Functional Behavioral Functional Behavioral AssessmentAssessment

By Andrea BilelloBy Andrea Bilello

What is Functional What is Functional Behavioral Assessment Behavioral Assessment

(FBA)(FBA)?? A process for gathering information to A process for gathering information to

understand the function (purpose) of behavior understand the function (purpose) of behavior in specific contexts in order to develop an in specific contexts in order to develop an effective intervention plan. (Artesani, 2009) effective intervention plan. (Artesani, 2009)

A systematic means of identifying variables A systematic means of identifying variables that may control a behavior. Both the that may control a behavior. Both the antecedents and consequences are examined antecedents and consequences are examined to understand why a behavior occurs in a to understand why a behavior occurs in a specific environmental context. (Watson and specific environmental context. (Watson and Steege, 2003, 2009) Steege, 2003, 2009)

Why Conduct an FBA?Why Conduct an FBA?

It is mandated by IDEIAIt is mandated by IDEIA

It leads to effective positive behavioral It leads to effective positive behavioral support intervention plans.support intervention plans.

It assists educators in understanding what It assists educators in understanding what triggers and maintains interfering behaviors triggers and maintains interfering behaviors of a student. of a student.

What are the Basic What are the Basic Assumptions of FBA?Assumptions of FBA?

Behavior is learnedBehavior is learned

Behavior is contextualBehavior is contextual

Behavior serves a function (predictable)Behavior serves a function (predictable)

Behavior is malleable and teachableBehavior is malleable and teachable

Behavior DOES NOT occur in a vacuum, it is Behavior DOES NOT occur in a vacuum, it is affected directly by environmental events affected directly by environmental events

Interventions involve changing environments and Interventions involve changing environments and teaching teaching

Functions vs. Not Functions vs. Not FunctionsFunctions

FunctionsFunctions

Positive Reinforcement Positive Reinforcement (to obtain, to get )(to obtain, to get )

Negative Reinforcement Negative Reinforcement (to avoid/escape, get (to avoid/escape, get out of )out of )

Automatic/Sensory Automatic/Sensory ReinforcementReinforcement

Not FunctionsNot Functions

PowerPower

ControlControl

RevengeRevenge

Medical ConditionsMedical Conditions

Possible FunctionsPossible Functions

Positive ReinforcementPositive Reinforcement

Obtain:Obtain:

Attention of teachers or Attention of teachers or peerspeers

Positive or negative Positive or negative attention that can be attention that can be verbal, physical, or verbal, physical, or nonverbalnonverbal

Access to materialsAccess to materials

Sensory StimulationSensory Stimulation

Negative ReinforcementNegative Reinforcement

Escape/Avoidance:Escape/Avoidance:

Tasks/demandsTasks/demands

ActivitiesActivities

People (social People (social interaction)interaction)

SettingsSettings

Sensory StimulationSensory Stimulation

How to Conduct an How to Conduct an FBA?FBA?

Interview (Indirect Observation)Interview (Indirect Observation)

Questionaires (behavior rating scales, social Questionaires (behavior rating scales, social skills assessments)skills assessments)

Direct ObservationDirect Observation

Seven Phases of FBASeven Phases of FBA((Jim Artesani, 2009)Jim Artesani, 2009)

Phase 1: Collect history and background Phase 1: Collect history and background informationinformation

Phase 2: Determine target behaviorPhase 2: Determine target behavior

Phase 3: Conduct interviewsPhase 3: Conduct interviews

Phase 4: Conduct direct observationsPhase 4: Conduct direct observations

Phase 5: Generate a Summary StatementPhase 5: Generate a Summary Statement

Phase 6: Verify the Summary StatementPhase 6: Verify the Summary Statement

Phase 7: Determine the Function of the BehaviorPhase 7: Determine the Function of the Behavior

Important TermsImportant Terms

Setting Events-conditions, events or sensations Setting Events-conditions, events or sensations that increase the probability that problem will that increase the probability that problem will occur (Kantor, 1959) occur (Kantor, 1959)

Antecedents (Triggers)- What is happening right Antecedents (Triggers)- What is happening right before the behavior occurs?before the behavior occurs?

Behavior- What the student is doing? (hit, spit, Behavior- What the student is doing? (hit, spit, yell, walk away from teacher)yell, walk away from teacher)

Consequences- What happens after the behavior? Consequences- What happens after the behavior? What maintains the behavior? (positive or What maintains the behavior? (positive or negative reinforcement, punishment, extinction)negative reinforcement, punishment, extinction)

Phases of FBAPhases of FBA

Phase 1: Record Review-includes education records, Phase 1: Record Review-includes education records, medical reports, psychological reports, etcmedical reports, psychological reports, etc

Phase 2: Determine and define the target behaviorPhase 2: Determine and define the target behavior

includes a general category of the behavior WITH includes a general category of the behavior WITH specific descriptorsspecific descriptors

Definitions must be observable and measureableDefinitions must be observable and measureable

(Examples: Physical aggression is defined as hitting, (Examples: Physical aggression is defined as hitting, pushing and kicking staff. Off task is defined as pushing and kicking staff. Off task is defined as lying on the floor and refusing to move.)lying on the floor and refusing to move.)

Phase 2: Determine and Phase 2: Determine and Define Target BehaviorDefine Target Behavior

Stay away from unclear definitions such as:Stay away from unclear definitions such as:

Terms that are judgmental (ex. rude, Terms that are judgmental (ex. rude, annoying)annoying)

Statements that are too general (ex. Statements that are too general (ex. aggressive behavior, off task)aggressive behavior, off task)

Terms that are not observable or measurable Terms that are not observable or measurable (ex. always, sometimes, never)(ex. always, sometimes, never)

Phase 3: Structured Phase 3: Structured InterviewsInterviews

A structured interview looks at setting events, A structured interview looks at setting events, antecedents, behaviors of concern, and antecedents, behaviors of concern, and consequences-functions.consequences-functions.

