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Functional Behavioral Assessment
Step 1: Conduct a Functional Behavioral Assessment
1. Identify the behavioral concern.
Categories or Behaviors which most interfere with the student’s learning:
Off-task behavior Mild (disruptive but not dangerous)
Talking to peers (i.e., telling them to “be quiet”)
Work refusal
In-appropriate Talk Mild (disruptive but not dangerous)
Verbal outbursts/ talking out
Aggression Moderate (verbal/physical threats and/or destructive to physical environment)
Property destruction (i.e., throwing classroom materials)
Inappropriate Vocalizations (i.e., using profanity)
Escapement/Elopement (i.e., leaving classroom environment without permission) Severe
(poses a physical danger to student and/or others)
(LaBarbera, 2019).
2. Describe the context for the behavior of concern.
The behaviors that Ethan have usually occur in small-group activities during group work. The
teacher spends at least and hour or more a day dealing with the challenging behaviors that
Ethan displays; which is impacting his learning and the learning of his peers (LaBarbera,
2019),
3. Indicate conditions related to the behavior (triggers).
Trigger phase can happen suddenly often without warning (The IRIS Center, 2009)
School-Based Trigger(s)
Ethan prefers to spend time alone, and does not like “group activities or crowds” (LaBarbera,
2019, p. 100). Behaviors are exhibited when sitting in small-group and given an academic task
from his teacher.
Non-School Based Trigger
Moving in the middle of the school year to a new school because of Ethan’s father’s job
transfer (LaBarbera, 2019).
4. Identify functions of the behavior (the payoff).
Behavior function(s):
Attention (Teacher and Peers)
Escape
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5. Describe previous strategies and their effectiveness.
Mr. Carter utilized two strategies: sending Ethan to the principal to de-escalate and cool down,
and positive reinforcement for not engaging in disruptive behaviors (LaBarbera, 2019).
6. Identify alternative positive behaviors to strengthen.
Communicating needs: “I need a break” when becoming overwhelmed in small-group
(verbally or with break card)
Use a cool down area within the classroom instead of leaving the classroom
Follow a Visual/Task schedule
Follow least preferred activity (i.e., small-group) with the most preferred (i.e., reading
independently or drawing)
Social skills training (i.e., self-control/self-regulation strategies)
Raising hand to get teachers attention
7. Write a summary and hypothesis statement.
Behavior: When in small-group and presented with academic work, Ethan engages in various
escalating disruptive behaviors often leading to running out the classroom. Ethan is then sent
to the principal’s office.
Hypothesis: When Ethan engages in disruptive behaviors that lead him to running out the
classroom, he is likely doing this to gain attention about his frustration about working in small-
group in close proximity to his peers and to escape group work overall.
Step 2: Establish Goals
1. Establish a target date for goal attainment.
By the end of the IEP date, October 6th, 2025
2. Describe what the child is expected to do.
1. When presented with a situation known by Ethan to be anxiety or frustration producing
for him (i.e., non-preferred task, small-groups), he will independently demonstrate an
appropriate emotional response through finding a solution to his problem or using a
strategy to regulate back to an expected emotional state (take a break, talk with teacher
deep breathing, fidget toy etc.) and return to task at hand within 3 minutes, instead of
attempting to elope in 80% of observed instances.
3. Describe the context for the performance of goal behavior.
Antecedent: Ethan was participating in small-group activities with his peers
Behavior: escalating behavior resulting in eloping from the classroom
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Consequence: Ethan is sent to the principal’s office
Step 3: Design the Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)
1. Develop strategies linked to the FBA information.
Antecedent strategies:
Provide structured small-group schedule with visual support
Incorporate frequent breaks (e.g., movement, cool down area, sensory tools)
Have the small-group that Ethan in farthest away from the door and/or near close
proximity of the teacher
Teaching Replacement behaviors:
Teach Ethan how to request for a break when overwhelmed
Practice and reinforce Ethan raising his hand to get teacher’s attention while in the
small group
Consequence strategies
If Ethan tries to elope, redirect him to cool down area
Provide positive reinforcement (e.g., praise, preferred activity) when he stays in the
small group
2. Determine appropriate alternative response strategies.
Asking for help-Ethan can ask for a break (e.g., vocally or using break card) when
feeling overwhelmed and move to the cool down area for a sensory/movement break
before eloping
Using words to express feelings appropriately-instead of blurting out or cursing, raising
hand and waiting to get called on to express how they are feeling or ask for help
First-Then Choice Board/visual schedule-use a first-then choice board to indicate first
small-group and then give him the choice of reading independently or drawing to
increase work output
Step 4: Describe how you would implement the intervention plan and monitor progress.
1. Detail how you would implement the behavior support plan as intended. (DTT,
shaping, video modeling, use visuals, and role play).
DTT (Discrete trial training):
Breakdown desired replacement behaviors (e.g., raising hand, break card) into small,
discrete steps
Use one-on-one approach to teach each step, and provide positive verbal praise for
correct responses
Gradually increase the complexity and duration of the trials to shape the student’s
behavior.
