Functional Assessment and Behavior
Intervention Planning:
Practical Solutions for Problem
Behavior
Jane I. Carlson, Ph.D., B.C.B.A
The May Institute
Form vs. Function
A Developmental
Perspective
The Communication
Hypothesis
The Basics of
Applied Behavior
Analysis
A
B
C
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Antecedent: A
stimulus condition or
environmental event
that precedes a
behavior
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Example:
Feeling hungry.
A red light.
Being asked to do a
math problem.
Seeing a friend.
Dirty dishes in the
sink.
ANTECEDENT:
An immediate “trigger” for the
problem behavior.
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BEHAVIOR: Anything
a person does that
can be defined,
observed, and
measured.
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Example:
Hitting self
Writing
Kicking
Walking
Throwing toys
Crying
Rocking
CONSEQUENCE: A
stimulus condition or
environmental event
that follows a
behavior.
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Example:
Social Interaction
Edible item
Token
Check Mark
Praise
Gaining access to
desired item.
Consequences cause behavior
to:

Increase in frequency
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Maintain at the same rate
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Decrease in frequency
Preferred
Give
Take
Away
Non-preferred
Preferred
R+
Give
Positive
Reinforcement
Take
Away
Non-preferred
Preferred
Give
Take
Away
Non-preferred
Punishment
(Type 1)
Preferred
Give
Take
Away
Punishment
(Type 2)
Non-preferred
Preferred
Non-preferred
Give
RTake
Negative
Away
Reinforcement
Preferred
Punishment
(Type 1)
Give
Take
Away
Non-preferred
Punishment
(Type 2)
Problems associated with punishment:
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No maintenance of effect without
continued intervention.
Not generalizable.
Produces avoidance behavior
Can evoke aggression.
Often leads to coercion.
Provides undesirable model of behavior.
Preferred
Non-preferred
R+
Give
Positive
Reinforcment
RTake
Away
Negative
Reinforcement
Positive Reinforcement
Antecedent
Homework
assignment from
school
Behavior
Consequence
Child completes
homework and shows
to parent.
Parent praises child
and takes child out for
ice cream
Author is typing on the Author hits monitor
computer and the
several times.
screen goes blank.
Screen returns to
normal.
Mother and child are
shopping for
groceries.
Mother gives child a
cookie.
Child begins crying.
Negative Reinforcement
Antecedent
Behavior
The classroom is very
noisy.
Child asks teacher to
quiet everyone down.
Consequence
Classroom becomes
quiet.
Author is typing on the Author hits monitor
computer and the
several times.
screen starts flashing.
Screen returns to
normal.
Mother and child are
Mother gives child a
shopping for groceries cookie.
and child begins to
cry.
Child stops crying.
Deprivation
and
Satiation
DEPRIVATION
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A state that occurs when a reinforcer has
been withheld or unavailable.
Temporarily increases the value of the
reinforcer
SATIATION

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A state that occurs when a reinforcer has
been presented too frequently or in too
great a quantity.
Temporarily decreases the effectiveness of
a reinforcer.
POSITIVE/NEGATIVE
REINFORCEMENT
INTERACTIONS
THE NEGATIVE
REINFORCEMENT
TRAP
A
B
C
ANTECEDENTS
Give us important antecedents
about the context in which
problem behavior occurs.
CONSEQUENCES
give us important information
about the function of a problem
behavior.
Functional Categories
 Attention
 Escape
 Tangible
 Other
seeking
ESCAPE
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When you ask the person to participate in
a task or activity, the problem behavior
occurs.
When in an unpleasant situation, such as
a crowded area, the problem occurs.
When you make a request of the person.
The behavior stops when you stop making
demands.
ATTENTION
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The person behaves appropriately in 1-1
situations.
When an adult moves away, a problem
occurs.
Behavior occurs when teacher is talking to
another person in the room
TANGIBLE SEEKING
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When told “no”, a problem begins.
If an adult “gives in”, the problem stops.
When you take away a toy, food, or game.
OTHER
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Sensory
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Medical
SETTING EVENTS
Establishing operations
SETTING EVENTS
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Variables that affect the probability of a
given stimulus-reinforcer relationship.
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Setting Events
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Physical discomfort
Fatigue
Negative life event
Series of “hassles”
Negative history with
event/person
Setting Event
Setting Event
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
Just got back
Teacher says,
from the park.
“Time for math.”
In a good mood.
Jack completes
math paper.
Aide gives Jack
a work break
and a small
snack.
Not feeling well.
High pollen
count today.
Jack throws
materials, hits
his aide, and
bites his wrist.
Jack is asked to
leave the
classroom until
he can calm
down.
Teacher says,
“Time for math.”
Conducting a Functional
Assessment
FA Tools
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Interview with relevant family/staff.
A-B-C data collection
Historical data analysis
Experimental functional analysis
Behavior Log
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9/12/04
At 8:45 AM, Jamie was watching cartoons and I told him
it was time to get dressed for school. He didn’t respond
so I turned off the TV and told him to go get dressed. He
started to scream and then he threw his toy at me. He
continued to tantrum for about 10 minutes. I finally said,
“Okay, you can have 10 more minutes of TV time but
then you have to get dressed.” He stopped crying and
turned the TV back on.
A-B-C Sheet
Date/time
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
9/12/04
8:45 AM
Jamie was
watching TV and I
turned it off and
asked him to get
dressed.
He screamed and
threw a toy, then
had a tantrum for
10 minutes.
I told him that he
could watch TV
for 10 more
minutes but then
he had to dress.
9/14/04
3:20 PM
A neighbor came
over and we were
sitting and talking.
Jamie started
screaming and
threw himself on
the floor.
I picked him up
and talked with
him for a few
minutes.
Intervention Planning
Short-term prevention
Long-term Intervention
Short-term
Prevention
Interventions directed at setting
events and antecedents identified
during assessment.
Long-term
Intervention
Educative strategies directed at
the functions of problem behavior
identified during functional
assessment.
Short-Term Prevention Strategies
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Alter Schedules
Embed Demands
Environmental Manipulation
Extra supervision
Mood Enhancement
Offer Choice
Reduce Demands
Neutralize setting events
Long-term Intervention Strategies
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Functional Communication Training
Social skills
Problem Solving
Relaxation Skills
Anger control training
Tolerance for delay of reinforcement
Shaping
Systematic Desensitization
Functional Communication
Training (DRC)
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Functional Equivalence
Interpretibility
Effectiveness
Efficiency