Functional Behavioral

Assessment (FBA)
KYLIE YANO EDMX 633 MARCH 9, 2015

What is FBA?

A process for gathering information about problem behavior and

the environmental conditions that predict and maintain it

Tells why problem behaviors occur and what variables are

associated

The goal is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the

Behavior Support Plan (BSP)

Why is an FBA important?

IDEIA 2004 maintained the

requirements that schools use FBA
and PBS under certain conditions, as
mandated in IDEA 1997
amendments.

If a students problem behavior or misconduct has been

found to have a direct and substantial relationship to his or
her disability, the IEP team needs to conduct an FBA. If
one has already been conducted, resulting in a BSP, it must
be reviewed.

Its the Law.

6 Outcomes of FBA
1.

A description of the students problem behavior and daily routines

2.

Identification of consequence conditions that maintain the problem behavior

3.

Identification of antecedent conditions that set the occasion for (or trigger) the
problem behavior, as well as antecedent conditions that do not trigger the problem
behavior

4.

Identification of setting events that make the problem behavior more sensitive (or
less sensitive) to the maintain consequences and their associated antecedents

5.

Production of a written hypothesis that synthesizes the foregoing information into

a testable summary statement about the problem behavior

6.

Direct observations of the student during typical daily routines for the purpose of
tentatively confirming (or disconfirming) the hypothesis

How do we start?
operationally.

Define the problem

What does the problem behavior look like and/or sound like?

Forms and Checklists can help!

Describe in observable, measurable terms.

Snell & Brown: page 267-269

Practice can help too!

ANGER

What does it look like?

What does it sound like?

Frowned face

Throwing items

Loud outbursts

AVOIDANCE

What does it look like?

What does it sound like?

Pushing away work

Walking away from task

Silent withdrawal

ThenInterview & Investigate!

Antecedent (Fast Trigger) = conditions that trigger problem behaviors

Setting Events (Slow Trigger) = conditions that temporarily alter the

value of reinforcers that maintain problem behaviors

Independent work, difficulty in content, non-preferred tasks

Sleep deprivation, period of time alone, previous negative interactions

Consequence = conditions that maintain the problem behaviors

Escape task demands, self-stimulation, gain peer attention

When Monica is asked to do

independent seat work, she is likely to
tear up materials and hit her teacher in
order to escape the task demands. This
process is more likely if she has had a
negative interaction with the teacher
earlier in the day.

Hypothesis Statement