Functional Behavioral
Assessment
Outcomes
• By the end of this presentation
participants will have:
– Heard about the basic principles of
functional behavioral assessment,
– Engaged in hands-on practice with two
FBA tools, and
– Applied all presentation concepts to a
case study
“Have you ever seen….”
• “Lantana, you skipped 2 school days, so
we’re going to suspend you for 2 more.”
• “Trang, I’m taking your book away because
you obviously aren’t ready to learn.”
• “You want my attention?! I’ll show you
attention,…let’s take a walk down to the
office & have a little chat with the
Principal.”
Functional Approach?
FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR
ASSESSMENTS
•
“Children are not born bad or with bad behavior, they learn it!”
•
We know that children who exhibit unacceptable and/or
inappropriate behavior have learned this behavior from someone
and/or somewhere, and display the behavior for a specific reason.
•
Our task as educators is to figure out why they are displaying the
behavior and how we can assist the child in changing the
inappropriate behavior to more acceptable and appropriate
behavior.
•
A Functional Behavior Assessment is a strategic tool that we
utilize in order to assess the possible causes of the behavior, and
to assist us in deriving strategies to correct and/or eliminate the
inappropriate behavior.
What is FBA?
• Problem-solving process for addressing student
problem behavior
• Varied techniques & strategies to identify the
purposes (function) of specific behavior
• Used to help problem solving teams select
interventions to address the problem behavior
What is FBA?
A systematic process for
developing statements about
factors that
– contribute to occurrence &
maintenance of problem behavior, &
– more importantly, serve as basis for
developing proactive & comprehensive
behavior support plans.
Why FBA?
• Looks beyond the behavior and its overt
topography to focus on identifying biological,
social, affective, and environmental factors that
initiate, sustain, or end the behavior in question.
• Identifying underlying cause(s) of a student’s
behavior, or “what a student gets or avoid” can
provide valuable diagnostic information that is
essential in developing proactive interventions and
instructional strategies.
• Although children’s behaviors may look alike
and/or sound alike, the causes or functions are
very different.
WHO CONDUCTS FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR
ASSESSMENTS?
– A Functional Behavior Assessment is a total team
effort from any and everybody involved in the life
of a student, ranging from parents to teachers to
counselors to paraprofessionals.
– In conducting a FBA and developing a Behavior
Intervention Plan (BIP), education personnel should
draw upon a range of communication and
interpersonal skills. As with other collaborative
efforts, building level administrative and collegial
support is essential to a successful outcome.
Who Conducts Functional
Behavioral Assessments?
• The SST is responsible for
conducting an FBA for students for
whom the school has behavioral
concerns.
Conducting FBA
• Amendments to IDEA advise a functional
behavioral assessment approach (which
could determine specific contributors to
behavior), not a specific technique or
strategies to use when assessing that
behavior.
• There are a variety of techniques available
to conduct a functional behavioral
assessment.
Problem Topography
• Focusing only on the topography will usually
yield little information about effective
interventions
• Identifying the underlying cause(s) of a
student’s behavior, however, or, more
specifically, what the student "gets" or
"avoids" through the behavior, can provide
diagnostic information necessary to
develop proactive instructional strategies
When Sequoia misses her 12:30 medication &
teachers present multiple task demands, she
makes negative self-statements & writes profane
language on her assignments. Teaching staff
typically send her to the office with a discipline
referral for being disrespectful.
What
function?
Avoid
difficult
tasks
Setting event
Misses 12:30
medication
Antecedent
Response
Consequence
Teachers
make
multiple
task demands
Sequoia makes
negative selfstatements &
writes profane
language
Teacher sends
Sequoia to
office for being
disrespectful
Caesar has dyed his hair three colors & is teased
several times by his friends before class. When he
enters the class, his teacher stares at his hair.
Caesar immediately says “what are you staring
at?” His teacher immediately sends him to inschool detention.
Escape adult &
What
peer function?
attention
Setting event
Caesar is
teased several
times about his
hair by his
friends before
class
Antecedent
Response
Consequence
His teacher
stares at his
hair in class
Caesar asks
his teacher
what she’s
staring at
His teacher
sends him to
in-school
detention
Cleo is new to the 6th grade, & English is her
second language. When another student
approaches & says something to her in
English, Cleo turns away. The other student
walks away. This happens several times during
the day.
Whatpeer
function?
