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Functional Behavior Assessment

An FBA provides information about problem behaviors through direct observation and indirect methods. It aims to understand the environmental factors influencing problem behaviors, including antecedents, consequences, and setting events. The outcomes of an FBA include operational definitions of behaviors, descriptions of triggers and maintaining consequences, and a summary hypothesis statement to guide the development of a support plan.

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889 views

Functional Behavior Assessment

An FBA provides information about problem behaviors through direct observation and indirect methods. It aims to understand the environmental factors influencing problem behaviors, including antecedents, consequences, and setting events. The outcomes of an FBA include operational definitions of behaviors, descriptions of triggers and maintaining consequences, and a summary hypothesis statement to guide the development of a support plan.

Uploaded by

susanquinn02
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Functional Behavior

Assessment
Outcomes of an FBA
 Operational definition(s) of problem behavior(s);
 Description of setting events and antecedents (times, places,
activities) that predict the occurrence and nonoccurrence of the
problem behavior;
 Description of the consequences responsible for the problem
behavior;
 Verification of the predictors and consequences through direct
observation; and
 Summary hypothesis statements that serve as basis for designing
the positive behavior support plan.
What types of information do we get
from an FBA?
 Description of the problem behaviors and daily
routines
 Provides operational definition
 Observable, measurable (not subjective)

 Consequences maintaining problem behavior


 Antecedent events that trigger behavior
 Setting events that increase likelihood of
behavior happening

Helps us to focus on the ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS that set off


problem behavior and shows us the SOCIAL CONTEXTS that are
difficult for child.
3 methods for completing
FBA
 INDIRECT METHODS
 Behavior Rating scales and checklists
 Problem Behavior Questionnaire (Lewis, Scott, & Sugai,

1994)
 Critical Events Index (Walker & Severson, 1990)

 Interviews: parents, student, teachers


 Summary Hypothesis Statement
 Referral information & school records
 Attendance records
 Grades
 Achievement scores
 Retentions
 Previous narrative statements from faculty
 Suspensions
 Records of parent conferences
Examples of consequences that
could maintain behavior
Positive reinforcement Negative reinforcement
 Access to food  Avoid peer interaction
 Access to activities  Avoid teacher interaction
 Access to materials  Avoid peer teasing
 Access to peer laughter  Avoid task demands
 Access to peer  Escape school (time outs,
conversation suspensions)
 Access to teacher
assistance
 Access to teacher
comments
Setting events: contexts where
behaviors occur
Biological Environmental Situational
Medication Noise/distractions Changes in teacher
Illness Feeling crowded School holidays/break
in instruction
Fatigue Schedule of events for Changes in routine
day
Hunger Seating Transitions
Pain Isolation Fighting with peers or
adults

Setting events increase or decrease motivation.

Do not trigger the behavior but alter probability that


antecedent will evoke the behavior.
Summary Hypothesis
Statements
 Summary Hypothesis Statement: DOES NOT PROVE; merely
gives us a potential function of the problem behavior and a
testable hypothesis that serves as connection between FBA
and BIP
Emma
 When Emma misses her 12:30 medication & teachers
present multiple task demands, she makes negative
self-statements (“I’m so stupid”) & writes words
“shit” and “fuck” on the covers of her textbooks.
Teaching staff sends her to the office with a
discipline referral for being disrespectful.

What is hypothesized function of problem behavior?


Summary hypothesis
statement

Possible function of behavior = Avoidance of difficult tasks


Joshua
 Joshua 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 in-school detention.

What is hypothesized function of problem behavior?


Summary hypothesis
statement

Possible function of behavior = Escape of teacher and peer attention


Desired Typical
Alternative result
Summary StatementWhat is the
What is
desired likely
behavior? to be the
result or
consequen
Triggering
Setting Problem ce?
Anteceden
Events Behavior
ts Maintaining
What
What is the Consequen
happened
What is the immediately presenting ces
context? before problem? What is
the problem the result?
behavior?
What
Acceptable happens?
Alternative
What is an
acceptable
behavior?
Competing Behavior Desired Alternative Desired
Maintaining

Pathway
Consequence
Comply
with Request
request completed

Setting Events Triggering Antecedents Problem Behavior Maintaining


Consequence

Peer Teacher/ Escalated


profanity Avoid
conflict peer request
request physical
aggression
Acceptable Alternative

Caesar Walk
away
3 methods for conducting
an FBA
 DIRECT METHODS
 Scatter Plot assessments
 Problem behavior is not evenly distributed through out the

day
 Tells us when behavior is most likely and unlikely to occur

 Grid divided by time intervals

 Is problem behavior associated with time of day, absence

or presence of particular people, activities or events,


physical or social settings or a combo of above?
 A-B-C Observations
 Occurs in natural setting where problem behavior is most

likely to be seen
 Observer records immediate antecedents and

consequences each time the problem behavior occurs


A-B-C recording form
Student name: __________________
Date:__________________________
Location:_______________________
Observer’s name:________________

Time Antecedent Behavior Consequence


Event Recording: scatter
plotting
Date Tally every time that the behavior occurs Total # of
occurrences

10/18
|| 7

10/19
||| 3

10/20
5

10/21 |||| 4

10/22
||| 8
Charting
3 methods for conducting
an FBA
 EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
 Systematic manipulation of antecedents, consequences or both
to test their relationship with the problem behavior
 Experimental methods demonstrate or prove relationships
between environmental events and problem behavior
 Consists of creating conditions that may evoke problem
behavior (problems with that???)
 Functional Analysis = Test consequences that directly control
problem behavior
 Structural analysis = Test hypotheses about behavior by
manipulating antecedent conditions that cue problem and
desirable behavior
Steps to development
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
Identify these problem behaviors more
concretely
 Delaney is disruptive.
 Hans is disrespectful.
 Jameson doesn’t like to listen to adults.
 Kendra is slow.
 Brett is rude.
 Shannon is aggressive.
 Michael is noncompliant.
KEEP THIS IN MIND…
Skill deficit Performance deficit
 Student does not  Student knows how to
know how to perform perform skill but
skill chooses not to
Is there evidence to
suggest that the demonstrate it
student does not Is itconsistently.
possible that the
know how to perform student is uncertain about
the skill and the appropriateness of the
behavior (e.g., it is
therefore cannot? appropriate to clap loudly
and yell during sporting
Does the student events, yet these
understand the behaviors are often
inappropriate when
behavioral playing academic games in
expectations for the the classroom)?
situation?

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