The Role of Functional Behavior Assessment in

Behavioral Intervention

Is this how it goes, usually?

FBA

BIP

Reduction in problem behavior

Or, is this how it goes?

problem behavior

school discipline

more or less problem behavior

Or is this how it goes?

problem behavior

incentives for no problem

behavior

more or less problem behavior

When we try discipline or incentives to change behavior, even when behavior seems to improve, do we understand the reason the problem behavior occurred in the first place?

What do we learn about the student from the process of applying interventions when we don’t understand the function of the behavior?

The method a behavior analyst uses:

Reinforce the socially appropriate behaviors, not the problem behaviors.

Help the person to develop socially appropriate behaviors to meet needs.

Understand the reasons a person is behaving the way he/she is.FBA

ReinforcementP or N

BIPcontrol R

Schedule R Differentially apply R

Technical Jargon

• Positive or Negative Reinforcement

• Differential Reinforcement

• Schedule of Reinforcement

What does an FBA do?

FBA

Reinforcement?

Positive? Negative?

What does a BIP do?

BIP

Control Reinforcement

Differentially Schedule

the role of reinforcement

Positive = addition of stimulus

Negative = removal of stimulus

Examples:

You sit quietly in your seat while your classmates passes out her birthday treats.

Example

You pinch your nose and groan that you hate broccoli!

Example

You raise your hand to ask for a turn.

Example

You crack a joke in the middle of a lesson.

Determine the function, then intervene.

If the behavior functions for obtaining or gaining something, then change something so that behavior can no longer function that way.

If the behavior functions for avoiding or escaping something, then change something so that behavior can no longer function that way.

Possible Functions of Behavior

Reinforcement

Gain/Obtain

pleasant conditions

objects, food, activities,

sensations

social attention

Escape/Avoid

unpleasant conditions

objects, food, activities, sensations

social attention

Behavior Plans

Control reinforcement

differentially schedule

Discipline without FBA

• Error corrections or reprimands could be increasing behavior because they are functioning as attention and the attention reinforces the behavior.

• Time-out procedures could be increasing behavior because they are functioning as removing aversive or unpleasant conditions, which reinforces the behavior.

4:1 Ratio

Differential – gives more attention to the behaviors we want from students and gives less attention to the behaviors we do not want from students.

Schedule – make a plan to use the ratio or you could give too little reinforcement or none to the behaviors you want to see

FBA & BIP

The FBA reveals the reason the behavior occurs again and again.

The intervention takes the reason into account.

Example

Why is the boy throwing the airplane?

Attention?

4:1 ratio might work. When all students are reinforced first for the behaviors the teacher wants to see, students who demonstrate these behaviors get more attention.

This student may need more attention still…or…

Escape or Avoid

Perhaps the student gets out of tasks he does not enjoy.

He gets sent to time-out in the corner or the hallway or to the principal’s office, for example, instead of doing math.

Behavioral InterventionHe may need a variety of treatments.

Modified work expectations (i.e., make it easier or reduce the demands).

To be taught a replacement behavior such as how to ask for help or ask for a break.

Incentives for completing the work (e.g, behavior contract &/or token system).

Prompting or pre-correction for the correct behavior. Not allowed to escape work by demonstrating problem

behaviors. Response cost (e.g., loss of privileges or tokens upon

demonstrating problem behaviors).

Summary

The behavioral intervention may include disciplinary consequences and incentives, only the plan for the use of either of these types of interventions are individualized, in other words, based on the function of the student’s behavior.

Therefore, the behavioral intervention plan is based on understanding the student’s individual needs.