FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT. Default Techniques vs. FBA Default Techniques / Technologies Intrusive,...

FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT

Default Techniques vs. FBA

• Default Techniques / Technologies• Intrusive, coercive, or punishment-based interventions• Often selected arbitrarily

• Some people get it, others do not.• Use is often based on past effectiveness.

• FBA• Understanding why a behavior occurs provides options on how it can be changed

• Decreases reliance on default technologies

Topography vs. Function of Behavior

• Topography = form of the behavior• Function = function of the behavior

• What do you get out of it.

• Topographies of problem behavior• Can serve the same function• Can serve different functions

• Function is more important for intervention than form

Functions of Problem Behavior• Positive Reinforcement

• “You are getting something”

• Negative Reinforcement• “You are getting out of something”

• Functions can be• Socially mediated or automatic

Positive Reinforcement• Social

• Attention from others• Access to tangible stimuli

• Automatic• Physical Stimulation

Negative Reinforcement• Social

• Escape from aversive or difficult tasks• Avoid the situation in the first place

• Automatic• Escape from aversive stimulation

FBA and Prevention of Problem Behavior• When default technologies are used, other problem

behaviors may emerge• Acting out, violence, etc.• Reduction of learning

• FBA • May avoid the development of new problem behaviors• May identify conditions that pose risks for the development • of future problem behaviors

Continuum of FBA Methods

Indirect Assessments

Direct observation in natural routine

Analog functional analysis

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Functional (Experimental) Analysis• Antecedents and consequences are arranged so that their

separate effects on problem behavior can be observed and measured

• Often referred to as analog• Similar to what is occurring in natural routine, but more systematic• Allows for better control

Typical Conditions• Contingent attention• Contingent escape• Alone• Control (e.g., “free play”)• These are presented one at a time until a pattern of

problem behavior emerges

Interpreting Functional Analyses:Attention Function

Interpreting Functional Analyses:Escape Function

Interpreting Functional Analyses:Automatic Reinforcement

Interpreting Functional Analyses:Undifferentiated Pattern

Advantages of Functional Analysis• Yields a clear demonstration of the variable(s) that relate

to the occurrence of problem behavior• Serve as the standard to which all other forms of FBA are

evaluated• Enable the development of effective reinforcement-based

treatment

Limitations of Functional Analysis• May temporarily strengthen the problem behavior• May result in the behavior acquiring new functions

• Acceptability may be low• Difficult to use for serious, low frequency behaviors

• If conducted in contrived settings, may not identify idiosyncratic variables related to problem behavior

• Requires time, effort, and professional expertise

Descriptive FBA

• Direct observation of problem behavior under naturally occurring conditions

• Events are NOT arranged in a systematic manner

• Different Forms• ABC Continuous Recording• ABC Narrative Recording• Scatterplot

ABC Continuous Recording• Record

• Occurrences of targeted problem behaviors and selected environmental events

• Within the natural routine

• During a specified period of time

Antecedent Behavior Consequence Task prompt /instruction Attention Diverted Social Interaction Engaged in preferred activity Preferred activity removed Alone (no attention/no activities)

Tantrum Aggression

Social attention Reprimand Task demand Access to preferred item Task removed Attention Diverted

Task prompt /instruction Attention Diverted Social Interaction Engaged in preferred activity Preferred activity removed Alone (no attention/no activities)

Tantrum Aggression



Tantrum Aggression



Tantrum Aggression



Tantrum Aggression



Tantrum Aggression



Tantrum Aggression


Advantages of ABC Continuous Recording

• Uses precise measures

• Provides useful contextual information and correlations regarding environmental events and the problem behavior• Can provide useful information for later functional analyses

• Does not require disruption of the individual’s routine

Limitations

• Often, antecedents and consequences do not reliably precede and follow problem behavior

• Making relationships or correlations difficult to detect

• Solution - use conditional probabilities• Proportion of occurrences of problem behavior preceded by a

specific antecedent• Proportion of the occurrence of problem behavior followed by a

specific consequence

• Must use with caution

ABC Narrative Recording• Data are collected only when behavior(s) of interest are

observed• Recording is open-ended• Thus, it is less time-consuming than continuous recording

Sample Narrative Recording Form

ABC Narrative Recording Form

Individual observed: ______________________ Date:____/____/____ Observer: _______________________________ Time Begin:_________am/pm Time End: ________am/pm

A-Antecedent (explain the events that come

before the behavior)

B-Behavior (explain exactly what the person did or said – the actual behavior)

C-Consequence (explain the events that follow the

behavior or occurred as a result of the behavior)

Limitations of ABC Narrative Recording

• Utility in identifying behavioral function are not established• May yield false positives

• Data is only collected when the problem behavior occurs• The same antecedent and consequent events may be present

when problem behavior is absent

Limitations of ABC Narrative Recording

• Reliability may be low• Unless trained, observers may report “inferred states”

rather than events• It is often difficult to discriminate which environmental

events actually occasion the problem behavior

Scatterplot• Procedure for recording the extent to which a target behavior occurs more often at particular times than others

• Similar to time sampling • Divide day into blocks of time (e.g., a series of 30-min segments)

• For each time period, enter a symbol to indicate whether problem behavior occurred a lot, some, or not at all

• Analyze for patterns to identify temporal distributions of behavior and events that occur at that time

Sample ScatterplotSCATTERPLOT

Individual: ______________________________________ Behavior: _____________________________________________ SCORING: Zero in box = No occurrences Slash in box = < 5 occurrences Filled in box = > 5 occurrences -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-DAY/DATE TIME Activity/Location Comments