Escape
attention
Setting event
Antecedent
New student
Student
approaches &
speaks in
English
Response
Cleo turns
away
Consequence
Other
student walks
away
When his teacher asks him what the capitol city
of a country is, Napoleon gives the correct
answers. His teacher praises his correct answer,
& tells him he may work by himself or a friend
on the rest of the assignment.
Setting event
Antecedent
Response
None
Teacher asks
what capitol
city of country
is
Napoleon
give correct
answer
Accessfunction?
peer &
What
adult
attention
Consequence
Teacher gives
verbal praise
& time to work
with a friend
As Veloce is walking, other kids look at him &
say “what’s up?” He looks back and says:
“Who ya lookin’ at?!” “Ya want some of this?!”
“Ya talkin’ to me?!” Kids shake their heads &
call him “weirdo.”
What function?
Access peer attention
Setting event
??
Antecedent
Response
Look at him.
“What’s up!”
“Who ya
lookin’ at?”
“Ya want
Some?” “Ya
talkin’ to me?
Consequence
Kids shake
heads &
call him
“weirdo”
Fundamental Rule
“You should not propose to reduce a
problem behavior without also
identifying alternative, desired
behaviors person should perform
instead of problem behavior” (O’Neill et
al., 1997, p. 71).
Summary Statement
Desired
Alternative
What is the
desired
behavior?
Setting Events
Triggering
Antecedents
Problem
Behavior
What is the
context?
What happened
immediately before
the PB?
What is the
presenting
problem?
Typical
Consequence
What is likely
to be the
result or
consequence?
Maintaining
Consequences
What is
the result?
What happens?
Acceptable
Alternative
What is an
acceptable
behavior?
Competing Behavior
Pathway
Setting Events
Peer
conflict
Desired Alternative
Comply
with
request
Triggering Antecedents
Problem Behavior
Teacher/
peer
request
Escalated
profanity
physical
aggression
Acceptable Alternative
Caesar
Walk
away
Desired
Maintaining
Consequence
Request
completed
Maintaining
Consequence
Avoid
request
Case Studies: Identifying
Functions
• Juan, a 16 year old who reads at a second
grade level, throws his reading book across the
room and uses inappropriate language to inform
the teacher that he does not intend to
complete his homework. Often Juan’s tantrums
escalate and he leaves the classroom.
• Sumi, an eight year old who reads novels for
recreation, finds her classroom reading
assignments boring. She shoves her book and
workbook to the floor when the teacher starts
reading instruction or comments on her lack of
progress. The teacher often praises the other
students who are following school rules in an
attempt to get Sumi to read with the class.
Case Studies: Identifying
Functions
• Maurice, a 10 year old who finds multiplication of fractions
difficult, throws tantrums when asked to complete
worksheets requiring him to multiply fractions. Generally
the teacher provides him with one-on-one assistance in
order to get him back on track.
• Kerry, a 12 year old who has problems paying attention, sits
near the window in the back of the classroom. She
frequently slams her text shut and loudly declares that she
cannot work. The teacher uses sarcasm or humor to get
Kerry re-engaged in the lesson several times during the
class period.
6 Steps of FBA
1. Identify the Problem
2. Collect Data using Multiple
Assessments
3. Analyze the Data
4. Make Determinations &
Hypotheses
5. Develop & Implement a
Behavior Implement Plan
6. Evaluate Progress & Follow-up
as Necessary
Step 1: Identifying the
Problem
• Pinpoint the behavior causing learning or discipline
problems, and define that behavior in concrete
terms that are easy to communicate and simple to
measure and record
A. Identify and define the behavior in a broad sense
– “Marco uses inappropriate language at
school.”
B. Identify and define the behavior in specific
terms
– “During outside play and/or free time
with classmates, Marco uses
inappropriate language.”
Case Study: Identifying
the Problem
• Define these problems more
concretely.
– DeWayne is disruptive.
– LaDane is disrespectful.
– Kendra is slow.
Skill Deficits
vs.
Performance Deficits
Skill Deficits
The students does
not know how to
perform the
desired skill.
Performance Deficits
The student knows
the desired skill
but is unable to
perform the skill on
a consistent basis.
Identifying the Problem: Important Question
Is the problem behavior linked to a skill deficit?
• Is there evidence to suggest that the
student does not know how to perform the
skill and therefore cannot?
• Does the student understand the
behavioral expectations for the situation?
Identifying the Problem: Important Question
Does the student have the skill?
