Functional Behavior Assessment

Functional Behavior Assessment


What is a Functional Behavior Assessment?

A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is the process of gathering information to determine why a student engages in problem behavior that impedes learning and how that student's behavior relates to environmental factors for the purpose of developing more effective interventions.


Functional Behavior Flow Chart


When should an FBA be considered by a student's educational team?

An FBA should be considered by a student's educational team when:


A student with a disability is exhibiting a pattern of persistent behavior(s) that impedes his/her learning or the learning of others despite implementation of school-wide or classroom-wide behavior interventions.


A student's behavior poses a risk of harm or injury to self or others.


The Committee on Special Education (CSE) or Committee on Preschool Education (CPSE) is considering a more restrictive program or placement for a student with a disability as a result of the student's problem behavior.


and/or


When a student is subject to disciplinary actions and the student's problem behavior has been determined to be a manifestation of the student's disability.


What is involved in the process of developing an FBA?

When conducting an FBA, a student's educational team must:

  1. Identify and clearly define the problem behavior(s)

    • Select and define the target behavior(s) in measurable, observable, objective terms.

  2. Gather information/Collect baseline data related to the problem behavior(s)

    • The FBA cannot be based solely on the student's history of problem behavior.

      • Information, including baseline data, should be collected through multiple methods, over the course of several days/weeks, and across activities, settings, people and times of day.

      • Sources of data must include: information obtained from: direct observation of the student; standardized assessments, information from the student, the student's teacher(s) and/or related service provider(s), and the student's parent; and a review or records including records obtained from the student's parent.

  3. Analyze the information related to the problem behavior(s)

    • For each target behavior, sufficient information/data should be collected in the following areas to inform the educational team "why" and under what conditions the problem behavior occurs/does not occur.

      • Contextual factors (including but not limited to cognitive abilities, medical status, and affective factors related to the child).

      • Antecedents/"triggers" to the behavior

      • Consequences (the immediate "reinforcing outcomes" that may be maintaining the behavior).

      • Student skill or behavior deficits (Investigate if the child presents with a skill deficit that may prevent him/her from exhibiting the replacement behavior (i.e., an academic delay or a behavior skill deficit).

      • Student reinforcement preferences

    • The data/information gathered is then investigated to determine patterns, trends and behavior chains. (i.e., what setting events/situations or environmental triggers precipitate the target behavior?, do smaller behaviors signal that the target behavior may occur?)

  4. Develop a Hypothesis:

    • Identify a perceived function of the behavior (i.e., attention, escape/avoidance, attainment of a tangible, sensory attenuation)

    • Develop a hypothesis that includes a description of the setting events, trigger(s) and consequences that support the function and thus predict the occurrence of the problem behavior

      • For example: When _antecedents/triggers_ occurs in the context of _settings events/ concurrent events__ the student engages in _target behavior_ in order to _perceived function_.

  5. Create a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) and Progress Monitor

    • Develop a BIP that addresses the contextual factors/setting conditions, environmental triggers, reinforcing outcomes and/or possible skill deficits to the target behavior.

    • Behavior data should be collected and reviewed periodically to determine if the BIP has been successful in modifying the target behavior or if the BIP should be revised.