Using the Using the FACTS:FACTS:

Simple FBASimple FBAKevin J. Filter, Ph.D.

Minnesota State University

When Assessing Behavior, When Assessing Behavior, Think A-B-CThink A-B-C

Our goal is to fill in the A-B-C blanksOur goal is to fill in the A-B-C blanks

Antecedent/ Setting Event

Behavior Consequence

A B C

What is the FACTS?What is the FACTS?• Functional Assessment Checklist for

Teachers and Staff

• Interview designed to efficiently gather accurate information about the function of behavior

• Provides step-by-step process for identifying antecedents, behaviors, and consequences

When to use the When to use the FACTSFACTS

FACTS: Team FACTS: Team Process?Process?

• FBAs are ideally completed by a teamo Behavior expertise (School psych)o Primary teacher

• Rotating positiono SPED Teacher o Others

• The simple FBA process that relies on the FACTS could be done by a behavioral expert without a team… but teams are better for long-term outcomes

What you get from a What you get from a FACTSFACTS

• Student strengths• Problem behaviors• Routines in which problem behaviors occur• Triggers or predictors of the problem behavior• Pay-off (function) the behaviors have for the

student• Possible setting events• Summary of behavior

Interview LogisticsInterview Logistics• Interview multiple informants

o Primary teachero Other teacherso Studento Parao Parent

• Best respondents are those whoo Have seen the behavior occur many timeso Have a basic understanding of behavior theory

Borgmeier (2003)

• Conduct interviews BEFORE observations

Step-by-Step

Walkthrough of the

FACTS

After the FACTSAfter the FACTS

• Observe the student in the identified routines to confirm or refine the hypothesis from the FACTS

• Direct observation needs to be formalized and include detailed information about antecedents, behaviors, and consequences

Direct Observation Direct Observation LogisticsLogistics

• The information from your interviews should tell you what to observe and when• If you observe at the wrong time, you won’t see many

behaviors

• You should observe at least 10 incidents of behavior before making conclusions

• Plan for “reactivity”

Direct ObservationDirect ObservationObservations can by highly systematic:

•Functional Behavioral Assessment – Observation and Summary Form (FBA-OSF)

o Filter and Alvarez (2012), modified from O’Neill et al. (1997)

Or observations can be simple:

•Informal A-B-C Observation

 Incident

#

 Date & Time

AntecedentWhat

happened before the behavior?

BehaviorWhat did the student do?

ConsequenceWhat did

student get out of the behavior?

1        

2        

3        

4        

5        

6        

7        

8        

9        

10        

11        

12        

13        

14        

15        

16        

17        

18        

19        

20        

Informal A-B-C Observation FormStudent: __________________Observer: _____________________

Combine DataCombine Data

FACTS

Interviews FBA-OSF

Informal observations

• Consider consistency across data• If inconsistent, then focus on direct

data first, FACTS interview second, and then other data

Outcome: Outcome: Precision Hypothesis Precision Hypothesis

StatementStatement

(Fill in problem behavior) is most likely when (Fill in antecedent) occurs and is maintained by (Fill in reinforcer). This whole sequence is most likely when (Fill in setting event) occurs.

Antecedent/ Setting Event

Behavior Consequence

A B C

FUTURE STEPSFUTURE STEPS

• Develop behavior interventions to match results from FACTS and Observations

• These interventions will generally be MORE effective than interventions not based on FACTS information

Team Discussion Team Discussion QuestionsQuestions

❑ Who on your team could complete the FACTS?

❑ Turn to the FACTS in your manual and take a few moments to look it over and talk about when you would use the FACTS in your Tier 2/3 Process.

Appendix HP. 73

Link To More Link To More informationinformation

✿ http://www.pbis.org/common/pbisresources/publications/PracticalFBA_TrainingManual.pdf

✿ http://www.pbis.org/common/pbisresources/publications/TrainerManual.pdf