Why are FBAs and

BIPs important?

Where are we at?

Historically, we have had very little training in FBA and BIP

writing. Often times initial FBAs are written with the assistance of
AEA staff and then it is our job to keep them up to date and use
them as a working document.

We are finding more and more that the knowledge base for
behavior functions is limited. This is due to our own lack of
training in the area of behavior.

Currently in our CLASS programs:

High School

20/23 (87%) students have an FBA

19/23 (83%) students have a BIP

Middle School

14/16 (88%) students have an FBA

14/16 (88%) students have a BIP

Elementary

36/37 (97%) students have an FBA

36/37 (97%) students have a BIP

Overall

70/76 (92%) students have an FBA

69/76 (91%) students have a BIP

How many of you have attended a training on FBA/BIP writing?

How many of you would say you are comfortable with collecting ABC data for FBA/BIP
writing?

How many of you feel like you could teach others to write powerful FBAs and BIPs?

First Part of a FBA is the Behavior

of Concern

Define the behavior with the team so that everyone is in

agreement as to what they are looking for when they are
collecting data.

Sometimes you will have to do an interview with others to really

tease out behaviors in to multiple categories.

All behaviors should include a brief summary of the behavior and

then specific examples and non examples.

Behavior of concern:

State a clear, measurable,

and observable description of the behavior(s) of concern.

Disruptive behaviors that interrupt or disturb an activity or task

Examples: touches others, makes faces, talks to others, and/or

engages in loud noises
Non-examples: touching others or talking to others at recess, lunch
or transition times; making noises that do not disturb the work of
others (singing in music class)

Behavior of concern: State a clear, measurable, and

observable description of the behavior(s) of concern.

Physical Aggression: behaviors that result in, or attempt to harm

another individual through physical contact

Examples: hitting (closed fist), biting, scratching, kicking, and

slapping (open handed)
Non Examples: slamming books/objects down, kicking a ball,
throwing a ball in PE, itching arm

Descriptive Summary :

Document existing and newly acquired data. Include information

from a variety of approaches and/or data sources: record review,
interviews, observations, tests, and or graphic displays such as
scatter plots, ABC analysis, etc. The extent of the data collection
should reflect the complexity of the behavior(s) of concern.

Given the complexity of some of the individuals that are in the

CLASS program, this summary should be informational. We need to
use our resources to put lots of information here that we know and
gather on a daily basis and yearly for IEP reviews. Here are some
examples of information that should be included in this area:

Descriptive Summary

Record Review:

A record review of Johns cumulative file and existing progress monitoring date was completed on 09/08/11.
Behavior reports in the cumulative file indicate John has demonstrated problem behaviors since entering a
public school setting. In Kindergarten, reports indicate John demonstrated disruptive behaviors and physical
aggression. These behaviors were addressed with a reinforcement plan implemented from January 2010-May
2010. John chose a tangible reward from a box one time per day when he was able to demonstrate appropriate
behaviors throughout the day. A phase change was implemented in March, increasing the reward to twice per
day. Progress monitoring data was not available for this intervention.
In first grade, John received intensive instruction to reduce physical aggression. John received instruction in
the form of social stories for specific activities/skills, structured recess with increased supervision, visual and
verbal cues to prompt appropriate behaviors, designated quiet areas when exculpated, and use of scheduled
sensory room breaks. A social skills group was added when these strategies did not appear to be adequate.
The social skills group focused on sharing, waiting your turn, being a good winner/loser. John was provided with
opportunities to proactive these skills in and outside of this group setting. There is no progress monitoring data
available from this intervention other than office referral documentations. It appears that physical aggression
was reduced from 7 incidents per week to 1 incident per week after the implementation of this intervention.
First grade report cards indicated there were numerous episodes of disruptive behavior and physical
aggression.
Office referral data from Aug 2010-June 2010 (first grade): John received 20 office referrals, averaging .78 per
week. 20 referrals were for physical aggression, 7 were for disruption, and 1 was for verbal aggression
Office referral data from Aug 2011-Oct 1, 2011 (second grade): John received 7 office referrals in 6 weeks,
averaging 1.2 per week. 4 referrals were for physical aggression, and 3 were for disruption.

Descriptive Summary (continued)

Interviews:

Two interviews were conducted. Johns classroom teacher was interviewed on

09/02/11. Johns teacher reports John demonstrates disruptive behavior most
frequently during independent work time, or when isolated from peers. Teacher reports
John doesn't not demonstrate problem behavior on the playground, or during noninstructional times. Antecedents observed by Johns teacher include teacher attending
to others, given a work demand, and when whole group instruction is taking place.
Johns mother was interviewed on 09/03/11. Mrs. Sample reports John demonstrates
similar disruptive behaviors at church activities, and was asked to leave Boy Scouts
because he was physically aggressive. Mrs. Sample believes John needs to be taught
appropriate ways of gaining peer and adult attention. Mrs. Sample also believes John
demonstrates more frequent problem behavior when working/playing in close
proximity to peers and doing non-preferred tasks. She also reports John does not
appear to demonstrate problem behavior when given one-on-one adult attention or
during baseball games.

