Functional Behavior Assessment

Denise Duke, Ed. S.

Behavior Specialist

Houston County Board of

Education

What will we cover today?

• Why do we do Functional Behavior

Assessments (FBA)?

• What does IDEA-2004 say about conducting an

FBA?

• What does ABC stand for in relation to an FBA?

• How do you operationally define a target

behavior that is observable and measureable?

• What are the environmental variables that

influence and maintain behavior?

Functional Behavior Assessment Definition• Functional behavior assessment (FBA) is a

process rooted in the science of applied

behavior analysis (ABA), which focuses on the

relationship between behavior and

environmental variables. (Autism Internet

Module)

• It has 3 basic components:

Indirect assessment (rating scales, interviews,

records review)

Descriptive assessment (direct observation, data

collection)

Functional analysis (experimental manipulation

of environmental variables to determine the

function of a problem behavior)

What does IDEA require regarding an FBA?

• An FBA must be conducted:

There is a child with a disability

• Who has been removed from school for 10 days

• For behavior that interferes with the learning

environment

• For misconduct that either

– Is a manifestation of his/her disability

– Is not a manifestation of his/her disability

– Involves weapons or drugs, or serious bodily injury

Who is responsible for participating in an FBA?

The IDEA is not specific regarding who must

participate in the FBA process.

State and local education agencies have the

discretion to determine who conducts or

participates in the process.

When should an FBA be conducted?

As proactively as

possible!!!

The ABC’s of an FBA

• Antecedent – environmental events or

conditions that occur just prior the behavior of

interest. This includes setting events.

• Behavior – The action of interest, commonly

referred to as the target behavior (bx).

• Consequence – The environmental event or

condition that occurs just after the target

behavior that maintains or increases the

occurrence of the target behavior.

The 3-Term Contingency

BEHAVIOR!

First things first…

Overview

Michael’s Story

Understanding Behavior

Those unfamiliar with the science of behavior

often offer explanations of behavior that are not

helpful for finding a solution.

These explanations are often referred to as

“circular reasoning.”

“He won’t sit because he has ADHD.”

“How do you know he has ADHD?”

“I know because he won’t sit!”

Circular Reasoning

Examples of Very SpecificOperational Definitions of Behavior• Propel an object with force through the air by

movement of hand/arm

• Using an open or closed hand to strike or attempt to

strike the body part and/or clothing of another

person/self

• Projecting matter from mouth (1 inch from body)

• Forcefully gripping skin between finger(s) and/or

thumb (including with enough force to leave a visible

mark)

• Collapsing body from a standing or seated position

to lying on the ground in an uncontrolled manner

that is not within context of the ongoing activity

Operational Definition of the Problem Behavior

Consequences

• What do YOU think of when you hear the word

CONSEQUENCES?

• How does it differ from the way it applies to the

3-term Contingency?

• That’s why I prefer the term CONSEQUENT

EVENT.

REINFORCERSConsequent events that

increase the probability that the behavior they follow will

happen again.

PUNISHERSConsequent events that decrease the probability that the behavior they

follow will happen again.

PositiveAn event, object, or

condition is ADDED!

NegativeAn event, object, or

condition is REMOVED!

PositiveAn event, object, or

condition is ADDED!

NegativeAn event, object, or

condition is REMOVED!

Candy, attention,

computer time

Aspirin for a headache,

Leaving a crowded room.

Spanking Time out

Functions of Problem Behavior

• Socially mediated positive reinforcement

– Access to tangibles or attention from

peers/adults

• Socially mediated negative

reinforcement – Escape from

aversive/non-preferred activities

• Automatic reinforcement in the form of

sensory feedback (stereotypical

behaviors)

Antecedent Events

Discriminative Stimulus (SD) – A signal that reinforcement is available.

Motivation Operation (MO) – Two types

Establishing Operation (EO) – Increases

the value of a reinforcer.

Abolishing Operation (AO) – Decreases

the value of a reinforcer.

Setting Events – This refers to events that occur before, but not immediately, the behavior of interest. These events can influence behaviors, but are difficult be discovered in the FBA process.

Screening

Make sure there isn’t a physical issue

contributing to the problem behavior.

Make sure that there’s an actual need

for an FBA and that there’s not a

simple explanation.

Functional Behavior Assessment

• The ultimate goal of an FBA is

to find a functionally equivalent

replacement behavior with an

emphasis on reinforcement

rather than punishment.

Big FBA and little fba

• little fba – observing and adjusting

• BIG FBA

Is this behavior dangerous to the student?

Is this behavior dangerous to others?

Does this behavior interfere with the student’s

learning or the learning of others?

Does this behavior interfere with socialization?

Is the behavior frequent and disruptive?

