Special Services, Johnson County And Surrounding Schools

Behavior Functions Checklist

Student Name: _______________________________________________

Rater: ______________________________________________________

Date: _______________________________________________________

Behavior Description: __________________________________________

Setting: _____________________________________________________

Instructions: This Behavior Functions Checklist is designed to help determine the possible function(s) of
the problem behavior so that appropriate interventions can be planned. To complete this scale, select
one behavior that is believed to be the most important in making positive changes for the student. It is
important to be very detailed in your behavior description, “looking around the room,” for example, is
more detailed than “off task”. After you have explained the behavior, please circle the number for each
item that best describes your observation of this behavior.

Never Almost Seldom Half the Usually Almost Always

Never Time Always
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Never 10% of 25% of 50% of 75% of 90% of Always

the time the time the time the time the time

1. Does the behavior enable the

student to avoid an academic
task/activity/teacher/time of the
day/location?
2. Does the behavior appear to be
sneaky in nature so that you are
not intended to catch it?
3. Does the behavior appear in group
situations with peers?
4. Will the student stop the behavior
in order to earn an item that they
would like to have (e.g., sticker,
treat, iPad, iPod, etc.)?
5. Does it appear that the student is
making an effort to change his/her
identity?
6. Will the student display the
behavior when the student wants
something that is not theirs?
7. Is this student self-abusive or does
the student strike out at others?
8. Is the behavior performed over
and over again, in a rhythmic or
cyclical manner?
Behavior Functions Checklist 1
 Never Almost Seldom Half the Usually Almost Always
Never Time Always
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Never 10% of 25% of 50% of 75% of 90% of Always

the time the time the time the time the time

9. Has the student attempted to

change his/her group of friends?
10. Does the student’s status with
peers appear to be boosted when
the student engages in the
problem behavior?
11. Does the behavior happen when
there is either a lot going on or
very little (e.g., noise, movement,
people, activity)?
12. Does it appear that the student is
attempting to change how he/she
comes across to his/her peers?
13. Does the student refuse to follow
your directives?
14. Does the behavior occur when the
student is denied an activity (e.g.,
free time, recess, reading a book,
listening to an iPod) in which the
student wants to engage?
15. Do other students appear to be
impressed with this student after
he/she engages in this behavior?
16. Does the student “bargain” to stop
the behavior if the teacher will give
them an item they want?
17. Does the student crawl under a
desk, sit in a corner, or small space,
or pace back and forth?
18. Does the student seem to gain
access to his/her peer group after
engaging in this behavior?
19. Does the behavior stop when the
task is removed, or demands to
complete the task are removed?
20. Does the behavior occur when the
student has been working an
extended period of time?
21. Does the student’s behavior seem
to occur after another student has
engaged in a similar behavior?
22. Does the student respond better
when given choices versus being
told what he/she is to do?

Behavior Functions Checklist 2

 Never Almost Seldom Half the Usually Almost Always
Never Time Always
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Never 10% of 25% of 50% of 75% of 90% of Always

the time the time the time the time the time

23. Do other adults stop what they are

doing and interact with the student
when the problem behavior is
displayed?
24. Does the student appear
unmotivated, put their head on
their desk or tend to lie on the
floor?
25. Does the behavior occur when the
student is out of their seat or
during transition periods in the
classroom?
26. Does the student try to imitate a
particular role-model?
27. Does the student dismiss or appear
unappreciative when given a gift or
special treatment or privileges by a
parent/teacher?
28. Does the behavior occur during
some tasks but not others?
29. After the student engages in this
behavior do you provide attention
and/or one-on-one instruction to
get the student back on task?
30. Does the behavior enable the
student to gain protection from
adults/peers?
31. Does the student wear
inappropriate/unusual clothing?
32. Does the student look around for a
reaction from his/her peers upon
engaging in this behavior?
33. Does the behavior occur when you
stop attending to the student?
34. Does the behavior occur when a
change has been made to the
schedule or normal routine of
activities?
35. Does the student appear to engage
in this behavior in order to be
accepted by his/her peers?
36. Does the student argue with adult
authority and/or when given
directives?

