The Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)

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The Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)
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Have you ever heard.

• Larissa, you skipped 2 school days, so were
  going to suspend you for 2 more.
• Trent, Im taking your book away because you
  obviously arent ready to learn.
• You want my attention?! You have it! Lets
  take a walk down to the office and talk with the
  principal.

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Manifestation vs. Cause

• Traditionally schools have used various kinds of
  negative consequences (e.g., verbal reprimand,
  timeout, suspension, etc.) to reduce or eliminate
  problem behaviors.
• Experience shows that reactive approaches for
  dealing with inappropriate behaviors, such a
  punishment, do not help teachers or the student
  achieve more acceptable behaviors.

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A Better Approach

• looking beyond the misbehavior
• uncovering its underlying cause

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What is an FBA?

• An FBA is the process of determining the cause
  (or function) of behavior before developing an
  intervention or strategies to correct and/or
  eliminate the inappropriate behavior.
• The intervention must be based on a hypothesis or
  statement about factors that contribute to the
  occurrence and maintenance of the problem
  behavior.
• An FBA serves as the basis for developing a
  proactive and comprehensive Behavior Intervention
  Plan or BIP.

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Children are not born bad or with bad behavior
they learn it!

• We know that children who exhibit unacceptable
  and/or inappropriate behavior have learned this
  behavior from someone and/or somewhere, and
  display the behavior for a specific reason.
• The task of a childs team is to figure out WHY
  they are displaying the behavior and how we can
  assist the child in changing the inappropriate
  behavior to more acceptable and appropriate
  behavior.
• An FBA is a strategic tool that can be utilized
  to assess the possible causes of the behavior,
  and to assist in deriving strategies to replace
  and/or eliminate the inappropriate behavior.

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Basic Concepts

• An FBA is a problem-solving process
• An FBA uses varied techniques and strategies to
  identify the purposes (or function) of specific
  behavior
• An FBA is a tool to select strategies,
  interventions and supports to address problem
  behavior

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Key Point

• A child will change his or her behavior only
  when it is clear that a different response will
  accomplish the same things more effectively and
  efficiently.

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The Logic of an FBA

• 1. All behavior serves a purpose or a number of
  purposes
• To get something desirable (e.g., attention,
  desired events or activities)
• To escape or avoid demands or some other
  undesired events/activities
• Because of sensory consequences (relieves pain,
  feels good, etc.)

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The Logic of an FBA

• 2. All Behavior Occurs with a Context
• In certain settings (e.g., cafeteria)
• Under certain conditions (e.g., only when there
  is a substitute teacher)
• During different types of activities (e.g., art)

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Why Do an FBA?

• Looks beyond the behavior to focus on identifying
  biological, social, affective, and environmental
  factors that initiate, sustain, or end the
  behavior in question.
• Although childrens behaviors may look alike
  and/or sound alike, the causes or functions are
  very different.

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Fundamental RuleSeek Replacement Behaviors

• You should not propose to reduce a problem
  behavior without also identifying alternative,
  desired behaviors that the person should perform
  instead of the problem behavior.

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• Who Conducts an FBA?
• An FBA is a total team effort including parents,
  teachers, paraprofessionals and anybody involved
  with the student in his or her educational
  environment (including recess, the cafeteria, the
  bus, etc.)
• In conducting an FBA, the support of local level
  administration and collaboration among staff and
  other service professionals are essential.

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• When is an FBA required?
• FEDERAL REQUIREMENT (IDEA 2004) when a
  Manifestation Determination Review (MDR) finds
  a childs behavior was a manifestation of the
  childs disability. An MDR is required within
  10 school days of any decision to change the
  placement of a child with a disability because of
  a violation of a code of student conduct.

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• When is an FBA required?
• STATE REQUIREMENT (VA Regs) add that in the
  event that the childs behavior impedes the
  childs learning or that of others, the IEP team
  shall consider either developing goals and
  services specific to the childs behavioral needs
  or conducting an FBA. An FBA is also
  recommended for a student with a disability who
  is subject to long-term removal (more than 10
  consecutive school days).

