Major portions of the following material were developed by: George Sugai and Rob Horner

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Functionally Based InterventionsFunctional
Behavioral Assessment and Developing Positive
Behavioral Support Plans

• Major portions of the following material were
  developed by George Sugai and Rob Horner
• OSEP Funded Technical Assistance Center
• www.pbis.org
• In conjunction with
• The Iowa Behavioral Alliance (An Initiative of
  the Iowa Dept. of Education)
• www.rc4alliance.org
• AND
• Jerome Schaefer
• jschaefer_at_nwaea.k12.ia.us
• Northwest Area Education Agency

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Functional Behavior Assessment

• Outcomes
• Define Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
• Understand the Link between FBA and Behavior
  Intervention Planning
• Define the components of a Behavior Intervention
  Plan
• Understand how basic behavior principles work
  together

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What do we know

• Write down everything you know about FBA and
  Positive Behavior Support Plans/Behavior
  Intervention Plans (2 minutes)
• What is the role of your SW-PBS team in regard to
  intensive behavior interventions? (2 minutes)

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Tertiary Prevention Individualized Systems for
Students with High-Risk Behavior
CONTINUUM OF SCHOOL-WIDE POSITIVE
BEHAVIOR SUPPORT
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Secondary Prevention Targeted Systems for
Students with At-Risk Behavior
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Primary Prevention School-wide/Classroom/ Non-cla
ssroom Systems for All Students, Staff, Settings
80 of Students
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Both of these are considered targeted
interventions
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Establishing the Foundation for Functionally
Based Interventions (FBA and Positive Behavior
Support Plans)

• Knowledgeable teams
• Goals are focused on valued outcomes
• Practices are technically sound
• Practices have a strong contextual fit

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Knowledgeable Teams

• About individual interventions and behavior
  technology (behavior principles and elements of
  behavior)
• About the context in which the behavior occurs
• About the individual (interests, strengths,
  behavior, unique challenges)

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Valued Outcomes

• Not just focused on reduction of problem
  behavior.
• Goals are related to learning more appropriate
  behaviors and improved social outcomes

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Technically Sound Plans

• Elements are consistent with general behavior
  principles
• Related to the components of the functional
  behavioral assessment
• Related to the School Wide Behavioral
  Expectations

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Contextual Fit

• Those who implement the plan should
• Know the plan
• Have the skills to implement the plan
• Be provided administrative support for the plan
• Assume the plan will be effective
• Consider the plan doable
• Team receives continuous feedback on
  implementation of the plan and student progress.

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Functional Assessment
Collect Functional Assessment Data
Modify Hypothesis Support Plan as needed
Develop a Hypothesis
Design and Implement of Positive Behavioral
Support Plan
Review previous and additional data collected
Evaluate the plans effectiveness
Positive Behavioral Supports
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What is a Functional Assessment?

• Functional Behavior Assessment is a process for
  identifying the events that reliably predict and
  maintain problem behavior.

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Need Something More Specific?

• A process of collecting purposeful information
  that will help determine the environmental
  situations (antecedents and setting events) that
  trigger behaviors and helps identify the
  functions and consequences that maintain a
  childs behavior.
• Function purpose or reason

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Being More Specific

• Setting Events situation unique to the
  individual that make problem behavior more likely
  or more intense (i.e., illness, tired, hunger,
  math class, PE, problems at home).
• Antecedents Stimuli that precede and trigger
  behavioral events
• When given the assignment to complete Ryan leaves
  his seat.
• When asked a question during class Stephanie puts
  her head down.

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Being More Specific

• Maintaining Consequences stimuli that follow a
  behavioral event that increase the likelihood
  that the behavior will be maintained or increased.