Behavior Functions Checklist 3

 Never Almost Seldom Half the Usually Almost Always
Never Time Always
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Never 10% of 25% of 50% of 75% of 90% of Always

the time the time the time the time the time

37. Does the behavior intensify if you

insist the student complete the
task?
38. Does the behavior occur when the
teacher is on the other side of the
room or when the student is
seated away from the teacher?
39. Does the student appear to
attempt to fit and/or project a
different “persona”?
40. Do peers often laugh or respond to
the student following this
behavior?
41. Does the student spin, rock, or
hang upside down on their desk or
chair, talk constantly, or move
continually?
42. Does the student make an effort to
bring across
membership/affiliation to a certain
group by wearing certain colors, or
types of clothing or jewelry?
43. Does the behavior occur in order
to get something that the student
may want?
44. Does the behavior occur during
less structured times?
45. Does the behavior occur when the
student seems to be having a bad
day or already upset about
something?
46. Does the student appear to be
“following the lead” of another
student by engaging in this
behavior?
47. Does the student seem angry
before or during the occurrence of
the behavior?
48. Does the student engage in
damaging something belonging to
an authority figure (may say it was
an “accident”)?
49. Does the behavior seem to occur
when peers are attending to others
and therefore not paying attention
to the student?
Behavior Functions Checklist 4
 Never Almost Seldom Half the Usually Almost Always
Never Time Always
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Never 10% of 25% of 50% of 75% of 90% of Always

the time the time the time the time the time

50. Does the behavior occur when the

student is asked to perform a non-
preferred or difficult task?
51. Does the behavior occur when you
take away an object (e.g., toy,
food, pencil, iPod, phone, etc.)
from the student?
52. Doe the student seem to focus on
wanting to get even or on things
being “fair”?
53. Does the behavior seem to occur
when you are working with
another student?
54. Does the student over-react (i.e. to
react or respond more strongly
than is necessary or appropriate)
to provocation by peers?
55. Does the student seem to engage
in this behavior when you are not
paying attention to him/her?
56. Does the student flee or run from
loud or noisy environments?
57. Does the student say hurtful things
such as “You don’t even love me!”
or “I hate you!”?
58. Does the student over-react (i.e. to
react or respond more strongly
than is necessary or appropriate)
to mistakes made by others?
59. Does the behavior occur when the
student is denied an activity the
student wants to engage in?
60. Does the behavior occur in order
to engage in a preferred activity
(e.g., free time, recess, office
referral, time out of class, etc.)?

Behavior Functions Checklist 5

 Scoring Directions for the Behavior Functions Checklist

Write the rating that you assigned to each question next to its number below. When finished, total the ratings in each column. The
mean rating for each column is the total for each column divided by the number of items in the column (5 for Attention-Peer, 6 for
Power/Control, etc.). Then rank order the means and the highest mean may be considered the function of the behavior.

Attention Attention Acceptance Power/ Sensory/

Peer Teacher Affiliation Control Self-Stimulation

3. 23. 10. 2. 7.

15. 29. 18. 13. 8.

32. 33. 21. 22. 11.

40. 53. 35. 36. 17.

49. 55. 46. 47. 24.

59. 41.

56.

Total: __________ Total: ________ Total: __________ Total: __________ Total: __________

Mean:__________ Mean:________ Mean:__________ Mean:__________ Mean:__________

Setting Events/ Protection / Escape / Tangible Activity Expression of Self Justice/

Environment Avoidance Revenge

25. 1. 4. 5. 27.

34. 19. 6. 9. 48.

38. 20. 14. 12. 52.

44. 28. 16. 26. 54.

45. 30. 43. 31. 57.

37. 51. 39. 58.

50. 60. 42.

Total: _________ Total: __________ Total: __________ Total: __________ Total: _______

Mean:_________ Mean:__________ Mean:__________ Mean:__________ Mean:_______

Behavior category with the highest mean: ____________________________

Behavior Functions Checklist 6