing problem behavior
– Identifying environmental factors and setting events that predict
problem behavior
– Developing a positive behavioral support plan
• Outcomes
– Definition of problem behavior
– Descriptions of the conditions under which problem behaviors is and is
not likely to be observed
– Identification of the function (the why) of the problem behavior
– Direct observation data to support these outcomes
What are the functions of
challenging behavior?
• To get something (positive reinforcement)
• To escape or avoid something (negative reinforcement)
Important considerations
• More than one behavior may serve a similar function
• One behavior might serve different function in
different contexts
• Students usually do not display individual behaviors,
but strings or chains of behavior are often exhibited
Steps involved in conduction a functional assessment
• Step 1. Collect information through informal conversations,
questionnaires, checklists, and structured interviews with key
persons. Direct observation – with interpretive help from key
persons
• Step 2. Propose testable explanation of student’s behavior.
Includes: description of behavior, possible triggering
antecedents, possible maintaining consequences, and possible
setting events.
• Step 3. Assess the validity of the hypothesis – systematic
observations.
Functional Analysis is not value-free
• Behavior support must be conducted with the dignity of the
person as a primary regard
• The objective of functional assessment is not to define and
eliminate an undesirable behavior, but to understand the
structure and function of the behavior in order to teach and
develop effective alternatives
• Functional analysis is a process for looking at relationships
between behavior and the environment
Three Strategies for Functional Analysis
Assessment
• Strategy 1:
– Interview the person and those people who know him / her
best
• Strategy 2:
– Direct observation over an extended time period
• Strategy 3:
– Systematic manipulations
Functional Analysis Observation
Summary
• Behavior Description
• Behavior Prediction
• Behavior Functions
Behavior Description
• What specific behaviors occurred?
– Screaming; pinch / scratch; rip materials
• Were there two or more behaviors that consistently occurred together
as a group or class?
– Almost always in pairs (different combinations)
Behavior Prediction
• Did the behaviors primarily occur during specific time periods?
– Homeroom; self-care; office work; meal prep
• Were there periods when the behaviors consistently did not occur?
– P.E. and bus/street crossing
• During the periods when the behaviors occurred, were there setting
events or stimuli which were consistently related to their occurrence?
– Demands / requests; Being alone / no attention
Behavior Functions
• What functions did the behaviors appear to serve for the person,
according to those recording the data?
– Escape / avoid demands; Obtain attention
• What were the consequences that were typically provided when the
behaviors occurred?
– Ignore; Time-out
Functional Assessment
Situation
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence