Function Based Thinking (FBT):
Answering the Question
WHY?
Dr. Patti Hershfeldt
Johns Hopkins University
Bloomberg School of Public Health
Center for Prevention of Youth Violence
July , 2010
Introduction: Advance Organizer
–
Overview of PBIS Plus
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The Goals
The People
Lessons Learned
FBA/FBT Issues
Overview of FBT

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Rationale
3 steps of FBT
Case Study
Strategies to Promote Use
Overview PBIS Plus
Catherine Bradshaw, PhD, Karen Pell, PhD, Richard Sechrest, PsyD, Patti Hershfeldt, EdD,
Katrina Debnam, MPH, & Philip Leaf, PhD
Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence
Michael S. Rosenberg, PhD
Johns Hopkins University
School of Education
Andrea Alexander, LCPC, & Milt McKenna, MBA
Maryland State Department of Education
Jerry Bloom, MEd, & Susan Barrett, MA
Sheppard Pratt Health System
Overview PBIS Plus
Sample
31 elementary schools that have:
– High fidelity PBIS
– Interested in assistance supporting “yellow-zone” students
County Schools in Maryland
Design
3 year randomized controlled evaluation
Random assignment to either “SWPBIS” or “Plus” condition
Model
Use of evidence-based interventions to support yellow-zone students
Emphasizes function-based thinking and effective teaming
Supports culturally appropriate interventions and supports
PBISplus Liaison provides on-site technical assistance to facilitate the process
Overview PBIS Plus
Data Collected - Fall 2007:
Staff Survey = 1,444 staff
TOCA = 12,489 students
Liaison Services Provided (Sept – May)

432 visits, for a total of 1,296 hours of on-site services to Plus schools

Average of 3 hours per visit
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Average of 3.4 visits per month

Most commonly provided support services were:
 Attending SST meetings
 Conducting classroom observations
 Consulting with teachers
 Conducting needs assessments
One Lesson Learned: FBA/FBT

Importance of FBAs
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–
–
–

Evidence-Based Practice
Value to educational process
Leads to validated Behavior Intervention Plans
(BIPs)
Leads to Important Changes in Student Behavior
BUT…..
One Lesson Learned: FBA/FBT
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
FBAs Not Always Administered
Why? Some reasons:
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Limited Time
Limited number of individuals trained to adequately perform
functional analysis (Van Acker, Borenson, Gable, &
Potterson, 2005)
Associated with special education
Limited technical assistance: FBAs
Contextual mismatch
One Lesson Learned: FBA/FBT

The Challenge: How to Get the Benefits of
FBA in the Current Context of Schools

Testing of Function Based Thinking: A
process designed to provide classroom
teachers an enhanced and systematic
method of dealing with behavioral issues
(Not FBA)
FBT: What is it?

How Does it Differ From FBA?
Ecological
Considers context
Simpler and user friendly
Designed to support the needs of
students w/less severe behaviors
FBT: What is it?


Ecological factors are ruled out
– Double-Check (Hershfeldt, 2010)
– Classroom management
When Used?
–
–
Conventional tactics have not been successful
Likely candidates include our “Yellow Zone”
students
Differences between FBA and FBT
Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)
Function-Based Thinking (FBT)

A process and a product

Requires formal assessment and analysis
informs the selection of effective function-
of comprehensive data
based supports

Involves multiple team members

Requires individual trained in behavior
analysis or functional assessment



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A quick systematic way of thinking that
A preliminary step, prior to an extensive
FBA

Only requires the teacher and an individual
Typically a lengthy and intensive
knowledgeable of behavior management to
assessment and intervention process
facilitate the learning process for teachers
Not often used as a preventative measure, 
Draws from the research-based components
but rather instituted when more
of FBA
problematic behaviors arise

Designed to be used as an early intervention
strategy with mild to moderate behavior
problems

Designed to be used prior to involving the
student support team or outside supports
3 steps of FBT
1.
Gathering information
Emphasize data already collected by teachers
2.
Development of a plan
Ensuring interventions match function
Matches teacher style and comfort level
3.
Evaluation/monitoring of the plan
Simple
Gathering Information


Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence data
Data comes in many forms:
–

Student grades, homework and work completion,
tardies, absences and even visits to the nurse or
guidance office
Let the data define the problem
–
How do we know it’s a problem? “Show me the
data”
Development of a Plan


Its easy to become overwhelmed and rely on
whatever intervention might have worked with a
previous student
Research suggests selecting an intervention that
addresses the function of the behavior yields higher
success in changing the targeted behavior (Scott et
al., 2005)
Development of a Plan

Should take into consideration the function of
the behavior
–


Answer the question WHY?
Replace the targeted behavior
Identify personnel that could help the student
learn the new behavior
–
Be sure the personnel have the training to support
the student
Development of a Plan: Functions
of Misbehaviors – the WHY?
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Avoidance
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–
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Unfamiliar w/the process or content
Academic deficits
Capacity (too much)
Engagement (material isn’t engaging)
Social skill deficit (doesn’t know how to interact w/
peers and adults)
Access
–
Attention from peers, adults, to a favorite task
Macintosh, et al. (2008)
Development of a Plan: Functions
of Misbehavior – the WHY?

Avoidance
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–
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To avoid a task
To avoid a person/interaction (less common)
What to do
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–
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Premack
Build in breaks
Permit escape for a specified time
Development of a Plan: Functions
of Misbehavior – the WHY?

Access (Attention-Seeking)
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Engages in behavior to satisfy (unconscious) need for
attention
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Chronic blurting out, excessive helplessness, tattling,
minor disruptions
What to do:
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–
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Be careful about reinforcing the “problem behavior”
Planned ignoring
Provide attention and reinforce positive behavior
Development of a Plan: Functions
of Misbehavior – the WHY?

Does the student have the skill?
–
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Lacks ability or knowledge about how to behave
What to do:
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Explore psychological or constitutional factors
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Have capacity for insight?

If yes: Conduct lessons to develop skills and knowledge about
appropriate behavior
–

Model, reinforce, and provide feedback
If no: Make accommodations
Development of a Plan: Functions
of Misbehavior – the WHY?

Is the student aware?
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–

Truly unaware that behavior is problematic
Defensive, argumentative
What to do:
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–
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Provide feedback
Develop a signal to cue the student about the
misbehavior
Develop a self-monitoring and evaluation strategy
Evaluate/monitor the plan

Data collection should be on-going and
simple
(Jenson, Rhode, and Reavis (1995) in the Tough Kid Tool Box)


Periodically compared with the baseline
Reported to those involved
–
–
including the student
self-monitoring most effective
See handout #1: The Three Steps
of FBT
See handout #2
The Case of the Disruptive Math
Students

Two students calling out frequently,
disrupting the learning of others
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Step 1: Collect information
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–
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When
Where
Who was involved
ABC observations
The Case of the Disruptive Math
Students
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Step 2: Develop a plan
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
Answer the question WHY?
Teach and reinforce the replacement behavior:
“ask for help”
Step 3: Evaluate/monitor the plan
Strategies to Implement FBT
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Teacher willing and able
Training in FBT
On-going coaching
Evaluation
(Fixsen, Naoom, Blasé, Friedman, & Wallace, 2005).
Levels of FBT
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Student level
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Classroom level
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Rule out ecological factors
Empower the teacher to think functionally and
plan accordingly
Classroom Check Up (Reinke, Lewis-Palmer, &
Merrill, 2008 )
School level
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Use of school-wide data
Data based decision making
Activity : Staff Response Form
What did the
student do ?
(Be specific
Measurable
/observable
What, when,
who, )
How do I feel? What do I
usually do?
What do I
say?
What do I
look
like/sound
like?
Student shoved his I feel startled at
book on the floor
first and then I get
in the direction of anxious
his neighbors feet
when I asked the
class to begin
working
independently on
their math
assignments
I usually send him
to the office to
conference w/the
principal. I tell him,
“Go straight there –
do not pass go…”
As a result,
what does the
student do?
What is
maintaining the
behavior?
Why is it
happening?
He spends the
remainder of math
class waiting for the
principal to see him.
AvT
I believe he escaping to
the office to avoid
independent work in
math.
Adapted from Cooperative Discipline- Linda Albert-
AA =Access adult attention; AP =Access peer attention; AC =access to choice; AI
=Access to item; AvP = Avoid peer attention; AvA =Avoid adult attention; AvT = avoid
task
References
Fixsen, D.L., Naoom, S.F., Blasé, K.A., Friedman, R.M. & Wallace, F.,
(2005). Implementation Research: A Synthesis of the Literature.
Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida
Mental Health Institute, The National Implementation Research
Network (FMHI Publication #231).
Hershfeldt, P.A., Rosenberg, M.S. & Bradshaw, C.P. (2010) Function
based thinking: A systematic way of thinking about function and its role
in changing student behavior problems. Beyond Behavior 19(2).
McIntosh, K., Horner, R. H., Chard, D. J., Dickey, C. R., & Braun, D. H.
(2008). Reading and skills in function of problem behavior in typical
school settings. Journal of Special Education, 42(3), 131-147.
Reinke, W.M., Lewis-Palmer, T., & Merrell, K. (2008) The classroom
check-up: A class wide teacher consultation model for increasing
praise and decreasing disruptive behavior. School Psychology Review,
37(3).
References
Scott, T. M., McIntyre, J., Liaupsin, C., Nelson, C. M., Conroy, M., &
Payne, L. (2005). An examination of the relation between functional
behavior assessment and selected intervention strategies with schoolbased teams. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 7, 205-215.
Van Acker, R., Borenson, L., Gable, R.A., & Potterson, T. (2005) . Are we
on the right course? Lessons learned about current FBA/BIP practices
in schools. Journal of Behavior Education, 14(1).