Function of Behavior
Tier 3 Support for Students with Challenging Behavior
Applied Behavior Analysis
Developed from Science of Human Behavior (Behaviorism)
Emphasis on application in the real world“the systematic application of behavioral
principles to change socially significant behavior to a meaningful degree”
RTI & SW-PBIS
Effective Instruction PBS
Conceptual Foundations
Behaviorism
ABA
Laws of Behavior
Applied Behavioral Technology
Social Validity
All Students
Primary Prevention:School/Classroom-Wide Systems for
All Students,Staff, & Settings
Secondary Prevention:Specialized Group
Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior
Tertiary Prevention:FBABSP for Students with High-Risk Behavior
~80% of Students
~15%
~5%
CONTINUUM OFSCHOOL-WIDE
POSITIVE BEHAVIORSUPPORT
Behavior
Identify the Target BehaviorDesired Behavior or Non-desired Behavior
Behavior must be identified so that it is observable & measurableDefine the behavior so that someone else could
go into the room and both of you could measure the behavior without question
Why Do People Behave?
Modeling? Accident? Instinct? Condition??
Why Do People Continue Behaving?
IT WORKS!
Understanding Chronic Misbehavior
If a student repeatedly engages in a problem behavior, he/she is most likely doing it for a reason, because it is paying off for the student
The behavior is Functional or serves a purpose
Behavior is a form of communication, unfortunately some students learn that Problem Behavior is the best way for them to get their needs met
Understanding Chronic Misbehavior
Recognize that recurring misbehavior occurs for a reason, and take this into account when determining how to respond to misbehavior.
We can understand how to intervene most effectively with a student by identifying the function (or purpose) of their behavior
ABC’s of Understanding Chronic Behavior Patterns
What happens before (A or antecedent) the
behavior occurs? Trigger
What is the behavior (B)?
What happens after (C or consequence) the
behavior occurs? Response or Outcome of the Behavior
A B C
Antecedents What triggers the behavior? What happens immediately preceding the
problem/target behavior? What triggers the behavior, be specific...
What activity? What peers? What tasks? Describe in detail
If you wanted to set up the student to engage in the problem behavior, what would you have do?
Consequence What is the response to the behavior? What happens immediately following the
behavior? How do peers respond? How do the adults respond? What are the consequences for the student? How many times out of 10 do each of these
responses occur following the problem behavior?
What is the student gaining as a result of engaging in the behavior? How is it paying off for the student?
Learning A B C
Student Learns through repeated experience, that under these specific Antecedent conditions, if I engage in this Behavior, I can expect this Consequence
Learning & ABC
A B CStudent is asked to do a math problem in front of the class
Student tries to do the problem at the board, but struggles
Peers laugh at student and one says aloud, “that one is so easy”
NEXT DAY
Student is asked to do a math problem in front of the class
What happens today???
Reinforcing Consequence
AB CIf the consequence is rewarding/desired, the
subject learns the behavior is functional for getting what they want
Behavior Increases in the Future
Rewarding or Desired Consequence
Punishing Consequence
A B C
If the consequence is punishing/undesired, the subject learns the behavior is not functional for
getting what they want
Behavior Decreases in the Future
Punishing or Undesired Consequence
Summary Statement
Based on several observations Identifies predictable relationships between
environmental variables and behavior
During
When
student will
because
therefore the function of the behavior is to access /escape/avoid
(choose one)
(some Antecedent condition occurs)
(engage in a specific Behavior)
(a predictable outCome will occur)
(something in the environment)
(some routine)
Summary Statement
Based on several observations Identifies predictable relationships between
environmental variables and behavior
During
When
student will
because
therefore the function of the behavior is to access /escape/avoid
(choose one)
(some Antecedent condition occurs)
(engage in a specific Behavior)
(a predictable outCome will occur)
(something in the environment)
(some routine)Science or Social Studies
asked to read out loud in class
Verbally refuses, disrespects teacher
his teacher calls on someone else
oral reading
Sample Summary Statement
Susan calls Brenda a “creep face” and laughs
at her
Brenda punches Susan on the arm
Susan stops laughing and walks away
BRENDA HITS OTHER STUDENTS - WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS?
Antecedents
A group of students at recess call Brenda fat
Brenda kicks several of them
The students run away
Brenda spells a word incorrectly during an oral
review and the child behind her laughs
Brenda pulls the child’s hair
Brenda is sent to the office
Brenda is playing blocks with Ben. Ben takes a
block from Brenda
Brenda hits Ben over the head with another block
Ben puts the block down and runs away
Behavior Consequences
Summary Statement
WHEN ANTECEDENT , BEHAVIOR BECAUSE CONSEQUENCEBRENDA HURTS THEM THEY GO AWAY
OTHER STUDENTS CALL HER NAMES OR TEASE HER
Think about the Function of Behavior When understanding behavior, you are the
investigatorYou need to understand from the student
perspective…You need to be convinced…You need to be confident in the results of the
interview…
Most Common Functions of Behavior
To Obtain:
peer attention
adult attention
desired activity
desired item
desired peer
To Avoid/ Escape:
difficult task
non-preferred
activity
peer
staff
Why is Function so Important?
