Functional Behavior
Assessment
Denise Duke, Ed. S.
Behavior Specialist
Houston County Board of
What will we cover today?
• Why do we do Functional Behavior
Assessments (FBA)?
• What does IDEA-2004 say about conducting an
FBA?
• What does ABC stand for in relation to an FBA?
• How do you operationally define a target
behavior that is observable and measureable?
• What are the environmental variables that
Functional Behavior Assessment
Definition
• Functional behavior assessment (FBA) is a
process rooted in the science of applied
behavior analysis (ABA), which focuses on the
relationship between behavior and
environmental variables. (Autism Internet
Module)
• It has 3 basic components:
Indirect assessment (rating scales, interviews,
records review)
Descriptive assessment (direct observation, data
collection)
Functional analysis (experimental manipulation
of environmental variables to determine the
function of a problem behavior)
What does IDEA require
regarding an FBA?
• An FBA must be conducted:
There is a child with a disability
• Who has been removed from school for 10 days
• For behavior that interferes with the learning
environment
• For misconduct that either
– Is a manifestation of his/her disability
– Is not a manifestation of his/her disability
Who is responsible for
participating in an FBA?
The IDEA is not specific regarding who must
participate in the FBA process.
State and local education agencies have the
discretion to determine who conducts or
When should an FBA be
conducted?
As proactively as
possible!!!
The ABC’s of an FBA
• Antecedent – environmental events or
conditions that occur just prior the behavior of
interest. This includes setting events.
• Behavior – The action of interest, commonly
referred to as the target behavior (bx).
• Consequence – The environmental event or
condition that occurs just after the target
behavior that maintains or increases the
occurrence of the target behavior.
BEHAVIOR!
First things first…
Overview
Understanding Behavior
Those unfamiliar with the science of behavior
often offer explanations of behavior that are not
helpful for finding a solution.
These explanations are often referred to as
“circular reasoning.”
“He won’t sit because he has ADHD.”
“How do you know he has ADHD?”
Examples of Very Specific
Operational Definitions of
Behavior
• Propel an object with force through the air by
movement of hand/arm
• Using an open or closed hand to strike or attempt to
strike the body part and/or clothing of another
person/self
• Projecting matter from mouth (1 inch from body)
• Forcefully gripping skin between finger(s) and/or
thumb (including with enough force to leave a visible
mark)
• Collapsing body from a standing or seated position
to lying on the ground in an uncontrolled manner
that is not within context of the ongoing activity
Operational Definition of the
Problem Behavior
Consequences
• What do YOU think of when you hear the word
CONSEQUENCES?
• How does it differ from the way it applies to the
3-term Contingency?
• That’s why I prefer the term CONSEQUENT
EVENT.
REINFORCERS
Consequent events that
increase the probability that
the behavior they follow will
happen again.
PUNISHERS
Consequent events that
decrease the probability
that the behavior they
follow will happen again.
Positive
An event,
object, or
condition is
ADDED!
Negative
An event,
object, or
condition is
REMOVED!
Positive
An event,
object, or
condition is
ADDED!
Negative
An event,
object, or
condition is
REMOVED!
Candy,
attention,
computer time
Aspirin for a
headache,
Leaving a
crowded room.
Functions of Problem Behavior
• Socially mediated positive reinforcement
– Access to tangibles or attention from
peers/adults
• Socially mediated negative
reinforcement – Escape from
aversive/non-preferred activities
• Automatic reinforcement in the form of
sensory feedback (stereotypical
Antecedent Events
Discriminative Stimulus (SD) – A signal that
reinforcement is available.
Motivation Operation (MO) – Two types
Establishing Operation (EO) – Increases
the value of a reinforcer.
Abolishing Operation (AO) – Decreases
the value of a reinforcer.
Setting Events
– This refers to events that occur
before, but not immediately, the behavior of
interest. These events can influence behaviors,
but are difficult be discovered in the FBA process.
Screening
Make sure there isn’t a physical issue
contributing to the problem behavior.
Make sure that there’s an actual need
for an FBA and that there’s not a
simple explanation.
Functional Behavior Assessment
• The ultimate goal of an FBA is
to find a functionally equivalent
replacement behavior with an
emphasis on reinforcement
Big FBA and little fba
• little fba – observing and adjusting
• BIG FBA
Is this behavior dangerous to the student?
Is this behavior dangerous to others?
Does this behavior interfere with the student’s
learning or the learning of others?
Does this behavior interfere with socialization?
Is the behavior frequent and disruptive?
