functional assessment

Functional Functional AssessmentAssessment

How have we changed the way we How have we changed the way we look at managing behavior?look at managing behavior?

Proactive and preventative focus Understanding why problem behaviors are

happening Developing interventions or support plans

based on outcomes of the FBA Interventions that focus on skills

development Strategies that are “doable” in real settings

Why is it important to identify the Why is it important to identify the function of a behavior?function of a behavior?

It is empirically validated as best practice.

Placed in “time out”

Reinforced

Child hits to escape

completing activity

Redirected to stay in activity

Not Reinforced

Obtain DesirableEvents

Avoid/EscapeUndesirable Events

Internal External Internal External

Attention Objects/Activities

Attention Objects/Activities

•Rhythmic rocking•Endorphin release•Visual stimulation

•Smiles, hugs•Frown,scolding•Surprise

•Food•Preferrred activity•Money

•Sinus pain•Skin irritation•Hunger

•Smiles, hugs•Frown,scolding•Surprise

•Difficult tasks•Change in routine•Interruption of desired activity

Functional Assessment or Functional Analysis

Functional Assessment is the process of gathering information in which patterns can be identified regarding the antecedents or consequences pertaining to a particular behavior

Functional Analysis is the manipulation of two or more variables and measuring the effect on the target behavior

What is a FBA?What is a FBA?

A process that: Defines the target behaviors

Determines the environmental events and factors that contribute to challenging behaviors

Identifies the antecedents and consequences that occur before and after the challenging behaviors

Hypothesizes the function or purpose of the challenging behaviors

Provides direction for developing appropriate and effective positive interventions

FBA is a process in which many FBA is a process in which many instruments may be used to gather instruments may be used to gather

informationinformation

Reviewing existing documents Interview Scale or Screening Instruments Scatterplot Direct Observation Tools Environmental Manipulation

What events do I need to consider when I What events do I need to consider when I begin an intensive FBA?begin an intensive FBA?

Setting Events Conditions that increase the likelihood that

problem behavior will occur. They can be: Removed in time from the behavior (e.g., the child wakes

up late, is rushed through breakfast, and hurried out the door to daycare two hours before she refuses to clean up her toys)

In close proximity to the behavior (e.g., the child has a block taken from him immediately prior to hitting another child in that center; student has a bad interaction in the hallway prior to screaming at the teacher)

An ongoing situation or state (e.g., the student is extremely fatigued due to a cold and not sleeping well the night before).

Setting Event Checklist -- ExampleSetting Event Checklist -- Example

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Did not sleep at least 6 hours

/ / / / /

Waited for school bus

/ / / /

Did not access mayonnaise at lunch

/ / / /

Did not access records

/ /

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

1/1 1/2 1/3 1/4 1/5 1/6 1/7 1/8 1/9

Num

ber

of p

robl

em b

ehav

iors

Setting EventsSetting Events

Bad interaction with family previous to school Sick, Hungry, Tired Was reprimanded in class and privilege taken

away

Advantages Disadvantages

Identifies events that may influence whether or not a behavior will occur

No information regarding function, or frequency of behavior

Helps identify sources of variability in the child’s performance

No information on history or prior intervention outcomes

Motivation Assessment ScaleMotivation Assessment Scale

A 16-item survey that assists in developing a hypothesis about the function of the problem behavior

http://www.monacoassociates.com/mas/index.html


Easy and quick to use Information may or may not be reliable

Easy to understand

Provides information regarding developing a hypothesis for the function of the behavior

Motivation Assessment ScaleMotivation Assessment Scale

Questions Never

0

Almost Never

1

Seldom

2

Half Time

3

Usually

4

Almost Always

5

1. Would the behavior occur continuously if this child was left alone for long periods of time?

Never

0

Almost Never

1

Seldom

2

Half Time

3

Usually

4

Almost Always

5

2. Does the behavior occur following a command to perform a difficult task?

Never

0

Almost Never

1

Seldom

2

Half Time

3

Usually

4

Almost Always

5

3. Does the behavior occur when you are talking to other persons in the room?

Never

0

Almost Never

1

Seldom

2

Half Time

3

Usually

4

Almost Always

5

4. Does the behavior ever occur to get a toy, food, or game that he or she has been told that he she can’t have?

Never

0

Almost Never

1

Seldom

2

Half Time

3

Usually

4

Almost Always

5

InterviewsInterviews

An interview that describes the problem behavior and identifies physical and environmental factors that reliably result in the problem behavior.


Provides information of potential function

Assessment is time consuming

Provides information of possible setting events

Information may or may not be reliable

Provides information regarding resources for developing a positive behavior support plan

Interview InformationInterview Information

What exactly does the behavior look like?

What do you think is the function of the behavior?

What events/situations predict the behavior?

What are the learning characteristics?

What does the child like or not like?

How does the child communicate needs, wants, etc.?

What are some of the other factors (e.g., medical, schedule) that may influence behavior?

ScatterplotScatterplot

An interval recording system that assists in determining if patterns of problem behavior exist during specific time periods


Pinpoints the time periods in which the behavior is likely and unlikely to occur.