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Common Functions

• To gain
• attention or access to social interaction
• access to activities, objects, food
• access to stimulating events
• To terminate or avoid unwanted situations

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Functional Behavioral Assessment Primary Purpose

• Is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of
  behavior support (create order out of what seems
  to be chaos).
• Problem behaviors serve a purpose (function). If
  that purpose is not addressed in the behavior
  support plan, another problem behavior, serving
  the same purpose as the first is likely to occur

Does this make sense?
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Getting Started

• Defining the behavior(s)
• Determining the hypothesis
• Testing the hypothesis
• Writing a positive behavior support plan
• Analyzing the plans effectiveness

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Defining Problem Behavior

• Clear observable, measurable and objective
  description of the behavior
• Observable
• Measurable dimension(s)
• Frequency
• Duration
• Latency
• Intensity
• What it looks like (topography)

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Observable and Measurable?

• Hyperactive
• Aggressive
• Delinquent
• Psychotic
• Irresponsible

• Out of seat 55 of the time during independent
  work time
• Hits with hands and kicks peers
• Steals valuable items from peers
• Reports seeing monsters
• Arrives to class late 75 of the time

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What is the Hypothesis?

• Explains why a behavior occurs by
• describing antecedents and setting events
  associated with the behavior and
• identifying the possible function (purpose) of a
  behavior.
• Working unit of the FBA

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Testable Hypothesis Basic Unit
Setting Events
Triggering Antecedents
Maintaining Consequences
Problem Behavior
Difficult Instructions
Disruptive Behavior verbal outbursts, getting out
of his chair, tearing up materials, and
disturbing other children
Avoids Failing
Math Class
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How do I develop a Hypothesis?

• By collecting information through interviews and
  observations that answer important questions
  about the behavior(s) of concern.
• How thorough must my interviews and observations
  be?
• If you can answer the key questions then you can
  probably move on to developing the hypothesis.

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Hypothesis Development - Key Questions

• When is the student less likely to engage in the
  problem behavior?
• What do you do when the behavior occurs?
• What do peers do when the behavior occurs?
• What happens immediately after the behavior
  occurs?
• What does he/she get or access by behaving this
  way?
• What does he/she avoid?

• What is he/she doing that is of concern (define
  the behavior)?
• What sets off this behavior?
• What is going on when he/she engages in the
  behavior?
• When is the person most likely to engage in the
  behavior?
• What situations appear to be contributing to the
  problem situation?

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Conducting a Full Functional Behavior Assessment

• Interviews (Line of Inquiry or Questioning)
• Observations using Antecedent Behavior and
  Consequence (ABC) forms
• Motivation Assessment Scale (http//www.monacoasso
  ciates.com/mas/index.html)
• Problem Behavior Questionnaire (Lewis, Scott,
  Sugai)
• FBA Summary Form (Schaefer, Hall-Schmeckpeper,
  Mullenberg)
• Review of ODR data

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Hypothesis

• Lets practice

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When Sarah misses her 1230 medication teachers
make multiple task demands, she makes negative
self-statements uses profanity or writes
profane language on her assignments. Teaching
staff typically send her to the office with a
discipline referral for being disrespectful.
Avoid difficult tasks
What function?
Setting event
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
Sarah makes negative self- statements writes
profane language
Teacher sends Sarah to office for
being disrespectful
Misses 1230 medication
Teachers make multiple task demands
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Carlos has dyed his hair three colors is teased
several times by his friends before class. When
he enters the class, his teacher stares at his
hair. Carlos immediately says what are you
staring at? His teacher immediately sends him to
in-school detention.
Escape adult peer attention
What function?
Setting event
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
Carlos is teased several times about his hair by
his friends before class
His teacher stares at his hair in class
Carlos asks his teacher what shes staring at
His teacher sends him to in-school detention
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Claire is new to the 6th grade. English is not
her first language. When another student
approaches and says something to her Claire turns
away. The other student walks away. This happens
several times during her first week of school.
Escape peer attention
What function?
Setting event
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
New to the school
Student approaches And says something
Claire turns away
Other student walks away
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When his teacher asks him what the capitol city
of a country is, Nate gives the correct answers.
His teacher praises his correct answer, tells
him he may work by himself or a friend on the
rest of the assignment.
Access peer adult attention
What function?
Setting event
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
Teacher asks what capitol city of country is
Nate give correct answer
Teacher gives verbal praise time to work with
a friend
None
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As Vince is walking, other kids look at him say
whats up? He looks back and says Who ya
lookin at?! Ya talkin to me?! Get out of my
face! Kids shake their heads all him weirdo.
Access peer attention
What function?
Setting event
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
??
Look at him. Whats up!
Verbal Threats
Kids shake heads call him weirdo
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When the teacher asks George to do get started on
something he will verbally refuse to work or say,
Why do we always have to do this stuff. The
teacher explains or redirects George and he will
begin to argue and refuse to do the work. The
teacher then reminds that work needs to be done
before he leaves school and George responds by
saying, I dont care.. Teacher keeps George in
for recess.
What function?
Access adult attention
Setting event
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
Classroom
Teacher asks George to get started
Argues and refuses to work
Teacher reminds and keeps George in for recess
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Examples of Specific Hypothesis Statements