Filter & Horner, 2009
Ingram, Lewis-Palmer & Sugai, 2005
Newcomer & Lewis,
2004
Functional, not Good/Bad
Functional = Reinforced – it pays off Behavior being reinforced may be “good” or “bad”, but
it’s functional for the individual engaging in it
Non-functional = Not Reinforced –didn’t pay off In a sense it’s being punished Behaviors not reinforced may be “good” or “bad”, but
it doesn’t matter because it wasn’t functional for the individual engaging in it
Learning New Skills
A B C
Student Learns through repeated experience, that under these specific Antecedent conditions, if I engage in this Behavior, I can expect this Consequence
Consistent
Responding is the
Key!!!
Show Tracy Video
Learning & ABC -- An example (A) When sitting at the lunch table with group of ‘cool’
peers (B) if I try to get their attention appropriately by offering to share (C) peers ignore me and don’t respond – do not get desired attention Behavior is punished – less likely to occur in future
(A) When ‘unlucky girl’ comes to table with ‘cool’ peers and student wants attention (B) if I make fun of ‘unlucky girl’ (C) peers will laugh and give me attention Behavior was rewarded – more likely to occur in future
A B C
Practice Activity
Another girl sits down at table
w/ a mean voice - “Who said you could eat at my table…”
Peer gives negative look, but no response
TRACY MAKES RUDE COMMENTS TO PEERS WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS?
Antecedents
Negative look/ no response “I thought cows ate grass” Peers giggling – girl ignores
Peers giggling at previous comment
“don’t you know it’s rude to read at the table?”
Girl gives negative look, but says nothing
Peers laugh Excuse me” throws food at girl
Peers laugh loudly, girl laughs, staff intervenes
Behavior Consequences
DEVELOP A SUMMARY STATEMENT FOR TRACY
WHEN ANTECEDENT , BEHAVIOR BECAUSE
CONSEQUENCENegative look by girl, no response from peers
“hello!”, throws bag in girls face
Peers laugh girl calls Tracy ‘jackass’
Peers laugh loudly “Man, I’m being punished for cruelty to animals”
Peers laugh; Tracy escorted to office by staff
Practice Activity -- Answers
Another girl sits down at table
w/ a mean voice - “Who said you could eat at my table…”
Peer gives negative look, but no response
TRACY MAKES RUDE COMMENTS TO PEERS WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS?
Antecedents
Negative look/ no response “I thought cows ate grass” Peers giggling – girl ignores
Peers giggling at previous comment
“don’t you know it’s rude to read at the table?”
Girl gives negative look, but says nothing
Peers laugh Excuse me” throws food at girl
Peers laugh loudly, girl laughs, staff intervenes
Behavior Consequences
Summary Statement
WHEN ANTECEDENT , BEHAVIOR BECAUSE
CONSEQUENCETRACY MAKES RUDE COMMENTS THE PEERS LAUGH
SITTING WITH COOL PEERS & ‘UNCOOL’ PEER ARRIVES
Negative look by girl, no response from peers
“hello!”, throws bag in girls face
Peers laugh girl calls Tracy ‘jackass’
Peers laugh loudly “Man, I’m being punished for cruelty to animals”
Peers laugh; Tracy escorted to office by staff
ABC’s of InstructionAcross the Continuum of Learners
Antecedent Behavior Consequence
Instruction
Prompt Student Response
Teacher Feedback
Mainstream
“What is the capital of Sweden?”…. Bueller, Bueller
Student thinks “Stockholm”
Sporadic verbal praiseStudent self reinforcement “I got it right!”
Direct Instruction Reading
Showing card with word “cat” – saying “this word is ‘cat’, what word?”
“cat”
“c-ar”
Yes – that word is cat;
No, this word is cat
Significant Disabilities
“Choosing food at lunch”
Most to least prompting-physical guidance (hand over hand)-Physical-Gestural -verbal
Student Response
Reinforce response-tangible reinforcer-verbal praise-access to natural reinforcer “get lunch”
DIFFERENCES across Continuum- # of trials to mastery- explicitness of instruction
Proactive v. ReactivePBS v. Aversive approach
PBS v. Aversive Model (ABC)
A B CPBS (Positive Behavior Support) – Proactive
Emphasis on Interventions to prevent problem behavior
Emphasis on explicitly Teaching Alternate, Desired Behavior
Emphasis on Positive Reinforcement of desired behavior
Traditional Aversive/Punitive Model - Reactive approach
Limited focus on Antecedent Interventions
Little focus on teaching behavior
Emphasis on punitive response to negative behavior
Traditional / Punitive Approach (ABC)
A B CStudent Situation & what the student has learned
Asked to do math problem at the board in front of class of peers
1st time tried to do problem
Peers laughed and said “that one’s easy”
Ever since – students acts out behaviorally
Teacher usually calls on other student to do problem, peers laugh
Traditional Aversive Model - Reactive approach
No intervention – ask students to do problem on board as usual “should be able to do it just like everyone else”
No focus on teaching – student “would have learned it if he was paying attention in class”
Emphasis on punishing response – send student to Behavior Intervention Center or office
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