• Sometimes it may be that the student can
perform a skill, but, for some reason, does
not use it consistently (e.g., in particular
settings).
• Is it possible that the student is uncertain
about the appropriateness of the behavior
(e.g., it is appropriate to clap loudly and
yell during sporting events, yet these
behaviors are often inappropriate when
playing academic games in the classroom)?
Addressing Skill and
Performance Deficits
• Recognize the physical signs that the
student is becoming angry.
• Use relaxation skills
• Apply problem solving skills
• Practice communication skills
• Modify curricular and/or environment
• Utilize support staff:
– School counselor
– School psychologist
Step 2: Collect Data Using Multiple
Assessments
• Indirect Assessment
– This type of assessment relies heavily on
interviews with teachers and other adults who
have direct contact with the student.
–
Indirect assessments may also include interviews
with the child as well.
– It is very useful to compare the interviews of the
adults who have direct contact with the child and
the child him/herself, in order to gain perspective
on those things that may be similar in nature.
Indirect Assessment: Important
Interview Questions
– In what settings do you observe the behavior?
– Are there any settings where the behavior
does not occur?
– Who is present when the behavior occurs?
– What activities or interactions take place just
prior to the behavior?
– What usually happens immediately after the
behavior?
Step 2: Collect Data Using
Multiple Assessments
• Direct Assessment
– A direct assessment consists of
observing the problem behavior and
describing the conditions that surround
the behavior.
• Antecedent – what occurs right
before the problem behavior occurs.
• Consequence – what occurs right
after the behavior occurs.
Sample Scatter Plot
11/13
9:00
9:05
9:10
9:15
9:20
9:25
9:30
9:35
9:40
11/14
11/15
11/16
11/17
The Value of Assessment
– The utilization of direct and indirect
assessments together and a
collaborative of all persons who have
contact with the student displaying the
problem behavior(s) provides an
essential tool for formulating Behavior
Intervention Plans.
Step 3: Data Analysis
Carefully consider and examine what you have learned
about the behavior and its context.
• Compare & Analyze
• Identify Patterns
• Revise Assessment Plan if Necessary
Step 4: Make Determinations &
Establish Hypotheses
• Make determinations about what to do next, using the
information and looking at the antecedents and the
consequences as well as the reaction to the consequences
• Establish Hypotheses regarding function of behavior
• Test Hypotheses
– Example: Daryl calls out during instruction. A functional
behavioral assessment might reveal the function of the
behavior is to gain attention (e.g., verbal approval of
classmates), avoid instruction (e.g., difficult assignment), seek
excitement (i.e., external stimulation), or both to gain attention
and avoid a low-interest subject.
Step 5: Make & Implement
Behavior Intervention Plan
• As a team, develop the Behavior Intervention Plan to
address the behavior, using the information gathered and
summarized in your Functional Behavior Assessment.
• Implement Plan
– Manipulate the antecedents and/or consequences of the
behavior
– Teach more acceptable replacement behaviors that
serve the same function as the inappropriate behavior
– Implement changes in curriculum and instructional
strategies
– Modify the physical environment.
• Behavior Intervention Plans must be
monitored and data collected and
recorded on a regular basis.
• Decisions must be made by the team
as to what is working and what is not
working.
– For those strategies that are not
working, the team must modify and/or
change the plan to try something else.
Step 6: Evaluation Progress &
Follow-up as Necessary
• Evaluate the faithfulness with which the plan was
implemented
• Evaluate the changes in student behavior
• Modify plan if needed
• Continue plan if warranted and develop phase out
program as appropriate
6 Steps of FBA
1. Identify the Problem
2. Collect Data using Multiple
Assessments
3. Analyze the Data
4. Make Determinations &
Hypotheses
5. Develop & Implement a
Behavior Implement Plan
6. Evaluate Progress & Follow-up
as Necessary
Case Study
• Using the six steps of FBA, please identify
possible interventions for each step. Please
be a specific as possible.
– Jaron is failing three classes. He does not
complete his homework and rarely participates in
class discussions. Jaron is not outspoken, but he
tends to get verbally aggressive when his teachers
ask him about his work or when he is confronted by
peers. Jaron’s mother reports that he is helpful at
home and that he has always been a “quiet child.”
Summary
Functional Behavior Assessment is a tool used to
make decisions about why behaviors are
occurring.
It is necessary in order to change behavior to
develop appropriate Behavior Intervention Plans
and utilize those plans on a consistent basis over
a reasonable amount of time.