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• Right to an IEE
• Under IDEA parents have a right to an
  independent educational evaluation (IEE) at
  public expense if they disagree with the
  evaluation conducted by the school. In Virginia,
  this includes FBAs if the FBA included new
  testing and was not merely a review of existing
  data.

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6 Steps of an FBA

1. Identify the Problem
2. Collect Data using Multiple Assessments
3. Analyze the Data
4. Make Determinations Hypotheses
5. Develop Implement a Behavior Implement Plan
6. Evaluate Progress Follow-up as Necessary

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Step 1 Identify the Problem

• Pinpoint the behavior causing learning or
  discipline problems, and define that behavior in
  concrete terms that are easy to communicate and
  simple to measure and record
• Identify and define the behavior in a broad sense
• Mark uses inappropriate language at school.
• Identify and define the behavior in specific
  terms
• During outside play and/or free time with
  classmates, Mark uses inappropriate language.

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Skill Deficits vs. Performance Deficits

• Performance Deficits
• The student knows the desired skill but is
  unable to perform the skill on a consistent basis.

• Skill Deficits
• The students does not know how to perform the
  desired skill.

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Is the problem behavior linked to a skill
deficit?

• Is there evidence to suggest that the student
  does not know how to perform the skill and
  therefore cannot?
• Does the student understand the behavioral
  expectations for the situation?

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Does the student have the skill?

• Sometimes it may be that the student can perform
  a skill, but, for some reason, does not use it
  consistently (e.g., in particular settings).
• Is it possible that the student is uncertain
  about the appropriateness of the behavior (e.g.,
  it is appropriate to clap loudly and yell during
  sporting events, yet these behaviors are often
  inappropriate when playing academic games in the
  classroom)?

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Addressing Skill and Performance Deficits

• Recognize the physical signs that the student
  displays when becoming angry.
• Use relaxation skills
• Apply problem solving skills
• Practice communication skills
• Modify curricular and/or environment
• Utilize support staff
• School counselor
• School psychologist
• Behavioral Intervention Specialist

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Step 2 Collect Data Using Multiple Assessments

• The utilization of direct and indirect
  assessments provides the data essential for
  formulating a hypothesis for the behavior.

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Indirect Assessment

• This type of assessment relies heavily on
  interviews with teachers and other adults who
  have direct contact with the student.
• Indirect assessments may also include interviews
  with the child as well.
• It is very useful to compare the interviews of
  the adults who have direct contact with the child
  and the child him/herself, in order to gain
  perspective on those things that may be similar
  in nature.

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Indirect Assessment Important Interview
Questions

• In what settings do you observe the behavior?
• Are there any settings where the behavior does
  not occur?
• Who is present when the behavior occurs?
• What activities or interactions take place just
  prior to the behavior?
• What usually happens immediately after the
  behavior?

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Direct Assessments The ABCs of Behavior

• A direct assessment consists of observing the
  problem behavior and describing the conditions
  that surround the behavior.
• Antecedent what occurs right before the problem
  behavior occurs
• Behavior what the behavior is
• Consequence what occurs right after the
  behavior occurs

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Caesar has dyed his hair three colors is teased
several times by his friends before class. When
he enters the class, his teacher stares at his
hair. Caesar immediately says What are you
staring at? His teacher immediately sends him to
in-school detention.
Escape adult peer attention
What function?
Setting event
Antecedent
Response
Consequence
Caesar is teased several times in class about
his hair
His teacher stares at his hair in class
Caesar asks his teacher what shes staring at
His teacher sends him to in-school detention
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As Victor is walking, other kids look at him
say Whats up? He looks back and says Whore
you lookin at?! You want some of this?!
shakes his fist. Kids shake their heads call
him weirdo.
Access peer attention
What function?
Setting event
Antecedent
Response
Consequence
Victor walks by his peers
Other kids look at him and say, Whats up!
Whore you lookin at? You want Some of this?
Kids shake heads call him weirdo
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When Sara misses her 1230 pm medication
teachers present multiple task demands, she makes
negative self-statements writes profane
language on her assignments. Teaching staff
typically send her to the office with a
discipline referral for being disrespectful.
Avoid difficult tasks
What function?
Setting event
Antecedent
Response
Consequence
Sara makes negative self- statements writes
profane language
Teacher sends Sara to office for
being disrespectful
Misses 1230 pm medication
Teachers make multiple task demands
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Step 3 Data Analysis

