How to Conduct an FBA

Applied Behavior Analysis

SPCED 309
 What IS a
Functional
Behavior Assessment
 Functional behavioral assessment is ...

 a process

 used to help a student

with chronic behavior
problems
 a problem solving method—
one which takes time and
creative collaboration
among professionals
and parents
 Functional behavioral assessment is ...

 built on the assumption: if the student keeps repeating a

problem behavior, that behavior must be serving some
purpose (function) for the student –
otherwise, he or she would not
keep repeating it!

 a process of looking for patterns:

what happens around and/or
to the student just before &
just after the problem behavior
 Functional behavioral assessment is ...

 examination of patterns of behavior to identify their

purpose or their "function" …
some possible functions are
1. avoiding something
(escape)
2. getting something
(attention or something
tangible – access)
3. making something happen
(sensory)
 Functional behavioral assessment is ...

Creative problem-solving enabling the student to achieve

the same purpose
(function) in a more
appropriate or socially
acceptable manner
 Failure to teach replacement behavior

 If you do not replace the maladaptive behavior with a

functionally equivalent behavior, it will likely escalate to
a more serious or bothersome behavior – resulting in same
function.
 Starts with good behavior definition!

 Observable & Measurable

 Clear
 Complete
 Can someone unfamiliar with the behavior
know precisely what you are observing by
reading your target behavior behavior
definition?
 Consider how you will take data
Functional behavioral assessment is not...

 a quick fix

 the first technique a teacher uses when a pupil

misbehaves (remember parsimony!)
 a choice for teachers of pupils with disabilities
 It is required by federal statutes
(such as the IDEA and Section 504)
 a do-it-yourself technique - it takes collaboration
Some common functions served by
misbehaving...
ESCAPE work, people, noise, or something else—for
example:.
 hand-flapping and moaning
— getting to go sit in the "quiet" room
 giving a wrong answer to a vocabulary question
— getting a teacher to "throw up her arms" in
exasperation and walk away
 cursing at the teacher when she insists you do the
assignment
— getting sent to the vice principal's office and
thereby getting out of English class
 throwing a kicking, screaming, flailing, temper tantrum,
taking of clothes
— getting out of morning circle
 Some common functions served by
misbehaving...

Sensory (automatic reinforcement) —for example . . .

 Looks good, feels good, smells “good”

 May occur in times of stress or duress

 May serve important need–crucial to consider, before

intervening
 Some common functions served by
maladaptive behavior...

Attention: access to a desired object, event, or person

—for example . . .
 threatening to "get" a peer after school
— getting the peer to hand over his dessert
 yelling "It's not fair," "You don't like me," or "He cut in
front"
— getting the teacher to let you be first in line
 flicking the light switch on and off
— getting to watch a light flicker on and off
 yelling “I won’t do this baby work"
— getting the teacher to help you with the
assignment
 Steps for Conducting an FBA

1. Identify behavior (verify seriousness of the problem)

 Quality of life

 Long term impact on individual

 Relevance of Behavior rule

 Will behavior be reinforced in

natural environment
 Safety

 Self & others

 Fidelity

 Others in building implement

 Steps for Conducting an FBA

2. Indirect assessments (interview, behavior

checklist, rating scales)

3. Direct assessments (narratives/anecdotal notes, A-

B-C)

4. Systematic data collection in the natural setting

(direct observation)

5. Review all data and form a hypothesis about what

is maintaining the problem behavior
 Functional behavioral assessment
project.

 You have already identified target behavior (i.e., a

behavioral excess or deficit) of a student or
individual
 Use information and guidelines available on Canvas
 Proceed step-by-step with your FBA.

You will be using the assessment information from your

FBA
to develop (as a group) a behavior intervention plan
(BIP).
 Your FBA projects
criteria for evaluation
Section 1
✔ Your name, date, class
5 point

✔ Subject information: include information relevant to the

study such as gender, age and any other identifying
information (e.g., a student at X preschool, a college student
living in a residential rental property with 4 other females)
Protect confidentiality
5 points

✔ Target Behavior: stated in observable, measurable terms,

provide examples and non-examples
10 points
 Your FBA projects
criteria for evaluation

Section 1 (continued)

✔ Hypothesis statement: when given X (antecedent

condition), then Y occurs (behavior), resulting in Z (function)

e.g., When Student A is instructed to complete his independent

seat work, (X), he will blurt out and walk around the room (Y) to
gain his teacher’s attention (Z).
20 points When you complete the FBA you
are identifying the function of the
behavior (escape, attention,
tangible or sensory (automatic).
You MUST include the function on
the hypothesis statement!
 Your FBA projects
criteria for evaluation

Section 2
✔ Indirect observation: Motivation Assessment Scale
(MAS) or Functional Assessment Screening Tool (FAST)
• forms found on Canvas
• include completed form and summary statement
10 points
 Your FBA projects
criteria for evaluation

Section 3
✔ Direct observation: ABC data collection (3-5
observations) form on Canvas
avoid use of personal pronouns (point deduction)
10 points
 Conducting an ABC Analysis

 Example: In a classroom situation the you might record

antecedents (stimuli or events) such as instructions by
the teacher, remarks by classmates, or any other actions
initiated toward the student by others.

