Functional BehaviourAssessment

Common Problems with Behaviour Support Behaviour support can be ineffective or

make things worse if: Intervention is based on type of behaviour

e.g., use timeout if child engages in tantrums Intervention is based on disability

e.g., everyone with autism requires a picture schedule

One intervention (or package) is used for all problems

e.g., all kids get (a) reprimand, (b) hall time, (c) office referral, (d) suspension, and so on...

Goals of Function-Based Support

Make challenging behaviour understandableApply basic principles of behaviourUnderstand “why” we behave

Act on our understanding and personal values to reduce problem behaviourPlace behaviour into a context we can changeTeach skills for enhanced quality of lifeStop inadvertently making behaviour worse

Functional Behaviour Assessment is…

Functional behaviour assessment is a process for identifying the events that reliably predict and maintain problem behaviour

Functional Behaviour Assessment is not…

A form to fill out A checklist A standardized, lockstep procedure A piece of paperwork to file away

Steps in the FBA Process Develop a testable summary statement

Definition of behaviour and contextual info Confirm the summary statement Build a behaviour support plan

1. Use competing behaviour pathways to build possible elements

2. Use contextual fit guidelines to select final elements

Implement behaviour support plan Monitor and modify as needed

Why care about function?

Functional Behaviour Assessment Makes a Difference Carr et al., 1999

Analysis of 109 studies from 1985 to1996366 total individual interventionsFBA-based interventions were almost twice as

likely to lead to significant reductions in problem behaviour

Studies showing effectiveness of the FBA process in typical school settings Lee, Horner, & Sugai, 1999 Roberts, Marshall, Nelson, & Albers, 2001 Newcomer & Lewis, 2004 Ingram, Lewis-Palmer, & Sugai, 2005 Hoff, Ervin, & Friman, 2005 Filter & Horner, 2008 Preciado, Horner, & Baker, 2009

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Ingram, Lewis-Palmer, & Sugai, 2005

Assumptions

Behaviour is learned (and can be taught) Behaviour is purposeful and

understandable Behaviour happens within a context and

can only be understood in that context Change the context to change the

behaviour

Basic elements of behaviour

Behaviour Antecedent Consequence Setting event

These describe the behaviour within an environmental contextPredict occurrence and non-occurrence Identify how behaviour is functional

Basic summary statementWhen Aaron sits next to his buddies in science class, he talks to them while the teacher is lecturing. Aaron’s buddies talk with him about science, aliens, and Magic cards. Aaron is more likely to do this if he has been absent for a couple of days.

Setting event Antecedent Behaviour Consequence

Absent for more than a day

Sitting next tobuddies in science classduring teacherinstruction

Talks to his buddies

Peers talk with him(Obtains peer attention)

Behaviour

Any observable and measurable action or event

Observable beginning & end Is countable

Are these observable? Gets up from desk and hits other students

Has parent separation anxiety

Reads 120 correct words per minute

Says she hears voices

YES

YES

NO

YES

Why Observable and Measurable? Clear communication with others

What is going onAre we talking about same behaviour?

Basis for evaluating plan effectiveness Increase students’ understanding of their

behaviour (begin self-management)

Doesn’t Complete Work

When told to complete the math problems at the end of the chapter, Leilani:Spends 20 minutes “getting it together” (e.g.,

getting paper, sharpening pencil)Starts work, gets stuck and spends the rest of

the time drawing flowersCompletes the assignment and then leaves it

in her binder (doesn’t turn it in)

Antecedent Any event, action, object perceptible to

senses Occurs before behaviour

Signals or occasions the behaviour “Sets it off” (quick trigger)

Examples When told to shut up by another student, Rachel

hits them When asked to read aloud to the class, Mitch

stands up and tells jokes When his teachers praise him publicly, Fisher puts

his head down on the desk and stops doing his work

Identifying Antecedents

Dinesh bangs his fist on the desk, stomps out of the classroom and slams the door.