Shaping:
Reinforce successive approximations of the desired behavior (e.g., increase the
duration of being in small group start with 5 mins, then gradually increase to 10 mins,
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then 15 mins, and so on).
Provide verbal praise and preferred activities as positive reinforcement.
Video Modeling:
Find videos about raising hands, asking for a break)
Have the student watch the videos and discuss the different appropriate behaviors
Have them practice the behaviors and provide reinforcement while Ethan watches the
video
Visual Supports
Develop a visual schedule or first/then sequence to help the student understand the
small-group routine
Use visual and verbal cues “stay with group” sign or break cards to indicate a break (no
more than 5 mins) to prompt the desired behaviors
Incorporate timers and countdowns to help with transitions between activities
Role-Play:
Set up mock small-group scenarios and have the student practice the desired behaviors
Provide frequent and immediate positive behavior feedback for the positive behaviors
2.
Include a sample of a data collection sheet and describe how you would monitor
progress.
The data sheet includes the following:
Date and time of the small-group activity and what type
Duration of the particular small group
Whether Elopement occurred (Yes/No)
Whether a break was asked for (Yes/No)
How many minutes into the small-group activity was the break needed
Antecedent (what happened immediately before the elopement)
Date Time Activity
Duration
of Small-
Group
Elopement
Incident
(Y/N)
Asked
for
Break
(Y/N)
How
many
minutes
into
small-
group
was
break
asked
for
Duration
of
Elopement
Antecedent Consequence
3/1/23 9:15
AM
Math
small
group
15
minutes Y
N
2 minutes
Transition
from whole-
class to
small group
Redirected to
calm-down
area
3/15/23 1:15
PM
Science
small
group
20
minutes N
Y 5 mins
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Consequence (what intervention was implemented)
Patterns can be identified through this data tracking including triggers, effectiveness of
interventions, how long can Ethan withstand being in a particular small-group before needing
a break, whether he needs in a break in small-group versus others. This adjustment can used to
adjust the plan as needed.
3. Using your imagination, describe a possible scenario where you would have to revise
the plan. What procedures would you follow and how would you document the
revisions?
One reason I would have to revise the plan is if Ethan’s family had expressed concerns with
the BIP. At that point I would have to call an IEP meeting and invite the Behavioral Specialist
for the county to come to the meeting. At the meeting we would discuss the concerns and
advise how the BIP and the interventions could be redesigned after hearing from the parent(s)
of Ethan. After discussing the revisions, I would then write a prior written notice indicating the
reason we met and the why behind it, the decision of the IEP team, assessments and data that
was including in the decision, whether anything was refused, and things the IEP considered
and rejected. I would not waive the 10-day implementation date to allow for the Behavioral
Specialist to rewrite the BIP and allow the parents to review and accept the new one before
implementing it. I would then replace the new BIP in the students IEP folder and also upload it
to the district wide program. The parents would get a hard copy along with myself and any
staff that is responsible for implementing the BIP.
Step 5: Summarize and Evaluate Outcomes
Describe a process that you would follow to summarize progress, determine what
components of PBS contributed to progress, and what was not effective. Provide a
personal reflection that includes how your biblical worldview shaped your responses to
the assignment.
To summarize the progress, I would look at the data collection sheet along with other
relevant data to track Ethan’s behavior overtime. I would analyze the various
components of the elopement behavior to see if there has been a decrease in behavior. I
would also gather information on observed changes of work output and engagement
during small-group activities.
I would also identify the various strategies and interventions that are part of the PBS
plan that helped decrease the student’s elopement and pinpoint which ones were the
most effective, along with student’s responses to the varying components.
If there is data that indicates any pattern(s) or trigger(s) that have not been addressed
appropriate and call a meeting if a revision is necessary.
This assignment was not an easy one to be honest. I tried to think of my own child and his
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elopement difficulties and how others might become frustrated or overwhelmed about the
increase safety concern and loss instructional time. I also kept in mind the importance of
compassion and empathy towards Ethan in terms of his emotional well-being and how
frustrated and overstimulated he must get to try to find the most effective and caring solutions.
I kept in mind that every individual is worthy and should have the same equal opportunity no
matter what their internal struggle. I tried to emphasized strategies to help Ethan with self-
advocacy, self-regulation, and engagement instead of creating a plan full of punitive measures.
Since teachers are called to be stewards under GOD I tried to keep in mind that I have a
responsibility to use data-driven decision-making techniques to gauge progress and improve
the BIP if needed to ensure the best emotional and academic outcomes for Ethan and the other
student’s in the class.
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References
Labarbera, R. (2019). Educating Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Partnering with
Families for Positive Outcomes (pp. 20–37). Sage Publications, Inc.
The IRIS Center. (2009). Functional Behavioral Assessment: Identifying the Reasons for
Problem Behavior and Developing a Behavior Plan. The IRIS Center Peabody College
Vanderbilt University. https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/fba/
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