• Gaining Attention
• When her peers are not playing with her and she
  is alone for 5 minutes, Susan will make animal
  noises to gain their attention.
• Escape
• When he is asked to complete a difficult writing
  task, Mark will throw himself to the floor to
  escape the task
• Gaining Tangibles
• When he is told that he cant do something that
  he wants to do, Joe will tell his caregiver that
  they are not fair and abusing him in an attempt
  to get permission to do the activity that he
  wants to do.

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Examples of Specific Hypothesis Statement

• Gaining Sensory Feedback
• When he is alone with no interesting activities
  or materials for more than 5 minutes, Charles
  will grab paper, twist it into a long, thin, roll
  and tap it on his hand to gain sensory feedback.
• Communicating Illness
• When Ross is getting an ear ache he will bite
  others to express his discomfort and illness.

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Examples of Specific Hypothesis Statement

• Setting Events
• When Mike receives fewer that 8 hours of sleep,
  he will lay down on the floor and refuse to move
  when asked to complete difficult work to escape
  the activity.
• When Julies morning routine is disrupted and she
  is late to school, she will shake her head and
  refuse to complete assigned work tasks to express
  her anxiety to the disruption in her routine.

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Avoid Explanatory Fictions

• Anitas aggressive because she is angry.
• Bert doesnt come to school because he has
  separation anxiety
• Barbara can not develop relationships with adults
  because she has an attachment disorder.
• Ericka doesnt have friends because he is
  emotionally disturbed.
• Yolanda attacks peers on the playground to get
  revenge.

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Consider the Big Picture Global Hypothesis

• Consider broader influences
• Linked to
• Health
• Individual Skills
• Routines
• Overall quality of life

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Through Consultation

• 1 to 1 with teacher
• Informal
• Focus intervention plan
• Limited Hypothesis Development

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At Building Level Teams(S.T.A.T, CARE
conferences, etc.)

• Semi-Informal
• Focus intervention plan
• More information gathered, therefore more defined
  hypothesis which drives the behavior plan.

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Students With IntensiveBehavioral Needs

• Knowledgeable Team
• Formal data collection Functional Behavior
  Assessment (informants, observations)
• Hypothesis developed
• Intervention plan linked to the hypothesis

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Functional Assessment
Collect Functional Assessment Data
Modify Hypothesis Support Plan as needed
Develop a Hypothesis
Design and Implement of Positive Behavioral
Support Plan
Review previous and additional data collected
Evaluate the plans effectiveness
Positive Behavioral Supports
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4 Problems if BIP is not linked to the function
of the behavior

• The intervention may strengthen the problem
  behavior through positive reinforcement.
• The intervention may strengthen the problem
  behavior through negative reinforcement.
• The intervention may be irrelevant to the
  behavior.
• The intervention may not reinforce more socially
  appropriate behavior.

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SoWhats the BIP?
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6 Key Components of a BIP

• Antecedent and setting event modifications
• Teaching alternative skills
• Consequence interventions
• Lifestyle interventions
• Support for team members
• Progress monitoring

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Antecedent/Setting Event Interventions

• How can the antecedent or setting events be
  changed so that problem behaviors can be
  prevented?
• What can be added to daily routines to make
  desired behaviors more likely and situations
  more pleasant for the student?

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Antecedent Setting EventExample

• Teach George the words to use to ask to do
  something later.
• Pre-Corrects - Provide reminders at the beginning
  of class and before activities about the words he
  can use - not when he is beginning to react.

