Introduction to Behavior Function and FBA

1. Introduction to Behavior Function and FBA Adapted from - Kevin J. Filter, Ph.D. Minnesota State University George Sugai, Ph.D. PBIS Center

2. Making the Teacher Angry Brett makes numerous comments about the teacher behind her back. Classmates laugh and teacher gets mad. Why? • He’s a delinquent • He’s an entertainer • Bad apple

3. Brett: Other possibilities • Has a long history of getting other students’ attention by insulting people (Function: obtain peer attention) • Is looking for a quick ticket out of class (Function: escape aversive task) • Wants the teacher to be flustered and discontinue instruction (Function: Escape aversive task)

4. Skipping Class Andrea skips chemistry two or three days per week. Why? • She doesn’t care about her education • She’s a truant

5. Andrea: Other possibilities • She has to meet her drug dealer at an off-site location (Function: obtain sensory stimulation) • She hates chemistry and doesn’t understand it (Function: escape difficult task) • Her friends all have free study hall at that time and gather at the pizza place in town (Function: obtain peer attention)

6. What’s the point? • Knowing WHY somebody does something isn’t easy • Social psychology fact: We default to “internal” explanations for the behavior of others • Clumsy, deviant, dumb, unmotivated • People do things for a PURPOSE • All behaviors have consequences and those consequences affect the behavior in the future • WHAT a person does doesn’t tell us WHY they do it

7. Helping Others Brittany always asks if she can work as a tutor for her peers. Why? • She’s a saint • She’s responsible

8. Brittany: Other possibilities • She loves it when her peers think that she’s smart (Function: Obtain peer attention) • She wants the teacher to notice how helpful she it (Function: Obtain adult attention) • She is sick of doing the work that is too easy for her and would rather be challenged by teaching the material to others (Function: Escape task – too easy)

9. Function is relevant to ALL behavior • Appropriate behavior • Studying • Walking • Playing • Inappropriate behavior • Fighting • Crying • Disruptive behavior Function is relevant to ALL people • Adults • Teachers • Administrators • Parents • Students • Elementary • High school

10. Functions Pos Reinf Neg Reinf

11. Applying functional logic ALL of the TIME • Function-based support is a process that should occur continuously, and informally as educators encounter problem behavior. The process of assessing behavioral function is useful even in an informal context by repeatedly asking: • What are the problem behaviors? • When are the problem behaviors most and least likely? • Context or routine • Setting Events • Discriminative Stimuli • When the problem behaviors occur, what consequences appear reinforcing?

12. Think A-B-C Consequence Setting Event Antecedent Behavior A B C

13. Student-level functional approach • In what contexts do behaviors occur? • Skipping class example • Chemistry (this is a setting event) • Making teacher angry example • Only happens with certain teacher (teacher present = setting event, teaching looking away = antecedent) • What happens after the behavior • Skipping class example • Meets with friends (positive reinforcer) • Making teacher angry example • Gets sent to office (negative reinforcer – escape)

14. Systems-level functional approach • What are the problem behaviors? • Disrespect, tardiness, bullying, inappropriate language • Where are referrals coming from? • Classroom, Hallway, lunchroom • The where is the antecedent • The consequence is something unique to this setting • By changing things in this setting, we can prevent the problem • When are the referrals being written? • Before school, during school, after school • This tells us that something at these times are supporting problem behavior

15. Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) How to determine function of behavior for individual students

16. What is FBA? A systematic process for developing statements about factors that • Predict occurrence • Explain maintenance of problem behavior • And, most importantly… serve as basis for developing proactive & comprehensive behavior support plans.

17. When has FBA been done? • Clear & measurable definition of problem behaviors. • Complete testable hypothesis or summary statement is provided. • Statement of function (purpose) of behavior 3. Data (direct observation) to confirm testable hypothesis. • Behavior intervention plan based on testable hypothesis • Contextually appropriate supports for accurate implementation

18. Step 1: Defining behavior Must result in clear, measurable, & objective descriptions of individual, groups, or sequences of related behaviors • Any observable or measurable action or act. • Observable beginning & end • Has measurable dimension(s) • Frequency, duration, latency, force, topography, locus

19. Non- v. Observable (-)hyperactivity (+) initiates 5 different tasks within 2 minutes (+) leaves room at least 3 times during a 30 minute lesson (+)….

20. Which is described in observable terms? Hits with his fist OR Aggressive

21. Which is described in observable terms? Hits with his fist OR Aggressive

22. Delinquent OR Takes money from peers

23. Delinquent OR Takes money from peers

24. Out of seat 55% of time OR Hyperactive

25. Out of seat 55% of time OR Hyperactive

26. Consider response class Set of different behaviors with similar or related purpose or function • Hit, spit, runaway, yell… • Escape difficult task request • Cry, hit, whine, raise hand, spit….. • Obtain adult attention

27. Consider response chains • Predictable sequence of behaviors • Possibly different functions at beginning & end of chains

28. Testable Hypothesis “Basic Unit” Setting Events Triggering Antecedents Problem Behavior Maintaining Consequences Infrequent events that affect value of maint. conseq. Following events that maintain behaviors of concern Preceding events that trigger or occasion Set of related behaviors of concern

29. STEP 2: Collecting data on antecedents and consequences • Indirect • Interview • Record review • Direct • Observation • Link to some forms: http://www.mnsu.edu/psych/psyd/people/filter/book/

30. Step 3: Develop interventions (BIP) • Don’t bother doing the assessment unless it’s going to help the student • Use a competing pathways model

31. Desired Behavior Consequence Setting Event Antecedent Problem Behavior Consequence Competing Pathways Summary Replacement Behavior

32. Developing Interventions • Brainstorm Interventions that address each of the four FBA terms • These are just ideas, details will be worked out later • Develop at least one or two interventions for each term • Emphasize antecedents and teaching strategies

33. Brainstorm Interventions

34. Is all of this FBA stuff worth it?

35. FBA Pros and Cons • Pros • Recent data suggest that FBA-based interventions are more successful than non-FBA-based interventions • Relevant to all 3 tiers • Cons • Time-intensive • Require behavioral expertise • Interventions CAN be developed without them

36. Recent Research • Recent research has compared FBA-based interventions to non-FBA-based interventions and all indicate that FBA-based interventions are superior • Ingram et al., 2005 • Newcomer and Lewis, 2004 • Filter and Horner, 2009

37. Baseline Non-FBA-based FBA-based Non-FBA- 120 Intervention Intervention based Intervention 110 100 DYLAN 90 80 Task Engagement 70 60 Percent of Intervals 50 40 Problem Behavior 30 20 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Sessions

38. Baseline FBA-based Non-FBA-based FBA-based 120 Intervention Intervention Intervention 110 100 BRETT 90 80 70 Percent of Intervals 60 50 Task Engagement 40 Problem Behavior 30 20 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Sessions

39. Reality • Many good basic behavior interventions exist and can be used • But many depend on knowing current reinforcers • Non-contingent reinforcement • Differential reinforcement • Without conducting an FBA, you can’t be certain whether an intervention will work

40. Big Picture • Remember, functional logic applies to • All people, all levels of support, across all settings • When you want any behaviors to change in your school, think about • Setting events, antecedents, consequences …and then CHANGE them! • The purpose of FBA is to develop and implement an effective behavior intervention plan