8:00-8:30 8:30-9:00 9:00-9:30 9:30-10:00 10:00-10:30 10:30-11:00 11:00-11:30 11:30-12:00 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SCATTERPLOT

Individual: ______________________________________ Behavior: _____________________________________________ SCORING: Zero in box = No occurrences Slash in box = < 5 occurrences Filled in box = > 5 occurrences Format/Content Area Comments Large group Instruction Small group instruction 1:1 instruction Independent activity Activity transition Setting transition

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Advantages of Scatterplots• Identify time periods during which the problem behavior

occurs• Can be useful for pinpointing periods of the day when

more focused ABC assessments can be conducted

Limitations of Scatterplots• Utility of scatterplots is unknown• Subjective in nature

Indirect FBA

• Do not involve observing the behavior• Involve soliciting another’s recollection of the behavior

• Examples:• Structured interviews• Checklists• Rating scales• Questionnaires

Structured Behavioral Interviews• Goal: Obtain clear objective information about the

problem behavior(s).• May include:

• Antecedents and consequences of the behavior• Other information

• Examples• Interview significant others• Interview student him/herself

Behavior Rating Scales• Ask informants to estimate the extent to which

behavior occurs under specified conditions• Hypotheses about function of behavior are based on

scores associated with each condition• Those conditions with the highest score are

hypothesized to be related to the problem behavior

Advantages of Indirect FBA

• Useful source of information for guiding subsequent, more objective assessments

• Contribute to hypothesis development regarding the variables that may occasion or maintain problem behavior

• Very convenient because they do not require direct observation of behavior

Limitations of Indirect FBA

• Informants may not be accurate• Informants may be biased• Little research exists to support the reliability of

information obtained from indirect assessments• Not recommended as principal means of identifying

functions of behaviors. • Best used for hypothesis development.

Conducting an FBA

• Gather information via indirect and descriptive assessments

• Interpret information and formulate hypotheses• Test hypotheses using functional analysis• Develop intervention options based on the function of

problem behavior

Gathering Information• Conduct functional assessment interview with individual’s care providers• Use to:

• Define target problem behaviors, • Identify and define potential antecedents and

consequences• Determine what other assessments are warranted

• Conduct direct observations of the problem behavior within the natural routine• Use this information to confirm/disconfirm

information obtained in interviews

Interpreting Information and Formulating Hypotheses• Write hypothesis statements in ABC format

When Tonisha is prompted to wash her hands in preparation for lunch,

she screams and tantrums, which is followed by…

termination of hand washing and lunch by being sent to time-out.

Antecedent Behavior Consequence

Hypothesized function = escape from hand washing or lunch

Testing Hypotheses• Conduct a functional analysis

• Always include a control condition• Select additional conditions depending upon

hypotheses• If positive reinforcement (attention) is a hypothesis, conduct

contingent attention• If negative reinforcement is a hypothesis, conduct contingent

escape• If automatic reinforcement is a hypothesis, conduct alone

condition

• Alternate conditions in counterbalanced fashion until a pattern emerges

Brief Functional Analyses

• Conducting a functional analysis in a short period of time

• Procedure• Implement one session of the control condition• Implement one session of each test condition• Implement a contingency reversal

Contingency Reversal• Used to confirm hypothesis by:

• Providing reinforcement for an alternative behavior• Problem behavior no longer produces reinforcement

Sample Brief Functional Analysis with Contingency Reversal

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Problem Behavior

Requests

Developing an Intervention• FBA does NOT identify the interventions that will be

effective• DOES identify powerful reinforcers that can be used in

intervention

FBA and Intervention• When the function of problem behavior has been

identified, intervention can consist of:• Altering antecedent variables• Altering consequent variables• Teaching alternative behaviors

Altering Antecedent Variables• Change and/or eliminate

• Motivating operation for problem behavior• Discriminative stimuli that trigger problem behavior

Altering Consequent Variables• Place problem behavior on extinction

• Withhold identified reinforcer when problem behavior occurs

Teaching Alternative Behaviors• Select appropriate behaviors that serve the same function• Provide reinforcer that previously maintained problem

behavior contingent upon the new, alternative behavior

Functional Equivalence• Intervention must match the function of the problem

behavior• If problem behavior = escape function

• Intervention should provide escape for alternative behavior• OR alter task demands to make escape less reinforcing

Functional Equivalence• Intervention must match the function of the problem

behavior• If problem behavior = gain function

• Intervention should provide desired outcome (access to attention or tangibles) for alternative behavior

• OR alter antecedent conditions to make attention and/or tangibles less reinforcing

Alter the ABC Contingency

Antecedent Behavior Consequence

When Deshawn is left alone with toys or work…

Attention in the form of a reprimand and discussion.

He hits others, which is followed by…

Alter the AntecedentAntecedent Behavior Consequence




Deshawn is provided with a peer buddy during work/play periods

These are irrelevant because problem behavior is avoided.

Alter the BehaviorAntecedent Behavior Consequence




Deshawn is prompted to ask a peer or adult to play/help, which is followed by…

Attention in the form of socialization and help.

Alter the ConsequenceAntecedent Behavior Consequence




Neutrally blocking the hitting and ignoring Deshawn.

Summary• Prior to intervention

• Identify the function• Escape• Gain (attention/tangible)• Automatic

• When designing intervention• Modify the ABC contingency

Summary• Assessment continues after intervention begins

• Monitor effectiveness• Changes in function over time

Conclusion• FBA provides additional information that can be used in

understanding behavior.• Allows the clinician to have more information• Is quite effective• Make sure you understand the limitations

FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT. Default Techniques vs. FBA Default Techniques / Technologies Intrusive,...

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