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Teaching Alternative Skills Fundamental Rule

• You should not propose to reduce a problem
  behavior without also identifying alternative,
  desired behaviors person should perform instead
  of problem behavior (ONeill et al., 1997, p.
  71).

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3 Ways to Teach Alternative Skills

• Specific Replacement skills
• General Skills
• Coping and Tolerance Skills

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?
Desired Alternative
Typical Consequence
Summary Statement
Setting Events
Triggering Antecedents
Maintaining Consequences
Problem Behavior
Acceptable Alternative
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Desired Alternative
Typical Consequence
Summary Statement
Points, grades, questions, more work.
Do work w/o complaints.
Setting Events
Triggering Antecedents
Maintaining Consequences
Problem Behavior
Noncompliance, profanity, physical aggression,
Lack of peer contact in 30 minutes.
Do difficult math assignment.
Avoid task, remove from class.
Function
Acceptable Alternative
Why is function important? Because consequences
compete
Ask for break, ask for help.
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• We are not reinforcing the problem behavior.
  Rather, we are reinforcing the acquisition and
  use of a socially acceptable alternative
  skill/behavior that serves the same function as
  the problem behavior.
• Terry Scott

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General Skills

• Broad skills that alter problem situations and
  prevent the need for problem behaviors.
• Teaching organizational or social skills

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Coping and Tolerance

• Skills that teach students to cope with or
  tolerate difficult situations.
• Relaxation techniques
• Self-talk
• Counting to 10

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Alternative Skills - Critical Points

• Do-able
• Efficient
• Serves the same function
• Socially appropriate

These skills have to be actively taught
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Alternative SkillExamples

• How to ask if he can do something later Can I
  do this later? or Do I have to do this now?

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Consequence Interventions

• Reinforce the students use of alternative skills
  or desired behavior.
• They are used to reduce the effectiveness of
  problem behaviors - prevent from reinforcing the
  problem behavior

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3 Guiding Questions

• How will you reinforce the use of alternative
  skills so they become more effective than the
  problem behavior?
• How will you respond so that the student learns
  that the problem behavior is no longer effective
  or desirable?
• What can be done to deescalate crisis
• situations and protect the student and others
  from harm?

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Reinforcing New SkillsExamples

• Teacher spots him when he asks appropriately to
  do something later.

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Responding to the Inappropriate Behavior -
Examples

• Ignore wiggling, movement, talk backs, and other
  behaviors not disruptive to the learning of
  others.
• When Georges behaviors are disruptive to others
  the teacher will use 1-2-3 Magic approach, which
  provides two reminders prior to removing him from
  the classroom.

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Long Term Strategies(Big Picture)

• Family Supports
• Health and Mental Health Issues
• Significant Skill Deficits
• Examples
• Parents to consider involving George in out of
  school activities where he can spend time with
  other children of the same age.

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Is the Plan Working

• Progress Monitoring

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Progress Monitoring Made Easy

• Are they doing less of what you dont want?
• Are they doing more of what you want?
• Are there other changes you would want to see as
  a result of this plan?

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Monitoring Progress(More or Less)

• Whats the simplest form of data that will
  answer our question?
• Frequency
• Duration
• Latency
• Intensity

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Example of Frequency
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Example of Intensity
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Example of Duration
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(Bambara and Knoster 1998)
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6 FBA Misrules

• Only one way to conduct FBA.
• FA process is basically same
• Methods for collecting data may vary

NO
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• Must do everything every time.
• Base FBA activity on what you know
• FBA is systematic planning process

NO
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• Everyone has to know how to do a full FBA.
• Small number of people must have high fluency.
• All people must know process what to expect.
• Some individuals must work on sustainability.

NO
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NO

• 4. FBA is it..
• One component of comprehensive plan of behavior
  support.

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• 5. FBA is only for students with disabilities
• Process for behavior of all individuals across
  multiple settings

NO
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• 6. Power, authority, control, etc. are
  functions.
• 2 research validated functions
• Pos. Neg. Reinf.

NO