Descriptive Summary (continued)

Direct Observation:

A direct observation was completed on September 10, 2011 to

define behaviors, antecedents, and consequences. ABC data was
collected on 10 days from September 15 to October 1, 2011. There
were 61 instances of problem behavior observed, with an average
of 6 problem behaviors per day. Out of the 61 observed behaviors,
10 of those were physical aggression, and 61 were disruptive
behavior. See environmental conditions section for more detailed
direct data on antecedents and consequences.

Student Skills:

Are there skill deficits related to the behavior of concern? If yes,

please describe:

Example: John struggles with reading and writing skills and is more
likely to engage in problem behavior during literacy activities. John
does not have skills to request help appropriately during these
activities. John does not have kills to manage frustration and conflict
with peers.

Does the students display appropriate skills instead of the

behavior of concern?

Example: John frequently demonstrates appropriate behaviors when

engaged in a preferred activity, when he is receiving 1-on-1 help
from his teachers, when he is working with a peer, and during math
and science.

Problem Analysis:

Based on the Descriptive

Summary, respond to the following questions.

1. What about the behavior is concerning? Consider the behavioral

dimensions of frequency (how often), intensity (to what degree),
duration (how long), and latency (time between prompt and
desired behavior).

Example:
Frequency: Over 10 days of data collection, John engaged in 61
instances of problem behavior. This suggests an average of 6
problem behaviors a day.
John demonstrated 51 incidents of disruptive behavior in 10 days, an
average of 5.1 incidents per day.
John demonstrated 10 incidents of physical aggression in 10 days, an
average of 1 incident of physical aggression per day.

Problem Analysis: (continued)

2. What is the expected or desired performance? What standard

was utilized to make the comparison?

Example: Peer comparison data from Johns classroom peers

indicate typical same-aged peers engage in 0 acts of physical
aggression per day, and 0 disruptive behaviors per day.

Problem Analysis: (continued)

3. What is the students current level of performance?

Example:
5.1 incidents of disruptive behavior per day, or 25.5 incidents per
week.
1 incident of physical aggression per day, or 5 incidents per week.

Problem Analysis: (continued)

4. What is the discrepancy between the students expected and

current performance?

Example:
5.1 incidents of disruptive behavior per day, or 25.5 incidents per
week.
1 incident of physical aggression per day, or 5 incidents per week.

Environmental Conditions:

Antecedents

(that relate to social function)

What are the events immediately before the behavior(s) of concern, or events that trigger
that behavior(s) of concern?

Example:
Disruptive behaviors: ABC data indicates the antecedents most frequently correlated with
disruptive behavior include: teacher working with another student (55%), peer attention
diverted (27%), and direction to complete work activity (17%). Attention-related antecedents
total 82% of all antecedents.
The analysis of the context of disruptive behaviors recorded indicated that 41% of disruption
occurred during independent work and 39% of disruptive behaviors occurred during less
structured times such as break, assembly, and recess.
Aggressive behaviors: ABC data indicates the antecedents most frequently correlated with
disruptive behavior include: teacher providing attention to another student (44%), peers
playing without student (28%), and told to stop his break (18%).
The analysis of the context of aggressive behaviors recorded indicated that 58% of
aggression occurred during less structured times as listed above, and 25% of aggressive
behaviors occurred during independent work times.

Consequences (Responses):

Focus on
which consequences are positively reinforcing problem behavior.

Consequences: (continued)

What is the observed common response(s) of the teacher to the behavior(s)of

concern?

What is the observed common response(s) of the peers to the behavior(s) of concern?

Example: ABC data indicates the consequences most frequently correlated with
disrupted behavior included adult attention (reminders, discussion of behavior, offer
help) 66% of the time, peer attention (peer redirect, peer laughing) 24% of the time,
and ignoring by adults 10% of the time.
When John was ignored, disruptive behavior stopped on 18% of the time. When John
was given adult or peer attention, behavior stopped 81% of the time. This suggests
attention might be reinforcing Johns disruptive behavior.
Consequences most frequently correlated with physical aggression include peer
attention (peer redirection, argument with a peer) 46% of the time and adult attention
(redirection, given choices, physical redirection) 38% of the time.
When John was given adult or peer attention, behavior stopped 73% of the time. This
suggests attention might be reinforcing Johns physically aggressive behavior.

What we need to know about

consequences:(Centered around social function)

What happens after the behavior (CONSEQUENCES).

Whether what happens after the behavior INCREASES or

DECREASES the likelihood of it occurring again or has no effect
on it (REINFORCERS and PUNISHERS).

This data (in addition to antecedent data) helps us understand

function of behavior.

Helps us determine what to do (intervention planning).

Hypothesized function (purpose)

of the behavior.

Based on a convergence of data reflected in the Descriptive

Summary and Problem Analysis, what is the function of the
behavior(s) of concern? Is the students attempting to gain
something or avoid something?

Hypothesized function continued:

ESCAPE
ATTENTION
TANGIBLE
AUTOMATIC

(SENSORY)

Function (continued)

Example:

During instructional times, when teacher or peer attention is

diverted, John demonstrates disruptive behavior in order to gain
adult attention and peer attention
When the teacher is attending to others, John demonstrates
physical aggression in order to gain adult attention.

Whoa! Resources!!!!

https://
sites.google.com/a/ghaea.org/challenging-behavior-team/home

http://behaviordoctor.org/material-download/