Little information on setting events, environmental influences, or antecedents and consequences

Quick to complete and interpret

No information on prior interventions

Assist in identifying functions

Scatterplot FormScatterplot Form

Time/Activity

8:00 - 8:20

8:20 - 8:35

8:35 - 9:15

9:20 - 9:35

9:35 - 9:55

9:55 - 10:30

1 2 - 3 > 3

9/12 9/13 9/14

0

Antecedent-Behavior-Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence AnalysisConsequence Analysis

Date Antecedent Behavior Consequence

ABC AnalysisABC Analysis

Event recording system that determines patterns of antecedents and consequences associated with a particular behavior.


Describes antecedents and consequences to the behavior.

Does not provide information on the times antecedents and consequences were prevalent and no behavior occurred.

Provides confirmation of the hypothesized function of the indirect assessment.

Can be time consuming.

What do I do with all of this? (i.e., What do I do with all of this? (i.e.,

How do I summarize the data?)How do I summarize the data?) Evaluate the antecedent that are predicting the behavior

Antecedent Behavior Consequence A T E ?

Task demand (put away)

Verbal outburst, throws object

Removed to principal’s office

x

Playing alone Throws objects T. asked why and removed to TO

x

Asked to leave computer and move to table

Argues Given 3more minutes

x

Task demand Hits Redirected to the task

x

2


How do I summarize the data?)How do I summarize the data?) Evaluate the consequences that are maintaining the behavior





x

Playing alone Throws objects T. asked why and removed to TO

x x



x


x

2


How do I summarize the data?)How do I summarize the data?) Evaluate the whole sequence





x

Playing alone Throws objects T. asked why and reprimanded

x



x


x

2

Environmental ManipulationEnvironmental Manipulation

systematic manipulation of environmental variables that you believe will and will not result in the demonstration of the problem behavior.


Validates hypotheses regarding the functions of the behavior.

Implementation of environmental manipulations may provoke problem behavior.

Assists in identifying the multiple functions of a behavior.

Time Consuming

Initial manipulations may fail to verify the hypothesized function of behavior.

Environmental ManipulationsEnvironmental Manipulations

Antecedent – variables are set up in advance and are not contingent on problem behavior (e.g., student is given hard task versus an easy task; low attention versus high attention)

1. Based on the ABC, identify the variables that are likely to influence problem behavior.

2. Identify a time period and situation that can be set up to test your hypothesis (e.g., high rates of attention and low rates of attention).

3. Collect data on the problem behavior that occurs in each condition

4. Conduct the conditions across several days, testing each condition at least two times.

Environmental ManipulationsEnvironmental Manipulations

Consequence – variables to be tested are presented contingent on problem behavior exhibited by the student.

1. Based on the ABC, identify the variables likely to influence problem behavior.

2. Identify a time period and conditions that can be set up to test your hypothesis.

3. Based on problem behavior, variables are implemented. For example:

• During an escape condition, when the problem behavior occurs, the task is removed

• During an attention condition, when the problem behavior occurs, attention is provided

• During a tangible condition, when the problem behavior occurs, a tangible item is provided

1. Develop a hypothesis about two variables that you believe to influence challenging behavior

2. In the same setting, test out those two variables related to their effects on the student’s behavior

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

30 minute activity 10 minute activity 30 minute activity 10 minute activity

Hypothesis StatementHypothesis Statement

Hypothesis statements are developed for each behavior.

Review the data to identify patterns:1. Under what condition does the

behavior occur?2. What happens when the behavior

occurs?3. Summarize when X happens , S

engages in problem behavior to get Y

Hypothesis DevelopmentHypothesis Development

when this happens (setting event /context/antecedent)

the student does (describe the target behavior)

for what purpose (obtain/escape/avoid)

When Nick has to wait for the bus and he is presented with a difficult task

screams, swings his arms

to escape having to do the work

When Annie has been working independently on a math assignment

Wanders the classroom shoving the materials of her classmates on the floor

to obtain attention

After a weekend with his grandparents and when transitioning from recess to reading groups

Quintalis puts his head down and begins to doodle on the paper

to escape having to read

BrainstormingBrainstorming

Setting up the Setting up the environmentenvironment

Increasing Increasing engagementengagement

Teaching Teaching replacement replacement skillsskills

Consequence Consequence StrategiesStrategies

Desired MaintainingBehavior Consequences

When presented with Heather yelled and T. ignored and H. a writing task dropped head to desk escaped writing

Setting Antecedent Problem MaintainingEvent Event Behavior Consequence

Replacement Behavior

Competing Behavior Diagrams

Complete Task completedAssignment EscapeDesired MaintainingBehavior Consequences



Replacement Behavior


Complete Task completedAssignment EscapeDesired MaintainingBehavior Consequences



Ask for AssistanceReplacement Behavior


Make Problem Behavior Irrelevant, Ineffective, and

Inefficient Irrelevant

Child no longer needs to use problem behaviors to achieve wants/needs

Ineffective Problem behavior no longer enables the child to

achieve the function of his/her behavior

Inefficient Problem behaviors require much more effort

and time to achieve purpose compared with acceptable behavior.

functional assessment

Documents

problem behaviorhttp

setting event checklist

environmental events

target behaviorsdetermines

target behaviorwhat

functional assessmenthow

center student

intensive fba