Manual For Completing

A Functional Behavior Assessment

Conducting a Functional Behavior Assessment

Before conducting a functional behavior assessment it is important to differentiate if the behavior is a concern because it is happening too often or not enough. If the behavior is not happening enough, our next step would be to identify if this is because it is a can’t (skill deficit) or a won’t (motivation/performance deficit). If it is a skill deficit issue, then this form is not conducive to these types of behaviors. If it is a performance deficit, then this form would be most applicable.

For example a student who is skipping class is problematic because it is happening too often but also the desired behavior (staying in class) is not happening enough. It would be necessary to note what classes they are missing most often and analyze what the student is doing instead of going to class. In this case changes may need to be made in the classroom, but changes would also need to be made outside of the classroom to reduce the reinforcing value of being out of class.

If the behavior is problematic because it is occurring at too high of a rate, for an extended period of time, or at a high intensity this form would be applicable for these behaviors.

Keep in mind that the function of behavior may change over time. Initially, a behavior may be maintained by escape or avoidance however the function of the behavior may change to attention from peers. Therefore, the assessment process should continue after the treatment intervention has been started.
Step 1: Functional Behavior Assessment Process

Operationally Define Target Behavior(s):

  • Include a clear description of the target behavior or class of behaviors.
  • The definition should be clear enough so that a person who did not write the definition would be able to measure the target behavior reliably.
  • Avoid using ambiguous terms
  • Define behavior so that it is observable and measurable
  • Simply recording aggression is not specific enough. Need to specify what type of aggression, towards home, and the topography of behavior.
  • Non-Example: Susie is obnoxious
  • Example: Talking out includes: yelling answers without raising her hand, talking over people, interrupting other students.

Step 2: Functional Behavior Assessment

Indirect Assessments

Definition: Indirect assessments do not involve direct observation of behavior. Interviews should be conducted with individuals who interact with students most often. It involves recollection and verbal report from people who interact with the client on a daily basis.

Indirect Assessments Include:

  • Structured Interviews
  • Behavior Checklists
  • Records Review

Should identify:

  • Times when behavior is most and least likely to occur
  • Activities in which behavior is most and least likely to occur
  • People in which behavior is most and least likely to occur
  • Settings in which the behavior occurs

Suggested Structured Interviews:

  • Functional Analysis Screening Tool (FAST)
  • Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS)
  • Questions about Behavioral Function (QABF)

Direct observations should be scheduled during times when behavior is most and least likely to occur to identify differences during these times.

Step 3: Functional Behavior Assessment

Descriptive Assessments

Definition: Descriptive assessments are direct observations that occur in the natural environment. They help to confirm or disconfirm the information that was obtained from your indirect assessment. Direct observations should be conducted after your indirect assessments are completed.

Types of Descriptive Assessments:

  • A-B-C Data Collection Forms:
  • Identify possible antecedent/triggers for behavior
  • Identify possible maintaining consequences
  • Antecedent: what is happening immediately before the behavior occurs; this must be change in event or condition it can not be the behavior of the person you are observing
  • Behavior: This behavior should be operationally defined
  • Consequence: what occurs immediately after the behavior. Again this is a condition or event it is can not be the behavior of the person you are observing
  • Structured ABC forms
  • General A-B-C recording forms
  • Scatterplots
  • Identify temporal patterns of behavior

Step 4: Completing the Functional Behavior Assessment Summary Form

I.Background information: fill in all the information

  1. Student’s Name
  2. Grade/Program
  3. Date of Birth
  4. School
  5. Today’s date: is the date the summary statement was completed
  6. Team Members: List only the team members who were involved in completing the functional behavior assessment summary

II.Strengths and Reinforcers:

  1. List the student’s strengths (classes, skills, methods of communicating, etc)
  2. List potential reinforcers:
  3. This information can be gathered from your student interview or preference assessment.
  4. Remember to identify what is motivating to the student not what staff think is motivating.

III.Previous Interventions:

  1. List any interventions that were or are currently in place
  2. Include targeted groups, outside of school services, and academic assistance.

