WHAT IS
FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT ?
(FBA)
AN FBA IS COMPOSED OF 5 DISTINCT PARTS:
(1) THE TARGET BEHAVIOR - OPERATIONALLY DEFINED
(2) DATA COLLECTION - INDIRECT
(3) DATA COLLECTION - DIRECT
(4) HYPOTHESIS REGARDING FUNCTION
(5) BROAD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POSSIBLE FOCUS OF BIP
An FBA IS A COMPREHENSIVE AND INDIVIDUALIZED, PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS THAT ADDRESSES CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR. IT INCORPORATES A VARIETY OF TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES TO GATHER INFORMATION AS A MEANS OF UNDERSTANDING THE SPECIFIC REASONS FOR THE STUDENT’S PROBLEM BEHAVIOR AND HOW A STUDENT’S BEHAVIOR RELATES TO OR IS AFFECTED BY HIS/HER ENVIRONMENT. AN FBA LOOKS BEYOND THE FORM OF THE BEHAVIOR (I.E., WHAT THE BEHAVIOR LOOKS OR SOUNDS LIKE), AND FOCUSES ON IDENTIFYING WHAT CAUSES AND MAINTAINS THE BEHAVIOR (I.E., THE FUNCTION). THIS TYPE OF ASSESSMENT LEADS THE OBSERVER BEYOND THE “SYMPTOM” (THE BEHAVIOR) TO THE STUDENT’S UNDERLYING MOTIVATION (ESCAPE, AVOID, OR GAIN SOMETHING).*
*COURTESY OF ESCAMBIA SD http://www.escambia.k12.fl.us/pbis/Master/Index.asp
AN FBA SHOULD BE DEVELOPED USING A COLLABORATIVE, TRANSDICIPLINARY TEAM APPROACH. "TRANSDICIPLINARY" IS DEFINED AS:
"A TEAM COMPOSED OF MEMBERS OF A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROFESSIONS COOPERATING ACROSS DISCIPLINES TO IMPROVE (STUDENT) CARE THROUGH PRACTICE OR RESEARCH."
(1) THE TARGET BEHAVIOR - OPERATIONALLY DEFINED
(2) DATA COLLECTION - INDIRECT
(3) DATA COLLECTION - DIRECT
(4) HYPOTHESIS REGARDING FUNCTION
(5) BROAD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POSSIBLE FOCUS OF BIP
An FBA IS A COMPREHENSIVE AND INDIVIDUALIZED, PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS THAT ADDRESSES CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR. IT INCORPORATES A VARIETY OF TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES TO GATHER INFORMATION AS A MEANS OF UNDERSTANDING THE SPECIFIC REASONS FOR THE STUDENT’S PROBLEM BEHAVIOR AND HOW A STUDENT’S BEHAVIOR RELATES TO OR IS AFFECTED BY HIS/HER ENVIRONMENT. AN FBA LOOKS BEYOND THE FORM OF THE BEHAVIOR (I.E., WHAT THE BEHAVIOR LOOKS OR SOUNDS LIKE), AND FOCUSES ON IDENTIFYING WHAT CAUSES AND MAINTAINS THE BEHAVIOR (I.E., THE FUNCTION). THIS TYPE OF ASSESSMENT LEADS THE OBSERVER BEYOND THE “SYMPTOM” (THE BEHAVIOR) TO THE STUDENT’S UNDERLYING MOTIVATION (ESCAPE, AVOID, OR GAIN SOMETHING).*
*COURTESY OF ESCAMBIA SD http://www.escambia.k12.fl.us/pbis/Master/Index.asp
AN FBA SHOULD BE DEVELOPED USING A COLLABORATIVE, TRANSDICIPLINARY TEAM APPROACH. "TRANSDICIPLINARY" IS DEFINED AS:
"A TEAM COMPOSED OF MEMBERS OF A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROFESSIONS COOPERATING ACROSS DISCIPLINES TO IMPROVE (STUDENT) CARE THROUGH PRACTICE OR RESEARCH."
ONCE COMPLETE, AN FBA SHOULD IDEALLY LEAD TO AND DIRECTLY INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BEHAVIORAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN (BIP).