Introduction to Behavior Function and FBA

Adapted from - Kevin J. Filter, Ph.D.Minnesota State UniversityGeorge Sugai, Ph.D. - PBIS Center

What is a Functional Behavior Assessment

• Problem solving process

• Identifies the purpose of the behavior

• Used to select interventions

Why do an FBA?• All behavior occurs in

a context• All behavior serves a

purpose

When will change occur?

When it is clear that a different response (behavior)

will be more effective and efficient AND result in the desired outcome!

Advantages of an FBA Provides information about students’ behavior Provides data trends and patterns Can be simple or intensive Identifies functions of behaviors Provides data for developing an appropriate and

effective behavior plan Increases chance of positive student outcomes

Functions of BehaviorProblemBehavior

Obtain/GetSomething

Escape/Avoid

Something

SocialTangible/Activity

Adult

Stimulation/Sensory

Peer

Pos Reinf Neg Reinf

Behavior StrengthenedBehavior Strengthened

• Increases the likelihood that a behavior will occur.

• Behaviors may result from a combination of functions

• Escape and sensory are often related to circumstances that are stressful or boring

• Attention and escape may result from difficult/boring curricular demands and not much attention

Functions of Behavior

• When interventions are not matched to the function, we may increase the behavior that we wish to eliminate.

• Function – Obtain (Attention) – Run after the student, engage in lengthy discussion

• Function – Escape – Suspension, Removal Class, Stay in from recess

Functions - Intervention

Making the Teacher Angry

Brett makes numerous comments about the teacher behind her back. Classmates laugh and teacher gets mad.

Why?• He’s a delinquent• He’s an entertainer• Bad apple

Brett: Other possibilities

• Long history of getting other students’ attention by insulting people (Function: obtain peer attention)

• Looking for a quick ticket out of class (Function: escape aversive task)

• Wants teacher to be flustered and discontinue instruction (Function: Escape aversive task)

Skipping Class

Andrea skips chemistry two or three days per week.

Why?• She doesn’t care about her education• She’s a truant

Andrea: Other possibilities

• Has meeting her drug dealer (Function: obtain sensory stimulation)

• Hates chemistry and doesn’t understand it (Function: escape difficult task)

• Friends all have free study hall at that time and she meets them at pizza place (Function: obtain peer attention)

Helping Others

Brittany always asks if she can work as a tutor for her peers.

Why?• She’s a saint• She’s responsible

Brittany: Other possibilities

• Loves when her peers think that she’s smart (Function: Obtain peer attention)

• She wants the teacher to notice how helpful she it (Function: Obtain adult attention)

• She is sick of doing the work that is too easy for her and would rather be challenged by teaching the material to others (Function: Escape task – too easy)

Function is relevant to ALL behavior

• Appropriate behavior• Studying• Walking• Playing

• Inappropriate behavior• Fighting• Crying• Disruptive behavior

Function is relevant to ALL people• Adults

• Teachers• Administrators• Parents

• Students• Elementary• High school

What’s the point?

• Knowing WHY somebody does something isn’t easy–Social psychology fact: We default to “internal”

explanations for the behavior of others• Clumsy, deviant, dumb, unmotivated

• People do things for a PURPOSE–All behaviors have consequences and those

consequences affect the behavior in the future• WHAT a person does doesn’t tell us WHY they do it

• Form: What does it look like?

• Function: Why does it occur?

Continuous process…

• When are the behaviors most and least likely to occur?• Context or routine• Setting Events• Discriminative Stimuli

• When the problem behaviors occur, what consequences appear reinforcing?

FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT (FBA)

How to determine function of behavior for

individual students

Step 1: Defining behavior

Must result in clear, measurable, & objective descriptions of individual, groups, or sequences of related behaviors

• Any observable or measurable action or act.

• Observable beginning & end• Has measurable dimension(s)

• Frequency, duration, latency, force, topography, locus

Non- v. Observable

(-) has hyperactivity(+) initiates 5 different tasks within 2 minutes(+) leaves room at least 3 times during a 30

minute lesson

Which is described in observable terms?

Hits with his fist OR

Aggressive

Which is described in observable terms?

Hits with his fist OR

Is aggressive

Delinquent OR

Takes money from peers

Delinquent OR

Takes money from peers

Out of seat 55% of timeOR

Hyperactive

Out of seat 55% of timeOR

Hyperactive

STEP 2: Collecting data on antecedents and consequences

IndirectInterviewRecord review

DirectObservation

Think A-B-C

Setting Event Antecedent Behavior Consequence

A B C

Setting Events TriggeringAntecedents

MaintainingConsequences

Behavior

Testable Hypothesis“Basic Unit”

Following events that

maintain behaviors of

concern

Preceding events that trigger or occasion

Set of related

behaviors of concern

Events that affect value

of maint. conseq.

Student-level functional approach• In what contexts do behaviors occur?

– Skipping class example• Chemistry (this is a setting event)

– Making teacher angry example• Only happens with certain teacher (teacher present = setting

event, teaching looking away = antecedent)

• What happens after the behavior– Skipping class example

• Meets with friends (positive reinforcer)

– Making teacher angry example• Gets sent to office (negative reinforcer – escape)

Step 3: Develop interventions (BIP)• The purpose of FBA is to develop and implement

an effective behavior intervention plan

• Based on the function of the behavior

Interventions

• Many good basic behavior interventions exist and can be used• But many depend on knowing current

function (reinforcers)• Non-contingent reinforcement• Differential reinforcement

• Without conducting an FBA, you can’t be certain whether an intervention will work

FBA Pros and Cons

• Pros• Recent data suggest that FBA-based

interventions are more successful than non-FBA-based interventions

• Relevant to all 3 tiers• Cons

• Time-intensive• Require behavioral expertise• Interventions CAN be developed without them

Recent Research

• Recent research has compared FBA-based interventions to non-FBA-based interventions and all indicate that FBA-based interventions are superior• Ingram et al., 2005• Newcomer and Lewis, 2004• Filter and Horner, 2009

Big Picture

• Functional logic applies to– All people, all levels of support, across all settings

• When you want any behaviors to change in your school, think about– Setting events, antecedents, consequences…and then CHANGE them!

• The purpose of FBA is to develop and implement an effective behavior intervention plan

The Process of FBA is not complete until a meaningful change

has occurred in the behavior!