 The behaviors that immediately occur following those

antecedents would then be noted very specifically and
objectively.
 For instance: [the target student] raises one hand above his
head and motions for the teacher’s attention, saying “I don’t
want to do this assignment.”
 Conducting an ABC Analysis

 Then, the consequences for that behavior would be

recorded (e.g., teacher repeats the instruction or teacher
reprimands the student.
 Conducting an ABC Analysis

 The ongoing antecedents, behavior, and consequences

would be continuously noted during the observational
period.
 An analysis of the frequency of certain antecedent-
behavior-consequence patterns would then be examined to
develop a hypothesis regarding the cause of the problem
behavior
 For instance, if the data reflect that reprimands followed the
problem behavior of screaming on 10 of the 15 total
number of observations, then attention through positive
reinforcement may be involved.

(submit ABC data sheet – no summary)

 Your FBA projects
criteria for evaluation

4) Section 4
✔ Competing Behavior Pathway: (1 “typical”
observation) form on Canvas
5 points
 Your FBA projects
criteria for evaluation

Section 5
✔ Data: include data as collected with a summary
(recall data collection assignment from chapter 4 –
use same format – include summary statement)
10 points
 Conducting the Direct Observation
i.e., recording data

Approved behavior observation method

✔ Event
✔ Latency
✔Duration
✔︎Interval (partial or whole)
✔︎Time sampling
 Event Recording

Subject: JT
Behavior: blurting-out (makes comment out loud without raising
hand and being called upon to speak or at inappropriate times)

observati Event recording total

on
1 //// //// //// //// /// 23
2 //// //// //// //// //// //// 30
3 //// //// //// //// /// 23
4 //// //// //// //// 20
5 //// //// //// //// // 22
Summary: JT was observed for blurting-out behavior over five, 20-
minute sessions during reading block (10:10-10:30 a.m.) on
February 3 – February 7, 2018. Over five observations, JT was
observed to blurt out 118 times.
 Partial Interval Recording

Subject: JT
Behavior: blurting-out (makes comment out loud without raining
hand and being called upon to speak or at inappropriate times)
5-second interval / total 5 minutes per observation
X= blurting out (blank cell = not observed)

1 xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 19/30
2 xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 18/30
3 xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 21/30
4 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 21/30
5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 15/30
Summary: Partial interval recording was used to observe JT for blurting-out behavior
during reading block (10:10-10:15 a.m.) on February 3 – February 7, 2018. Each 5-
minute observation was divided into 10-second intervals for a total of 30 intervals
per observation. An X was recorded if blurting-out behavior was observed at any
time during a given interval. The cell was left blank if no behavior was observed.
JT’s blurting out behavior was observed to occur 63%, 60%, 70%, 70% and 50% of
the intervals during the various observations.
 Your FBA projects
criteria for evaluation

Section 6
✔ Graph: include graph of baseline data with all
appropriate labels, data points, data paths, subject
name, and baseline stability statement
10 points
 Frequency Recording

Chart (graph)

50% above

Mean

50% below

During baseline condition, the target behavior was observed to occur 118
times or a mean of 24 times per observation. As can be noted in the graph
above, the baseline is stable as no data fall 50% above or below the mean of
23 and all data fall within the range of 12 to 35 occurrences.
 Interval Recording

Chart (graph)

50% above

Mean

50% below

During baseline condition, the target behavior was observed to occur in in 94

intervals or a mean of 63% of the intervals during observations. As can be
noted in the graph above, the baseline is stable as no data fall 50% above or
below the mean of 63% and all data fall within the range of 32%- 95%.
 Rubric

criteria for evaluation

Section Content Point value
1 ID info 5
Subject info 5
Target behavior 10
Hypothesis statement 20
2 Indirect observation 10
(FAST/MAS)
3 Direct observation (ABC) 10
4 Competing Pathways Chart 5
5 Data 10
6 Graph 10
total 85

Total: 85 points
 Sample & Template

A sample and template can be found on Canvas in FBA

module.

The submission link is also in the module.

You and your group may use the information gathered in

your FBA to write a final Behavior Intervention Plan
(BIP).

Any errors with your FBA must be corrected to avoid

loss of points for your group on the BIP for the same
errors!