Assessing Students with Challenging Behavior

1. Assessing Students with Challenging Behavior Chris Borgmeier, PhD Portland State University Slides available at www.tier3pbis.pbworks.com

2. Assessment to Inform Behavioral Intervention Function-Based Support

3. Approaches to Intervention Selection • Medical Model/Trait Model • These traits = this treatment • This diagnosis = this intervention • You just need something in your bag of tricks for every type of behavior • We found interventions that worked for some traits and diagnoses, unfortunately, no interventions seemed to work for all traits and diagnoses • Result = trial and error • With many trials making the problem behavior worse

4. Medical Model How would you intervene? • 6-year old boy named Joey with a diagnosis of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Kindergarten • IQ of 94 on WISC III-R • The following were his scores on the Preschool & Kindergarten Behavior Scales • 95th %ile on the Social Skills Scale • With elevations in Social independence • 98th %ile on the Problem Behavior Scale • With elevations in Social withdrawal and attention problems

5. Trait Model • Talking out - saying that she doesn’t want to do the activity or “I’m done”, screaming or yelling, refusing to follow directives or do the activity/task • Out of seat - walking away (or starting to) from the task outside of designated area wandering around the room, sliding her chair around the room • Banging/waving objects - Grabbing or holding objects and waving them

6. Function-Based Support • Movement toward function-based interventions • Selecting interventions that address the function of problem behavior • Reduce risk of interventions that make the problem behavior worse • Reduce trial and error – increasing efficiency of selecting interventions with a greater chance of being successful

7. What is Function-Based Support? • FBS is using our assessment data from (FBA) to inform our Behavioral Interventions • Interventions should be based on the Function of Student Behavior • When we arbitrarily select interventions (without basing them on the function of student behavior) we often choose interventions that can make the student problem behavior worse, or more resistant to change • i.e. Time out for a student who is acting out to avoid math problems

8. Function Based v. Non Function Based Interventions Ingram, Lewis-Palmer & Sugai, 2005

11. Function-Based Interventions • Indicated Interventions – an intervention consistent with the function of behavior that reinforces desired behavior or extinguishes negative behavior; expected to increase desired behavior or decrease negative behavior • Contra-indicated interventions – an intervention that reinforces negative behavior, usually consistent with the function of behavior; expected to increase the severity or frequency of negative behavior • Neutral interventions- interventions that are not related to the function of behavior, may be positive or negative in impact

12. Non-examples of Function-Based approach (Contra-indicated) “Function” = outcome, result, purpose, consequence • “Lance, you skipped 2 school days, so we’re going to suspend you for 2 more.” • “Phoebe, I’m taking your book away because you obviously aren’t ready to learn.” • “You want my attention?! I’ll show you attention,…let’s take a walk down to the office & have a little chat with the Principal.”

13. Intervention Development What are we reinforcing? Are we making things better or worse? A C Desired Behavior Good Intervention OR Problem Behavior Not so Good Intervention

14. A Rubric for Evaluating Interventions based on Function • What is the function of behavior for this student? • Does this intervention address the function of behavior? • If no, intervention is neutral (3-4), although may still offer benefit • If yes, move on to next question • Does this intervention reinforce the negative behavior? • If yes, intervention is contra-indicated (1-2) and expected to increase negative behavior • If no, move on to next question • Does this intervention reinforce desired behavior or extinguish negative behavior? • If yes, intervention is indicated (5-6) and expected to increase desired behavior and decrease negative behavior • If no, start again at # 1

15. Activity – Function Based Interventions • Rate interventions for identified vignettes based on whether they are likely to be effective interventions or not

16. Functional Behavioral Assessment

17. What is Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)? • An assessment used for students with the most significant behavior problems to: • identify the Function of problem behavior – or how the problem behavior is paying off for the student • identify the variables that predict and maintain problem behavior • develop a Behavior Support Plan (BSP) that addresses the function of behavior

18. Why do we need FBA/BSP? • Schools have an obligation to educate ALL students, even those who pose the most significant behavioral challenges • Schools need the best tools available to support students with significant behavioral concerns • Research shows developing behavioral interventions based on function of behavior is most effective

19. Roots of FBA • Functional Behavioral Assessment developed from field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) • ABA is founded on science of behavior • Relies on experimental manipulation & observable, measurable phenomenon • Functional Analysis was predecessor to Functional Behavioral Assessment • Functional Analysis – found in literature since at least 1982 • Iwata et al., 1982

20. Brief History of FBA • FBA was introduced into Special Education law through the 1997 Amendments to IDEA • Federal law did not stipulate exactly what FBA should look like • What tools to use, etc.

