Classroom Management

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Functional Behavioral Assessment: Identifying the Reasons for Problem Behavior and Developing a Behavior Plan

iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/fba/cr_assess

Assessment

Take some time now to answer the following questions. Please note that the IRIS Center does not collect your Assessment responses. If this is a course assignment, you should turn them in to your professor using whatever method he or she requires. If you have trouble answering any of the questions, go back and review the Perspectives & Resources pages in this module.

1. Give a school-based example of two of the following: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, or extinction.

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

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Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.

View Transcript | Click to the view the ABC analysis form in a new window Click to download the ABC analysis form)

Transcript: Assessment

Teacher: All right, so today we’re going to talk about stories. What makes a good story?

Kira: [Whistles]

Teacher: Kira, that’s enough. Thank you.

Teacher: What makes a good story? Yes, Kira?

Kira: Um, one that has a girl that has blonde hair and blue eyes.

Teacher: Okay.

Kira: Just like me.

Teacher: Anybody? Okay, yes.

Student: Maybe it has some action in it and maybe, like, action.

Teacher: Okay. And do stories have to be true?

Students: No. No.

Teacher: No. And how can you start a story? Yes, Kira.

Kira: With a “The End.”

Teacher: Okay. Thank you. That’s enough. Yes?

Student: With maybe with someone getting in trouble.

Teacher: Someone’s getting in trouble.

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• Teacher interview summary: Nigel is very bright and has no problems academically. He does not initiate contact with peers and, when they initiate contact with him, he curses, yells, spits, and shoves chairs at them.

• Student interview summary: I just like being by myself.

• Parent interview summary: Nigel doesn’t like playing with other kids after school. He prefers solitary activities.

• Ranking on teacher behavior rating scales: “Avoidance” ranked moderately high.

• A-B-C analysis: Function of behaviors #2, 3, 7, and 8* appears to be peer avoidance.

• Direct observation: During independent and group work, Nigel spends 85% of his time alone and not participating (average of 3 observations).

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.

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.

Functions of Behavior

Obtain Avoid

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• A-B-C analysis: Function of behaviors #1 and 5* appears to be to obtain “quiet time”; Nigel gets sent to the corner, where he is able to read a book of his choice.

• Direct observation: Nigel had an average of 5 yelling incidents and 2 spitting incidents during three, 20- minute group activities.

• Teacher interview summary: I let Nigel read a book when he’s upset. It seems to calm him down.

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.

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Description Nigel’s Data: This line plot graph shows Nigel’s Data. The x-axis is labeled “Observations”; observations 1 through 7 are labeled on the axis. The y-axis is labeled “Instances of Aggression”; 0 to 25 is labeled in 5-number intervals. The graph is divided into two columns, after the 3 observation. The left column of the graph is labeled “baseline” and the right column of the graph is labeled “intervention.” The first graph of the baseline column is red and labeled “Problem behavior (aggression)” in the key to the right of the graph. This graph has three plot points corresponding with the three observations. The points are at 10, 8, and 9. The second graph of the baseline column is yellow and is labeled “Replacement (appropriate interactions).” This graph has three plot points corresponding with the three observations. The points are 1, 4, and 3. The first graph of the intervention column is red and labeled “Problem behavior (aggressive)” in the key to the right of the graph. This graph has four plot points corresponding with the four observations. The points are at 14, 17, 16, and 20. The second graph of the intervention column is yellow and labeled “Replacement (appropriate interactions).” This graph has four plot points corresponding with the four observations. The points are at 2, 1, 1, and 0.

7. Discuss why it is important to evaluate implementation fidelity. Be sure to explain the role of social validity ratings.

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