Dinesh is likely to do this when… When peers laugh at his answers in class? When the teacher asks him to take out his math book? When he forgets to bring in his homework? When the teacher corrects him for talking out in class?

Activity: Why is it important to identify the antecedent? When:

peers laugh at his answers in class the teacher asks him to take out his math

bookhe forgets to bring in his homework the teacher corrects him for talking out in

class Given the antecedents identified, what

support would you give?

Consequence Any event, action, object perceptible to

senses Occurs after behaviour Can increase or decrease future behaviourExamples

When Rachel hits her peers, they leave her alone When Mitch tells jokes, the students in the class

begin to laugh, he is sent to the office and doesn’t have to read aloud

When Fisher puts his head down, the teacher walks away and doesn’t say anything to him for about 20 minutes

Maintaining Consequences(aka Functions of Behaviour) Obtain/Access

Attention (adult or peer)

Tangible Object/Activity

Sensory Stimuli

Escape/Avoid Attention/Social

Interaction Aversive Task/Activity Aversive Sensory

Stimuli

For Russell

What strategies might improve his behaviour?

What strategies might make his behaviour worse?

“Functions” NOT supported by research or practice “Power” “Control” “Revenge” “Family issues” “Basically evil” “Autism” “Spawn of the devil”

Maintaining Consequence(aka Function) One maintaining consequence per

summary statement A single problem behaviour may serve

multiple consequences, but there is typically one primary function per routine

Setting event Event occurring before or with an antecedent

that increases likelihood of a behaviour (momentarily increases value of the reinforcer)

Sets it up (slow trigger) Sometimes is present and sometimes is not Examples

Lack of sleepHeadache/illnessLack of food (e.g., no breakfast)Fight with peer/parent/etc. Failed a test in previous classDidn’t get any coffee this morning

Basic summary statement

Setting event Antecedent Behaviour Consequence

When free time starts, Wayne pulls the hair of the girl sitting next to him. The teacher then gives Wayne a long reprimand. This is more likely to happen on Mondays when Wayne has stayed at his father’s house.

Stayed with father (on Mondays)

Start of free time

Pulls girl’s hair

Gets long reprimand(obtains teacher attention)

Basic summary statement

Setting event Antecedent Behaviour Consequence

When peers tease her about her poetry, Susan runs out of the room crying and skips the next class. Susan is more likely to run if a boy she likes is in the room.

Boy she likes is in the room

Peers tease her about her poetry

Runs, cries, and skips

Leaves class (Escape social interaction)

Basic summary statement

Setting event Antecedent Behaviour Consequence

When peers tease her about her poetry, Susan runs out of the room crying and skips the next class. Susan is more likely to run if a boy she likes is in the room.

Boy she likes is in the room

Peers tease her about her poetry

Runs, cries, and skips

Leaves class (Escape social interaction)

Distorted/NegativeThought

“They all hate me!”

UncomfortableFeelingShame

Basic summary statement

Setting event Antecedent Behaviour Consequence

Tiana has ADHD. When a peer makes fun of her in class, Tiana starts a nasty rumour about that student, and that student never bothers her again.

None identified

Peer makes fun of her in class

Starts a nasty rumour about peer

Peer never bothers her again(escape social attn.)

Where do summary statements come from?

Records review Referral for support forms Interviews/team meetings Direct observations

What if summary statement is incomplete or inaccurate?

Review what you know Collect more information Change summary statement Test/confirm new summary statement

What if there is more than one problem behaviour? Consider response classes Assess behavioural chaining

Does one behaviour lead to all others? Multiple summary statements?

Pros and cons of single vs. multiple statements

Narrow with teacher What is the most concerning/dangerous

behaviour? What needs to change NOW?

Big Ideas

Functional Behaviour Assessment is a flexible process involves using information to create a

summary statement and testing it if necessaryproduces information that contributes directly

to behaviour support plans improves the effectiveness and efficiency of

behaviour support