• Consider and examine what you have learned about
  the behavior and its context.
• Compare Analyze
• Identify Patterns
• Revise Assessment Plan if Necessary

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Step 4 Establish Test the Hypothesis

• Establish a hypotheses regarding the function of
  the behavior. The hypothesis statement is a
  concise summary of information collected during
  the assessment phase and represents the best
  guess regarding the reason(s) for the behavior.
• Test the hypotheses. Systematically manipulate
  certain variable to determine whether the teams
  assumptions regarding the likely function of the
  behavior are correct.

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Step 5 Develop and Implement the BIP

• The IEP team will develop a BIP to address the
  behavior, using the information gathered and
  summarized in the hypothesis of the FBA.
• The BIP may include strategies to
• Manipulate the antecedents and/or consequences of
  the behavior
• Teach more acceptable replacement behaviors that
  serve the same function as the inappropriate
  behavior
• Implement changes in curriculum and instructional
  strategies
• Modify the physical environment.

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• BIPs must be monitored and data collected and
  recorded on a regular basis.
• Decisions must be made by the team as to what is
  working and what is not working.
• For those strategies that are not working, the
  team must modify and/or change the plan to try
  something else.

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Step 6 Evaluate Progress Follow-up

• Evaluate the faithfulness with which the plan was
  implemented
• Evaluate the changes in student behavior
• Modify the plan if needed
• Continue plan if warranted and develop phase out
  program as appropriate

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6 Steps of an FBA

1. Identify the Problem
2. Collect Data using Multiple Assessments
3. Analyze the Data
4. Make Determinations Hypotheses
5. Develop Implement a Behavior Implement Plan
6. Evaluate Progress Follow-up as Necessary

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Summary

• An FBA is a tool used to make decisions about
  why behaviors are occurring.
• Understanding the function of behavior is
  necessary in order to develop an appropriate BIP
  and utilize those plans on a consistent basis
  over a reasonable amount of time to ensure its
  effectiveness.

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RESOURCES

• Functional Behavioral Assessments, Behavioral
  Intervention Plans, and Positive Intervention and
  Supports An Essential Part of Effective
  Schoolwide Discipline in Virginia, VDOE, 2nd ed.
  2005-2006 http//www.doe.virginia.gov/support/stud
  ent_conduct/monograph.pdf
• Appendix A - Additional Information/References
  http//www.doe.virginia.gov/support/student_conduc
  t/appendices.pdf
• Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy
  (VOPA) Information About Functional Behavioral
  Assessments http//www.vopa.state.va.us/Publicatio
  ns/Special20Education20Publications/FBAs20-200
  6-09.pdf  

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RESOURCES (cont.)

• Suspending Disbelief Moving Beyond Punishment
  to Promote Effective Interventions for Children
  with Mental or Emotional Disorders. (May 2003)
  http//www.bazelon.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticketm
  dLYu8-RGuU3Dtabid104
• FAPE An IEP Team's Introduction to Functional
  Behavioral Assessment and Behavior Intervention
  Plans (2nd edition) http//www.fape.org/idea/what
  _idea_is/osher/main.htm
• ALSO SEE
• Regulations Governing Special Education Programs
  for Children with Disabilities in Virginia
  http//www.doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/regulations
  /state/regs_speced_disability_va.pdf