Functional Assessment

SPED 3380

Chandler, L.K. & Dahlquist, C.M. (2002). Functional Assessment: Strategies to Prevent and Remediate Challenging Behavior in School Settings. Merrill: Columbus Ohio.

Challenging Behavior

• All Behaviors Serve a Function– It produces a desired outcome

• Examples:– When John uses profanity his peers look at him and laugh

• His profanity produces desired attention from his peers

– When Sarah rips her math worksheet she is sent to the office

• Destroying her worksheet results in leaving the math instruction period and not having to complete the worksheet

Challenging Behavior

• The behaviors John and Sarah exhibit produce desirable outcomes for each

– From each student’s perspective the behaviors are very logical and very effective

– From the perspective of many others (i.e.: peers, parents, teachers, etc.) the behaviors are often identified as “challenging”

• A large amount of variability exits across perspectives: which behaviors are “challenging” and which behaviors are “appropriate” ?

Factors to Consider Before Identifying a Behavior as Challenging

• Dimensions

– Interferes with the student’s learning or the learning of other individuals

– Hinders positive social interactions and relationships; or

– Harms the student, peers, adults, or family members

Factors to Consider Before Identifying a Behavior as Challenging

Degree of severity: mild to severe

– Severe: disruptive, destructive , dangerous – easy to identify

– Mild – Moderate: sleeping, refusals, inattentiveness, off-task, tardiness, etc. - more difficult to identify and/or classify

• Impact of the behavior on student and others

• Frequency of the behavior

• Age appropriateness of the behavior

What is a functional behavioral assessment?• Systematic process for

– describing problem behavior

– Identifying environmental factors and setting events that predict problem behavior

– Developing a positive behavioral support plan

• Outcomes

– Definition of problem behavior

– Descriptions of the conditions under which problem behaviors is and is not likely to be observed

– Identification of the function (the why) of the problem behavior

– Direct observation data to support these outcomes

What are the functions of challenging behavior?

• To get something (positive reinforcement)

• To escape or avoid something (negative reinforcement)

Important considerations

• More than one behavior may serve a similar function

• One behavior might serve different function in different contexts

• Students usually do not display individual behaviors, but strings or chains of behavior are often exhibited

Steps involved in conduction a functional assessment

• Step 1. Collect information through informal conversations, questionnaires, checklists, and structured interviews with key persons. Direct observation – with interpretive help from key persons

• Step 2. Propose testable explanation of student’s behavior. Includes: description of behavior, possible triggering antecedents, possible maintaining consequences, and possible setting events.

• Step 3. Assess the validity of the hypothesis – systematic observations.

Functional Analysis is not value-free

• Behavior support must be conducted with the dignity of the person as a primary regard

• The objective of functional assessment is not to define and eliminate an undesirable behavior, but to understand the structure and function of the behavior in order to teach and develop effective alternatives

• Functional analysis is a process for looking at relationships between behavior and the environment

Three Strategies for Functional Analysis Assessment

• Strategy 1:– Interview the person and those people who know him / her

best

• Strategy 2:– Direct observation over an extended time period

• Strategy 3:– Systematic manipulations

Functional Analysis Observation Summary

• Behavior Description

• Behavior Prediction

• Behavior Functions

Behavior Description

• What specific behaviors occurred?

– Screaming; pinch / scratch; rip materials

• Were there two or more behaviors that consistently occurred together as a group or class?

– Almost always in pairs (different combinations)

Behavior Prediction

• Did the behaviors primarily occur during specific time periods?

– Homeroom; self-care; office work; meal prep

• Were there periods when the behaviors consistently did not occur?

– P.E. and bus/street crossing

• During the periods when the behaviors occurred, were there setting events or stimuli which were consistently related to their occurrence?

– Demands / requests; Being alone / no attention

Behavior Functions

• What functions did the behaviors appear to serve for the person, according to those recording the data?

– Escape / avoid demands; Obtain attention

• What were the consequences that were typically provided when the behaviors occurred?

– Ignore; Time-out

Functional Assessment

Situation Antecedent Behavior Consequence