Indirect Assessment
•
FAST
•
MAS
DATA Collection and
Direct Observation
• Momentary Time Sampling
• Duration
• Frequency
FREQUENCY CHART
Date: TARGET BEHAVIOR: STUDENT: Observer: 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 7:31 8:01 8:31 9:01 9:31 10:01 10:31 11:01 11:31 12:01 12:31 1:01 1:31 2:01 2:31 3:01 7:32 8:02 8:32 9:02 9:32 10:02 10:32 11:02 11:32 12:02 12:32 1:02 1:32 2:02 2:32 3:02 7:33 8:03 8:33 9:03 9:33 10:03 10:33 11:03 11:33 12:03 12:33 1:03 1:33 2:03 2:33 3:03 7:34 8:04 8:34 9:04 9:34 10:04 10:34 11:04 11:34 12:04 12:34 1:04 1:34 2:04 2:34 3:04 7:35 8:05 8:35 9:05 9:35 10:05 10:35 11:05 11:35 12:05 12:35 1:05 1:35 2:05 2:35 3:05 7:36 8:06 8:36 9:06 9:36 10:06 10:36 11:06 11:36 12:06 12:36 1:06 1:36 2:06 2:36 3:06 7:37 8:07 8:37 9:07 9:37 10:07 10:37 11:07 11:37 12:07 12:37 1:07 1:37 2:07 2:37 3:07 7:38 8:08 8:38 9:08 9:38 10:08 10:38 11:08 11:38 12:08 12:38 1:08 1:38 2:08 2:38 3:08 7:39 8:09 8:39 9:09 9:39 10:09 10:39 11:09 11:39 12:09 12:39 1:09 1:39 2:09 2:39 3:09 7:40 8:10 8:40 9:10 9:40 10:10 10:40 11:10 11:40 12:10 12:40 1:10 1:40 2:10 2:40 3:10 7:41 8:11 8:41 9:11 9:41 10:11 10:41 11:11 11:41 12:11 12:41 1:11 1:41 2:11 2:41 3:11 7:42 8:12 8:42 9:12 9:42 10:12 10:42 11:12 11:42 12:12 12:42 1:12 1:42 2:12 2:42 3:12 7:43 8:13 8:43 9:13 9:43 10:13 10:43 11:13 11:43 12:13 12:43 1:13 1:43 2:13 2:43 3:13 7:44 8:14 8:44 9:14 9:44 10:14 10:44 11:14 11:44 12:14 12:44 1:14 1:44 2:14 2:44 3:14 7:45 8:15 8:45 9:15 9:45 10:15 10:45 11:15 11:45 12:15 12:45 1:15 1:45 2:15 2:45 3:15 7:46 8:16 8:46 9:16 9:46 10:16 10:46 11:16 11:46 12:16 12:46 1:16 1:46 2:16 2:46 3:16 7:47 8:17 8:47 9:17 9:47 10:17 10:47 11:17 11:47 12:17 12:47 1:17 1:47 2:17 2:47 3:17 7:48 8:18 8:48 9:18 9:48 10:18 10:48 11:18 11:48 12:18 12:48 1:18 1:48 2:18 2:48 3:18 7:49 8:19 8:49 9:19 9:49 10:19 10:49 11:19 11:49 12:19 12:49 1:19 1:49 2:19 2:49 3:19 7:50 8:20 8:50 9:20 9:50 10:20 10:50 11:20 11:50 12:20 12:50 1:20 1:50 2:20 2:50 3:20 7:51 8:21 8:51 9:21 9:51 10:21 10:51 11:21 11:51 12:21 12:51 1:21 1:51 2:21 2:51 3:21 7:52 8:22 8:52 9:22 9:52 10:22 10:52 11:22 11:52 12:22 12:52 1:22 1:52 2:22 2:52 3:22 7:53 8:23 8:53 9:23 9:53 10:23 10:53 11:23 11:53 12:23 12:53 1:23 1:53 2:23 2:53 3:23 7:54 8:24 8:54 9:24 9:54 10:24 10:54 11:24 11:54 12:24 12:54 1:24 1:54 2:24 2:54 3:24 7:55 8:25 8:55 9:25 9:55 10:25 10:55 11:25 11:55 12:25 12:55 1:25 1:55 2:25 2:55 3:25 7:56 8:26 8:56 9:26 9:56 10:26 10:56 11:26 11:56 12:26 12:56 1:26 1:56 2:26 2:56 3:26 7:57 8:27 8:57 9:27 9:57 10:27 10:57 11:27 11:57 12:27 12:57 1:27 1:57 2:27 2:57 3:27 7:58 8:28 8:58 9:28 9:58 10:28 10:58 11:28 11:58 12:28 12:58 1:28 1:58 2:28 2:58 3:28 7:59 8:29 8:59 9:29 9:59 10:29 10:59 11:29 11:59 12:29 12:59 1:29 1:59 2:29 2:59 3:29
Behavior Intervention Team ABC Data Form
Student:________________________ ________ Teacher:_____________________________ Date: - -_____
Time
Begin-End
Target Behaviors Place
Where it occurred
Context/Activity Antecedent
Exactly what happened right before the
behavior
Consequence
What happened right after the behavior
Key for A-B-C Sheet
Target BX
Place
Context/Activity
Antecedent
Consequence
Student
Reaction
A. Biting
B. Hitting
C. Throwing
things
Functional Analysis
• THE GOLD STANDARD
BUT ONLY FOR A TRAINED PRACTITIONER
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