Referrals by MotivationReferrals by Motivation

Kindergarten August Through December

Kindergarten August Through December

Fourth Grade August Through December

Fourth Grade August Through December

Fifth Grade August Through December

Fifth Grade August Through December

Understanding Environmental & Functional Factors

Understanding Environmental & Functional Factors

San Bernardino City Unified School

District

Hypothesis StatementHypothesis Statement

Setting Event

TriggeringEvent or

Antecedent

Problem Behavior

MaintainingConsequence

THE FUNCTION“Get something”“Get away from

Something”

Setting EventsSetting Events

Conditions that make the behavior more or less likely to

occur.

• Circumstances that set the stage at one point in time for a behavior to occur (or not occur) at a later point in time

• Setting events (slow triggers) can be due to social, environmental or physiological factors

• Examples may include: lack of sleep, sickness, medication changes, stressful experiences, cultural issues, history and family experiences

Identifying Setting Events (Slow Triggers):

Identifying Setting Events (Slow Triggers):

Listen For… Ask About… Investigate…Broader Issues that maybe influencing

behavior:

• Daily activity schedule• Predictability of routines• Variety of activities or materials• Social relationships• Preferences of the individual• History of intervention• History of work-related successes & failures• Medical and physical issues (nutrition, illness,

medications, sleep patterns)

ABC’s of BehaviorABC’s of Behavior Antecedents

(hint: Environmental Factors)

Behavior Consequences

(hint: Functional Factors)

Environmental & Functional factors directly

affect behavior

Environmental & Functional factors directly

affect behavior

Functional Factor BehaviorEnvironmental Factor

Environmental FactorsEnvironmental FactorsThings in the environment which contribute to (spark) a behavior

Adult request/directive Oral instruction Individual seat work Managing materials External interruptions Classroom transitions Passing period Teasing from peers Changes to

routine/environment Guest Teacher Recess

Environmental Factors (Fast Triggers)

Under what circumstances is the behavior most/least likely

• Opportunity for choices• Times of day/activities• Clarity of expectations• Nature of interactions (tone, proximity, contact)• Amount & type of attention (peer, groups, adult)• Access and quality of assistance, supervision• Activity/task clarity• Student’s ability matched to the tasks• Length of engagement• Pace of tasks

Environmental Factors (Fast Triggers)

Why is this Important?Why is this Important? All behaviors occur within

a context (environment)

Environmental factors contribute to behaviors (positively or negatively)

It is difficult to change behaviors if we do not understand what triggers them

Can events outside the classroom affect classroom

behavior?

Examples: knock on door

phone call PA announcement

QUIET:QUIET:TESTINTESTIN

GG

QUIET:QUIET:TESTINTESTIN

GG

C2C2

Can space limitations affect behavior?

Can one person’s behavior affect (trigger) other peoples’ behavior?

Functional FactorsFunctional Factors

It’s the WHY:

To Gain To Avoid

The purpose, reason, or motivation which fuels a behavior

1. To Gain Something (Obtain)attention, objects, power, self-stimulation

2. To Get Away From Something

(Escape/Avoid)tasks, embarrassment, situations, persons

Function

Referral Form: Functional Factors

Referral Form: Functional Factors

Gain peer attention

Gain adult attention

Gain/obtain item

Avoid peer(s)

Avoid adult(s)

Avoid seat work

Avoid group work

Avoid an event

CNNCNN

Sunflower Discipline FormStudent:________________________________________Grade:_______Date:__________________Referring Person:_________________________________Time:_______Location:________________

Circle one: Major Minor

What happened?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Level Action Taken (Circle One): Staff Office

•conference •parent contact •lose privilege______________ •in-school suspension •out-of-school suspension •other___________

Send all copies of this form to the office.

Why is this Important?Why is this Important? All behaviors (even misbehaviors)

serve a purpose (function)

People keep using certain behaviors for one simple

reason – they work

It is difficult to change abehavior when we do not understand WHY it is

happening

Are all attention seeking devices this

easy to identify?

