Functional Behavior Assessment

IRIS Center Module

EDUU 675
Lele Mach

Function Behavior ABC Analysis & Direct Developing a Behavior Plan

Observations

Identifying the Reasons for Problem Behavior and Developing a Behavior Plan
1. Give a school-based example of two of the following: positive reinforcement, negative
reinforcement, punishment, or extinction.
• Positive reinforcement
• Giving praise, tokens or award.
• Negative reinforcement
• Taking away criticism, removing a negative evaluation, or stopping one’s
yelling/screaming.

2. Discuss at least two benefits of conducting an FBA to address problem behaviors.

• FBA is the process of analysis that can help determine the function of the behaviors,
such as the reasons that cause the problem behaviors to occur and what is the pay-off
for engaging in the behavior for the individuals.
• FBA helps to tailor behavior interventions that are more likely to be effective by
reducing the maladaptive behavior through the implementation of the function-based
interventions.

3. Watch the video below and fill out the ABC analysis form on Kira, the girl in the white
shirt. What do you think is the function of Kira’s behavior?

• Based on the data collected from the A-B-C observation, the function of the behavior
was attention seeking from adults and peers. Kira was able to get Ms. Rollinson’s
attention when she made the negative behavior by whistling and the inappropriate
comments. She was also able to get the class to laugh repeatedly as she made the
comments during the class discussion.
4. Nigel’s problem behavior includes cursing, making derogatory comments toward other
students, yelling, spitting, and shoving chairs. Which direct observation method would
you use to collect data on Nigel’s problem behaviors? Explain your answer.

• Once the A-B-C Analysis is complete, further observation should be conducted to

provide an insight data of when, where, and how often the behaviors occur. A direct
observation method needs to be determined that appropriate for the behaviors. It
would be appropriate to measure the above behaviors with the following direct
observations.
o Duration- to determine the length of time that a student engages in this
behavior.
o Event- to determine how frequently these behaviors occurs within a given a
period of time.
o Interval- to determine how many intervals does the student engages in the
behavior.

5. Look at the matrix below for Nigel. Use this information to determine a possible
function of the behavior and to develop a hypothesis statement.

• The function of the behavior is peer avoidance. Student engages in the problem
behavior (target behavior-curses, yells, spits, and shoves chairs) because the student
prefers “quiet time”, does not like playing/interact with other students, prefers
solitary activities, and does not participate in group activity.
6. Look at the graph below. The objective of the function-based intervention was to
reduce the instances of Nigel’s problem behaviors (i.e., cursing, making derogatory
comments toward other students, yelling, spitting, shoving chairs) during a twenty-
minute small-group activity. Is the intervention successful? If you were the teacher,
would you keep, modify, or discontinue the intervention? Explain your answers.

• Based on the graph, the function-based intervention does not seem to be affective
as the data shows the instances of the problem behaviors did not reduce when
compare to the baseline data from the observations. The replacement behaviors
decline with the intervention. I would revaluate the intervention plan and determine
the critical features of the behavior intervention as follows:

o Replace problem behavior by teaching a socially acceptable efficient behavior

that allows student to obtain the payoff/function.
o Prevent problem behaviors by addressing triggers before they happen and
prompting replacement behaviors based on the function of the behavior.
o Reinforce replacement and desired behaviors based on function/payoff for
the student.
o Redirect target problem behaviors by quickly and effectively redirecting the
student to the replacement behavior.
o Minimize reinforcement by ensuring that the problem behaviors do not pay
off the student.