Setting events provide information about Setting events provide information about what settings, events or people are where the what settings, events or people are where the behavior occurs AND does not occur. behavior occurs AND does not occur.

Possible Setting EventsPossible Setting Events

Curriculum/Instructional (ex. difficult tasks, Curriculum/Instructional (ex. difficult tasks, unpredictable schedule, slow pace of unpredictable schedule, slow pace of instruction)instruction)

Biological/Medical/Personal Variables (ex. Biological/Medical/Personal Variables (ex. sickness, medications, fatigue, hunger, mood)sickness, medications, fatigue, hunger, mood)

Social (ex. presence of staff, peers or amount Social (ex. presence of staff, peers or amount of staff or adult attention, proximity of staff, of staff or adult attention, proximity of staff, substitutes)substitutes)

Environmental (ex. inappropriate lighting, noisy Environmental (ex. inappropriate lighting, noisy environment, uncomfortable seating) environment, uncomfortable seating)

Important Things to Remember Important Things to Remember about Setting Eventsabout Setting Events

They may precede or accompany the They may precede or accompany the behavioral event (temporally proximal).behavioral event (temporally proximal).

They may be temporally distant from the They may be temporally distant from the behavior.behavior.

Temporally distant setting events may create Temporally distant setting events may create an emotional or physiological state present in an emotional or physiological state present in the current setting (Halle & Spradlin, 1993)the current setting (Halle & Spradlin, 1993)

Phase 4: Conduct direct Phase 4: Conduct direct observationsobservations

Observation should be conducted across a Observation should be conducted across a variety of times, settings, and topicsvariety of times, settings, and topics

Types of Tools for Direct Observation:Types of Tools for Direct Observation: ABC Recording ABC Recording Behavior StreamingBehavior Streaming Scatterplots-provides information about when a Scatterplots-provides information about when a

behavior is most likely or least likely to occur behavior is most likely or least likely to occur Data Collection-frequency, duration, partial or whole Data Collection-frequency, duration, partial or whole

interval recording, etcinterval recording, etc

Phase 5: Generating a Phase 5: Generating a Summary StatementSummary Statement

After obtaining information through interviews and direct After obtaining information through interviews and direct observation, you summarize and analyze your data to find observation, you summarize and analyze your data to find patterns. patterns.

To answer questions such as where, when and with whom is the To answer questions such as where, when and with whom is the behavior most likely to occur, and what is the function of the behavior most likely to occur, and what is the function of the behavior you need to develop a hypothesis statement. behavior you need to develop a hypothesis statement.

A hypothesis statement describes the behavior and the A hypothesis statement describes the behavior and the conditions. It should be clear and unbiased. conditions. It should be clear and unbiased.

Ex. When Brian completes his work early he screams and destroys Ex. When Brian completes his work early he screams and destroys his materials. His behavior prompts his teacher to initiate an his materials. His behavior prompts his teacher to initiate an alternative activity.alternative activity.

Ex. Based on information gathered during the FBA, it appears that Ex. Based on information gathered during the FBA, it appears that John’s verbal outbursts are triggered by being given difficult John’s verbal outbursts are triggered by being given difficult academic tasks and are maintained by avoiding completing academic tasks and are maintained by avoiding completing these tasks.these tasks.

Phase 6: Verify the Phase 6: Verify the Summary StatementSummary Statement

Functional analysis is used to verify or confirm Functional analysis is used to verify or confirm hypothesis statements regarding the function of hypothesis statements regarding the function of behaviors.behaviors.

““Functional analysis refers to the process of gathering Functional analysis refers to the process of gathering information to determine relations between variables, information to determine relations between variables, particular functional relations (Shiver, Anderson, & particular functional relations (Shiver, Anderson, & Proctor , 2001 from Steege & Watson, 2009, p. 162)Proctor , 2001 from Steege & Watson, 2009, p. 162)

Functional analysis requires knowledge and training Functional analysis requires knowledge and training beyond the scope of this course and most educators’ beyond the scope of this course and most educators’ training in schools. training in schools.

Most behaviors do not require a functional analysis Most behaviors do not require a functional analysis because interviews and direct observation often because interviews and direct observation often provide enough information to determine a function of provide enough information to determine a function of a student’s behavior. a student’s behavior.

Phase 7: Determining Phase 7: Determining the Function of the the Function of the

Behavior Behavior Once you have determined the function of the Once you have determined the function of the

behavior (to obtain or avoid/escape), you can behavior (to obtain or avoid/escape), you can use that information to develop a positive use that information to develop a positive behavior support plan. behavior support plan.

When developing a positive behavior support When developing a positive behavior support plan focus on preventative strategies, plan focus on preventative strategies, teaching strategies (teaching a replacement teaching strategies (teaching a replacement behavior), and the use of reinforcement to behavior), and the use of reinforcement to increase desired behavior and increase desired behavior and prevent/decrease interfering behavior. prevent/decrease interfering behavior.

ResourcesResources

www.mepbis.org

James Artesani (PBIS Workshops and lecture James Artesani (PBIS Workshops and lecture information obtained from SED 598 information obtained from SED 598 Functional Behavioral Assessment)Functional Behavioral Assessment)

Steege, M. W. & Watson, T. S. (2009) Steege, M. W. & Watson, T. S. (2009) Conducting School-Based Functional Conducting School-Based Functional Behavioral Assessments: A Practitioners Behavioral Assessments: A Practitioners Guide (2Guide (2ndnd ed. ) ed. ) New York: Guilford Press. New York: Guilford Press.