Watch THIS!Watch THIS!

In what ways do people try to

avoid unpleasant situations?

Is it always easy to identify the function of a behavior?

Identify Maintaining Consequences

Identify Maintaining Consequences

WHAT DO THEY GET? WHAT DO THEY AVOID?

• Social reaction/attention• Proximity of contact• Changes in the sequence of

activities/routines• Clarified expectations• Increased assistance from adults or peers• Access to materials, activities, food/drink• Sensory stimulation or reduction• Changes the physical environment• Allowed more space or movement• Delay an activity/event• Avoid negative peer attention, ridicule

Function

Function

What are we now?

A)

B)

Is it possible for us to become an environmental

factor (trigger)?

Is this man prepared to address

the situation?

The better we are able to identify the

Environmental & Functional factors, the

better we will be able to manage

misbehaviors.

The better we are able to identify the

Environmental & Functional factors, the

better we will be able to manage

misbehaviors.

Practice ScenarioPractice ScenarioThe class was independently working on a math assignment when Jackie got out of her seat to sharpen her pencil. As she walked to the pencil sharpener, she thumped three kids on the head with the back of her hand. When asked by the teacher to return to her seat, she replied “Kiss my a--, B-----!!”

Children who fall behind academically will be more likely to find academic work aversive and also find escape-maintained problem behaviors reinforcing

(McIntosh, 2008; McIntosh, Sadler, & Brown, 2010)

Sunflower Discipline FormStudent:________________________________________Grade:_______Date:__________________Referring Person:_________________________________Time:_______Location:________________

Circle one: Major Minor

What happened?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Level Action Taken (Circle One): Staff Office

•conference •parent contact •lose privilege______________ •in-school suspension •out-of-school suspension •other___________

Send all copies of this form to the office.

Hypothesis StatementHypothesis Statement

Setting Event

TriggeringEvent or

Antecedent

Problem Behavior

MaintainingConsequence

THE FUNCTION“Get something”“Get away from

Something”

Generate a Hypothesis StatementGenerate a Hypothesis StatementHypothesis Statement

When this occurs…(describe the circumstances)

the student is more likely to …(describe the problem behavior)

In order to get/avoid…(describe the consequences that follow the behavior

and maintain the behavior)

Sample Hypothesis StatementsSample Hypothesis Statements• When the teacher’s attention is withdrawn or

focused on another student, Lisa makes noises; this results in the teacher scolding her and moving closer to her.

• When Donna finishes her assignment before the other students, she scribbles on her desk; this alleviates her boredom.

• When Marcus is unclear about the directions for a task or, he talks to peers; this keeps him from feeling frustrated.

• When unanticipated changes occur in the schedule, Ben throws his materials; having to pick them up delays his transition to the next activity.

Integrated Functions Across All Tiers of Support

Progress monitoringProgress

monitoring

Evidence-based

practices

Evidence-based

practices

Beh

avio

r S

uppo

rt Reading S

upport

• Academic and Behavior supports are symbiotic.

• Academic and Behavior supports can be implemented together.

• The common functions provide the framework for implementing Academic and Behavior supports at all three tiers.

Possibilities of Behavior/Academic Concerns around function of problem

Possibilities of Behavior/Academic Concerns around function of problem

Academic Problems

Behavior Problems Interrelated Behavior and

Academic Problems

Nonrelated Behavior and Academic Problems

Social

Behavior

Social Studies

Science

Reading

Math

Phys. Ed.Art

Student Profile Example: Eddie

Targeted InterventionsTargeted InterventionsOpenCourt Intervention

KPALS PALS REWARDS Cars and Stars

Read Naturally

EIR

Adult Attention

X X X X X

Peer Attention

X X X

Targeted InterventionTargeted InterventionCheck In Check

OutSocial Skills

GroupOrganization

SkillsAmbassadors

Adult attention

X X X X

Peer attention

X X

Relationship building

X X

Choice of activities

X

Teaching of behaviors

X X X X

Precorrect/ Feedback on expectations

X X X