Functional Behavior AssessmentChp. 5- Steps 1-3

“Not to rescue a person from an unhappy organization is to punish

him, in that it leaves him in a state of punishment”

Don Baer (1970)

Guiding Principles

• Behavior is predictable.

• Behavior changeable.

• Human behavior occurs within an environmental context, not in a vacuum.

• Human behavior is learned and can be taught by manipulating aspects of the environmental context--Behavior is a function of the environment

Source: Crone , D.A. & Horner, R.H., 2003

A Context for Positive Behavior Support

• A redesign of environments, not the redesign of individuals

• Plan describes what we will do differently• Plan is based on identification of the

behavioral function of problem behaviors and the lifestyle goals of an individual

FunctionsProblemBehavior

Obtain/GetSomething

Escape/Avoid

Something

SocialTangible/Activity

Adult

Stimulation/Sensory

Peer

Pos Reinf Neg Reinf

Steps for Conducting a FA-BIP Process

1. Define the Challenge/Identify Goals.2. Gather Information. 3. Generate a hypothesis statement.4. Build a “Competing Behavior Pathway” to identify possible

elements of a Behavior Intervention Plan.5. Design & Evaluate a Behavioral Intervention Plan.6. Plan for effective implementation of the Behavior Intervention

Plan.7. Monitor regularly and modify based on observed progress.

Adapted from Crone, D.A. and Horner,R.H., 2003

Identifying who needs an FBA/BIP

• Academic/behavior data indicates challenge• High intensity or frequency behavior• Behavior impedes academic performance• Don’t understand behavior• Behavior seems to meet need or be

reinforcing for student• Interventions have not been successful• USE DATA

Source: Crone, D.A. & Horner, R.H., 2003

Step 1: Define the Problem BehaviorWhat does the problem behavior look like?Conduct interviews, review prior incidents &

observations across the student’s routine/settings to define the problem behavior.

1. Observable, measurable, concrete language. NON EXAMPLE EXAMPLEpoor impulse control high pitched screamsangry, hostile, resentful kicking over chairspaying attention completes tasks

2. Estimate how often the problem behavior occurs & how intense the problem behavior is.

STEP 2: Gathering InformationWhat sequence of events reliably predicts the

problem behavior?

Maintaining Consequences:What happens immediately after the problem

behavior?What is the child trying to GET or GET AWAY from?

Get social attentionGet objects/access to activitiesGet sensory stimulation

Avoid aversive task/activityAvoid aversive social contactAvoid aversive sensory stimulation

STEP 2: Gathering Information

What sequence of events reliably predicts the problem behavior?

Antecedent Events (Fast Triggers):Analyze routines in the student’s day to

identify…

Where, when, with whom the problem behavior occurs?

Where, when, with whom desirable behavior is more likely to occur?

What events, contexts, demands, tasks, people reliably trigger/precede the behavior?

STEP 2: Gathering Information

What sequence of events reliably predicts the problem behavior?

Setting Events (Slow Triggers ) Events that happen before a request is made.

These events may predict a problem could occur?

Examples: problems on the bus problems at home before school setting is a nonpreferred subject/class child has a problem at recess

FBA Tools

1) Direct Observation• Formal (recorded)• Informal (anecdotal)

2) Interviews, checklists, surveys• Brief, simple, practical• Longer, more complex, use when necessary

3) Archival records• Already exist

Tools for Gathering Information

Recommend for Brief FBA/BIP:• FBA-BIP Interview• Student-Guided Functional Assessment

Interview• ABC Chart

Tools for Complex FBA

•Systematic and repeated behavioral observations using ABC (antecedent- behavior- consequence) •Multiple setting assessment

•Functional Behavioral Assessment Behavior Support Plan (F-BSP) (accessible from PBIS.org website)

Step 3: Generate a Hypothesis Statement

A hypothesis statement is a summary statement that describes the team’s best guess about the relationship between the problem behavior and the characteristics of the environment- the

specific contexts and the specific function.

The goal of which is to identify specific CONCRETE circumstances regularly associated with the occurrence and

nonoccurrence of the problem behavior.

Anatomy of an Hypothesis Statement“When ______________________________, (summarize the antecedents here)

he/she will _______________________ (summarize the problem behavior here)

in order to _____________________________.”

(summarize the function here)