Indirect Assessment

• FAST

• MAS

• Interview

DATA Collection and Direct Observation

• Momentary Time Sampling

• Duration

• Frequency

• A-B-C recording

FREQUENCY CHART

Date: TARGET BEHAVIOR:

STUDENT:

Observer: 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00

7:31 8:01 8:31 9:01 9:31 10:01 10:31 11:01 11:31 12:01 12:31 1:01 1:31 2:01 2:31 3:01

7:32 8:02 8:32 9:02 9:32 10:02 10:32 11:02 11:32 12:02 12:32 1:02 1:32 2:02 2:32 3:02

7:33 8:03 8:33 9:03 9:33 10:03 10:33 11:03 11:33 12:03 12:33 1:03 1:33 2:03 2:33 3:03

7:34 8:04 8:34 9:04 9:34 10:04 10:34 11:04 11:34 12:04 12:34 1:04 1:34 2:04 2:34 3:04

7:35 8:05 8:35 9:05 9:35 10:05 10:35 11:05 11:35 12:05 12:35 1:05 1:35 2:05 2:35 3:05

7:36 8:06 8:36 9:06 9:36 10:06 10:36 11:06 11:36 12:06 12:36 1:06 1:36 2:06 2:36 3:06

7:37 8:07 8:37 9:07 9:37 10:07 10:37 11:07 11:37 12:07 12:37 1:07 1:37 2:07 2:37 3:07

7:38 8:08 8:38 9:08 9:38 10:08 10:38 11:08 11:38 12:08 12:38 1:08 1:38 2:08 2:38 3:08

7:39 8:09 8:39 9:09 9:39 10:09 10:39 11:09 11:39 12:09 12:39 1:09 1:39 2:09 2:39 3:09

7:40 8:10 8:40 9:10 9:40 10:10 10:40 11:10 11:40 12:10 12:40 1:10 1:40 2:10 2:40 3:10

7:41 8:11 8:41 9:11 9:41 10:11 10:41 11:11 11:41 12:11 12:41 1:11 1:41 2:11 2:41 3:11

7:42 8:12 8:42 9:12 9:42 10:12 10:42 11:12 11:42 12:12 12:42 1:12 1:42 2:12 2:42 3:12

7:43 8:13 8:43 9:13 9:43 10:13 10:43 11:13 11:43 12:13 12:43 1:13 1:43 2:13 2:43 3:13

7:44 8:14 8:44 9:14 9:44 10:14 10:44 11:14 11:44 12:14 12:44 1:14 1:44 2:14 2:44 3:14

7:45 8:15 8:45 9:15 9:45 10:15 10:45 11:15 11:45 12:15 12:45 1:15 1:45 2:15 2:45 3:15

7:46 8:16 8:46 9:16 9:46 10:16 10:46 11:16 11:46 12:16 12:46 1:16 1:46 2:16 2:46 3:16

7:47 8:17 8:47 9:17 9:47 10:17 10:47 11:17 11:47 12:17 12:47 1:17 1:47 2:17 2:47 3:17

7:48 8:18 8:48 9:18 9:48 10:18 10:48 11:18 11:48 12:18 12:48 1:18 1:48 2:18 2:48 3:18

7:49 8:19 8:49 9:19 9:49 10:19 10:49 11:19 11:49 12:19 12:49 1:19 1:49 2:19 2:49 3:19

7:50 8:20 8:50 9:20 9:50 10:20 10:50 11:20 11:50 12:20 12:50 1:20 1:50 2:20 2:50 3:20

7:51 8:21 8:51 9:21 9:51 10:21 10:51 11:21 11:51 12:21 12:51 1:21 1:51 2:21 2:51 3:21

7:52 8:22 8:52 9:22 9:52 10:22 10:52 11:22 11:52 12:22 12:52 1:22 1:52 2:22 2:52 3:22

7:53 8:23 8:53 9:23 9:53 10:23 10:53 11:23 11:53 12:23 12:53 1:23 1:53 2:23 2:53 3:23

7:54 8:24 8:54 9:24 9:54 10:24 10:54 11:24 11:54 12:24 12:54 1:24 1:54 2:24 2:54 3:24

7:55 8:25 8:55 9:25 9:55 10:25 10:55 11:25 11:55 12:25 12:55 1:25 1:55 2:25 2:55 3:25

7:56 8:26 8:56 9:26 9:56 10:26 10:56 11:26 11:56 12:26 12:56 1:26 1:56 2:26 2:56 3:26

7:57 8:27 8:57 9:27 9:57 10:27 10:57 11:27 11:57 12:27 12:57 1:27 1:57 2:27 2:57 3:27

7:58 8:28 8:58 9:28 9:58 10:28 10:58 11:28 11:58 12:28 12:58 1:28 1:58 2:28 2:58 3:28

7:59 8:29 8:59 9:29 9:59 10:29 10:59 11:29 11:59 12:29 12:59 1:29 1:59 2:29 2:59 3:29

Behavior Intervention Team ABC Data Form

Student:________________________ ________ Teacher:_____________________________ Date: - -_____

Time

Begin-End

Target Behaviors Place Where it occurred

Context/Activity Antecedent Exactly what happened

right before the behavior

Consequence What happened right

after the behavior

Student Reaction

Key for A-B-C Sheet

Target BX Place Context/Activity Antecedent Consequence Student

Reaction

A. Biting

B. Hitting

C. Throwing

things

Functional Analysis

• THE GOLD STANDARD

BUT ONLY FOR A TRAINED PRACTITIONER

IN A CLINICAL SETTING!!!!

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denise.duke@hcbe.net

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