21. FBA: Sources of Data

22. FBA: Matching Level of Assessment w/ Complexity of Case • Always start with the: • Routines Analysis and • Teacher/Staff Interview • Further Assessment • ABC Observation • Student Interview & Reinforcer Survey • Academic Assessment • Scatterplot • More Staff Interviews – FACTS • Parent Interview • Records Review

27. Limitations of FBA

28. No experimental manipulation • We are relying on teacher report • Relying on informal ABC Observation • Usually with no formal manipulation of variables • RESULT = an hypothesis of the function of behavior • As opposed to functional analysis results which provide clear scientific evidence of the function of behavior

29. If you’re still struggling to ID Function of Behavior • Functional Analysis • Begin manipulating variables to alter function of behavior and monitor occurrence of behavior

30. Carr & DurandFunctional Communication Training

31. Functional Communication Training (FCT; Carr & Durand, 1985) FCT involves teaching specific communication skills that are functionally equivalent to problem behavior, based on a functional behavior assessment (FBA)

34. Functional Communication Training: Carr & Durand, 1985 Desired Behavior Typical Consequence Summary of Behavior Setting Event Antecedent Problem Behavior Maintaining Consequence Alternate Behavior

35. Functional Analysis: Science of Behavior

36. Functional Analysis Uses experimental method to determine function of behavior Requires strict env’l control Used predominantly in research w/ application to classroom Functional Behavioral Assessment Relies heavily on indirect measures (interviews & observations) to ID function of behavior Written into Special Education law for use in schools Results in a hypothesis of the function of behavior Functional Analysis v. FBA

37. Challenges of Functional Analysis • Requires high level of training & expertise • Ethical concerns, because we are setting up students to misbehave • Time consuming • Requires experimental control, to with the classroom and school environment offer many challenges • Recreating an environment w/ same ABC, but at same time maintaining experimental control • Difficult if behavior is maintained by peer attention

38. Control Condition • The Control Condition is our comparison condition; we don’t want to see any behavior in our control condition • We will compare the results of our other conditions to our control condition • Big differences between conditions show clear results • Experimental Manipulation - only one variable should change at a time from our control condition • That way we can KNOW the specific variable contributing to the problem behavior

39. Creating TEST Conditions • Function = Attention • pay off provides student with desired attention • If student wants attention, expect increase in problem behavior • Function = Escape Task • pay off allows student to escape non-desired or difficult task • If student wants to escape task, expect increase in problem behavior

40. Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman & Richman, 1982 • Preliminary article on Functional Analysis • Focus on Self-Injurious Behavior • “only treatments that have been consistently effective in treating self-injury are those based on punishment in the form of ‘aversive’ stimulation” • 9 subjects • All with some degree of developmental delay

41. Participants

42. Experimental Conditions Each condition was 15 min. long • Social Disapproval – toys available while experimenter “did work” / ignored subject • Self injury = provide attention • Academic Demand – 1:1 instruction w/ educational tasks appropriate to child • Self injury = turn away & remove task for 30 sec.

43. Experimental Conditions Each condition was 15 min. long • Unstructured Play (control) – toys available & teacher providing social praise (at least every 30 sec.) • Self injury = ignored • Alone – alone in room with no toys or materials as external stimulation • Self injury = self-stimulatory behavior

46. Function • Academic = Avoid task = 2 • Alone = Self Stimulation = 4 • Social = Obtain Attention = 1 • Play = Control = 0 • Multiple functions = 2

47. Functional Analysis Example - Kaya

48. Functional Analysis conditions are built on an initial understanding of student • Functional Behavioral Assessment information • Assessment of Task Difficulty & Preferences • If still have a question – still not sure if behavior is attention or escape maintained