Embedded Files
The Functional Behavior Investigation and Behavior Action Plan must be used to guide and document Tier III support.
Functional Behavior Investigation
The purpose of the Functional Behavior Investigation (FBI) is to hypothesize the function of the problem behavior(s) (i.e., what is motivating or driving the behavior). Interventions selected based on function are individualized to the student and more likely to be effective. The function is hypothesized through a record review and completion of indirect assessments and direct observations of the student and then documented on the FBI Form.
The four functions of problem behavior are:
Attention
Tangible
Escape
Automatic
Helpful Tips for Identifying Function
Helpful Tips for Identifying Function
To Obtain Adult Attention if…
Occurs when you are not paying attention to the student (e.g., you are talking to someone else in the room, talking on the phone, too busy to have a chat, etc).
It occurs when you stop paying attention to the student.
To Escape Adult Attention if…
Occurs when the student receives unwanted attention from adults. The student may attempt to hide, run away, or shut down when adults are looking or talking to him/her.
To Obtain Peer Attention if…
Occurs when classmates or other students are not paying attention to the student (they are focused on an assignment, laughing at another student’s joke, etc).
To Escape Peer Attention if…
Occurs when the student receives unwanted attention from peers. The student may attempt to hide or run away when other students are looking at him, laughing at him, or when the students perceive that his/her peers are giving attention.
To Obtain Access to Tangible if…
Occurs when you take away a favorite activity, food, toy, free time, etc.
It stops soon after you give the student what he or she seems to want or has recently requested. It occurs when the student can’t have what he or she desires.
Escape Demand if…
Occurs when student wants to avoid non-‐preferred objects, items, assignments, difficult tasks, and/or non-‐preferred activities. The behavior stops when the demand is taken away.
To Obtain Sensory/Self-‐Stimulation if…
It tends to be performed over and over again, in a rhythmic or cyclical manner.
It tends to happen when there is either a lot going on or very little (e.g., noise, movement, people, activity).
The student can still do other things at the same time as performing the behavior.
To Escape Sensory/Self-‐Stimulation if…
It occurs when the student wants to avoid unwanted sensory input or sensations. It can occur when the room is too loud or the lights are too bright etc. The student may engage in hitting, scratching, or other self injurious behavior when something hurts or feels bad
Behavior Action Plan
The Behavior Action Plan (BAP) is a document that clearly outlines the student's target behaviors and function, the antecedent strategies to be utilized, teaching strategies for appropriate replacement behaviors, responses to target behaviors, and the SMART Goal for progress monitoring. Strategies and interventions implemented at Tier III will be very similar to those at Tier II, but will be more individualized and more intensive (e.g., implemented more frequently or using more than one strategy at a time). Examples of how Tier II and III might differ can be found here. Remember that all strategies and interventions should be selected based on the function determined through the FBI.
FBI and BAP Forms and Resources
Blank FBI/BAP Forms (Make sure to download to Microsoft Word)
*If you would like to fill out PDF forms electronically, please select "Open with DocHub" when you open the document.
Case Examples
Selena
Selena
A high-schooler with escape maintained behavior.
Micah
Micah
A middle-schooler with attention maintained behavior.
Alexa
Alexa
An elementary student with behavior maintained by access to tangible items.
Justin
Justin
An elementary student with behavior maintained by escape and attention.
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