IV.Data Collection Checklist:

  1. If a data collection box is checked make sure that the data sheets are attached to the end of the summary form

V.Problem Identification:

  1. Operationally Define all target behavior(s): (see page 2 for specifics on operational definitions)
  2. Behaviors are observable and measurable.
  3. Avoid including an internal state (e.g. anxious, angry, etc) because these are not observable behaviors and can not be measured
  4. Example: Verbal Aggression includes: yelling, screaming, and using profanity

VI.Problem Specification:

  1. How Often:
  2. Provide the number of instances or episodes per unit of time. (4-5 times a day, 3 times a week, 10-12 times an hour)
  3. This behavior is applicable for behaviors that have discrete start and stop times (e.g. raising hand, talking out).
  4. This would not be applicable for behaviors that are problematic because of the amount of time that they occur.
  5. Intensity:
  6. Mild (disruptive), moderate, severe (danger to self or others)
  7. Duration:
  8. The total time a behavior lasts.
  9. This will only be applicable for behaviors that last for extended periods of time and are problematic because of how long they last.
  10. Duration may not be applicable for behaviors that start and stop within a few seconds.
  11. When reporting duration report the average amount of time the behavior occurs during the specified observation period (the behavior lasted for 20 out of 30 mins)
  12. Longevity: state how long the behavior has been problem (e.g. month, 3 months)

VII.Problem Behavior Analysis:

  1. Settings, Situations People: in which the problem behavior(s) is most and least likely to occur:
  2. Adults: Do problem behaviors occur more and less consistently with certain adults?Be as specific as possible without using names
  3. Peers: Are there certain peers in which behavior is most and least likely to occur
  4. Certain Activities: certain activities in which behavior is most and least likely to occur. Be as specific as possible (independent work, group work, new material, quiz, etc) Effective adjustments can be made when the specific activity is pinpointed.
  5. Settings: What physical settings is the behavior most and least likely to occur in (area in classroom, specific class, playground, hallway)
  6. Time of Day:Is there a time of day in which behavior is most and least likely to occur? If possible provide precise times of day (between 8-9 and 1-2) instead of vague times (morning/afternoon) This information is helpful to analyze exactly what is occurring during those specified times.
  7. Antecedent: what is the condition or event that occurs immediately before the target behavior.
  8. This information should be taken directly from the direct observations (e.g. Structured A-B-C, A-B-C Checklist, etc).
  9. This should not be the behavior of the student
  10. Behavior:Include your 1st target behavior in the first box and the 2nd target behavior in the next box
  11. Consequence: the event or condition that immediately follows the behavior.
  12. This should not be the behavior of the student
  13. Attach A-B-C Recording Sheets

VIII.Function and Hypothesis:

  1. Include your ratings from either the Motivational Assessment Scale (MAS) or the Functional Analysis Screening Tools (FAST)
  2. If the MAS and FAST are completed by multiple people average the scores across each function
  3. For example, if three people fill out the FAST and your results are:

Teacher 1: Attention=2 Escape=4

Teacher 2: Attention=3 Escape=4

Teacher 3: Attention=1 Escape=2

Total: 6 10

Average: 6/3=2 10/3=3.33

Report the average score Attention=2 Escape=3.33

*if you have one score that is an outlier remove this score from your sample and then average the remaining scores. If there is a big discrepancy further investigation may be required to see why the scores are different. It may be that the behavior serves a different function in different environments or with different people

  1. If there are two probable functions include both scores in this area.
  1. Based off of all the information summarized in previous sections write out a hypothesis statement for each target behavior.
  2. Example: When asked to begin an independent work activity Billy begins to yell and cry and this behavior appears to be maintained by escape or avoidance of independent work

IX.Competing Behavior Model:

  1. The chart should be used as a method for summarizing all the previous informationand should act as a prompt for completing Behavior Intervention Plan
  2. Setting: Where the behavior is most likely to occur (classroom, hallway, playground)
  3. Setting Event: events that do not occur immediately before the behavior but may still have an effect on the behavior (e.g. sleep deprivation, medications, illness, diagnosis)
  4. Antecedent: the event or stimulus that immediately proceeds the target behavior
  5. Problem Behavior: Define the problem behavior
  6. Replacement Behavior: is a functionally equivalent alternative behavior. This behavior should serve the same function as target behavior
  7. Desired Behavior: is the terminal or goal behavior
  8. Consequence for Problem Behavior: include the information on consequences from section VII.
  9. Consequences for Desired Behavior: Select a consequence from reinforcer survey or a consequence that is more potent than the one that is maintaining the problem behavior.
  10. Function: The function should match the previous hypothesis statement and selected interventions should match the function of behavior

X.Writing the Behavior Support Plan