10/19/2012
Today’s Objectives
By the end of today’s session you will have an:
Functional Behavioral
Assessment
Apex II Leadership Institute
August 15, 2991
Maria Agorastoou
Maureen Tracey
Institute on Disability/UCED
University of new Hampshire
Function-base Behavior Support
A different approach to addressing support for children with
problem behaviors
• Medical/Clinical Model:
– Diagnosis  Intervention
• Old Behavior Management Model
– Type of Problem Behavior  Intervention
• Positive Behavior Support
– Behavioral functions + larger support goals
understand not
“ why doe he do it?” but “why does he keep doing it?”
The ABC’s of Behavior
• Antecedents – what happens right before a
behavior occurs
• Behavior – what does the behavior look like
• Consequences – what happens right after a
behavior occurs
• Reinforcers – consequences which increase a
specific behavior
• Setting Events- bigger picture (missed
medication, missed meals, academic failure,
peer conflict).
• Have an increased understanding of the
fundamentals of a Functional Behavioral
Assessment
• Have a better understanding of the function or
purpose of behavior
• Have a better understanding of the role and
purpose of a Competing Behavioral Pathway
Functions of Behavior
• Attention
– Adult or Peer
• Escape
– Academics, Adults, Peers, or Environment
• Tangible
– To gain something
• Sensory
– To avoid or receive environmental stimuli
Purposes of Functional Behavioral
Assessment
• Create order out of chaos
• Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of
behavior support efforts
• Professional accountability
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10/19/2012
Who is the FBA for?
Functional Assessment
Horner, 2003
• Functional assessment is a process for
identifying the events that reliable
predict (antecedents) and maintain
(consequences) problem behavior.
• For those students who exhibit difficulties
despite proactive school-wide prevention
efforts
• Students needing intervention
• Likely to be students with both academic
and behavioral difficulties
• Typically about 10% of the population
When Do We Need an FBA?
Why????
• When school-wide data documents academic or
behavioral problems that consistently distinguish
a student from his peers
• When teacher's reports indicate that a student is
on the verge of failure, despite school-wide or
classroom –wide strategies and procedures
• When existing interventions need revisions to
increase effectiveness
• Forces us to define target behaviors more
precisely
• Let’s us know if the interventions are
working
• Ensures consistency of planned
intervention techniques
• Progress becomes visual
Defining the Behavior
Definition Should Include:
•
•
•
•
He never sits in his chair
She never has her homework
She is always disrespectful to adults
He never pays attention
•
•
•
•
•
Who displays the inappropriate behavior
What does the specific behavior look like
Where does the behavior occur
When does the behavior occur
How often does the behavior occur
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10/19/2012
Competing Behavior Pathway
Setting Events
Triggering
Antecedents
Desired
Behavior
Typical
Consequences
Problem
Behavior
Consequences
Replacement
Behavior
Maintaining
Consequences
Setting Events
Types of FBA
Quick
-
Competing Behavior Pathway
Records review
Observation
Interview with teacher
Comprehensive
Records review
Observation
Interview with teacher
Interview parents
Interview student
Interview specialist and others
Steps for Creating Positive
Function – Based Support Plans
1. Complete the Competing Pathway Chart
2. Create a Function-Based Summary Statement
3. Identify the Replacement behaviors that meet
the function
4. Identify intervention strategies with student
strengths and interests in mind
5. Develop a Plan to Monitor Progress
6. Develop and Action Plan to Implement BSP
7. Implement and evaluate the plan.
Triggering
Antecedents
Desired
Behavior
Typical
Consequences
Problem
Behavior
Consequences
Replacement
Behavior
Maintaining
Consequences
“If you always do
what you always did
you’ll always get
What you always
got!”
Competing Behavior Pathway
Setting Events
Triggering
Antecedents
Desired
Behavior
Typical
Consequences
Problem
Behavior
Consequences
Replacement
Behavior
Maintaining
Consequences
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10/19/2012
Identify the Desired Behavior
• The desired behavior is the behavior you
want the student to perform given the
stimulus condition
• Example:
- Given seat work task  work quietly
- Given teacher request  initiate
- Given taunt from peer  turn and walk
Replacement Behavior
• A replacement behavior is a socially acceptable
behavior, taught to the student, that achieves the
same function (result) as the problem behavior
• An appropriate Replacement behavior:
- serves the same function as the problem behavior
- is, as, or more effective/efficient then the problem
behavior
- is socially acceptable
- can be learned to criterion in 10 school days
The Final Word
• It is not fair to exact anyone to exhibit a
behavior which has never been taught
• The key to changing inappropriate
behaviors is replacing them wit
appropriate behaviors that serve the same
function
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