Leading a Team from a Functional Behavioral Assessment to a Behavior Support Plan

Leading a Team from a Functional Behavioral Assessment to a Behavior Support Plan Rob Horner, Cindy Anderson and Anne Todd University of Oregon TA-Center on Positive Behavior Support www.pbis.org

Assumptions and Objectives • Assumptions • You are already implementing School-wide PBIS • You already conduct functional behavioral assessments • You are already working with teams to build behavior support plans for individual students. • Objectives • Define a process for moving from assessment to behavior support plan. • Start with FBA -> Frame the Challenge -> Select Options

Main Messages • Know the “foundation” information BEFORE building a plan: • What, Where, When, Who, Why • For complex plans build information about social, family, medical and contextual issues that may be influencing behavior. • Make the plan fit the student and the context • Efficient, tailored support • Behavior support has levels of complexity: Typical school personnel can do a lot. • You can do this. • … but you also need to know when to ask for more help. • Implement individual behavior support plans within school-wide systems.

School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Tertiary Prevention: Specialized Individualized Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior ~5% Secondary Prevention: Specialized Group Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior Primary Prevention: School-/Classroom- Wide Systems for All Students, Staff, & Settings ~15% ~80% of Students

A Context for PBS • Behavior support is the redesign of environments, not the redesign of individuals • Positive Behavior Support plans define changes in the behavior of those who will implement the plan. • A behavior support plan describes what we will do differently.

Behavior Support Elements *Team *Specialist Problem Behavior *Hypothesis statement *Competing Behavior Analysis *Contextual Fit Functional Assessment *Implementation Plan Content of Support Plan Fidelity of Implementation *Technical Adequacy * Strengths * Preferences * Lifestyle vision Impact on Behavior and Lifestyle

Functional Behavioral Assessment • Defined: • Functional behavioral assessment is a process for identifying the events that reliably predict and maintain problem behavior.

Outcomes of a Functional Behavioral Assessment • Operationally defined problem behavior(s) • By response class • Identify routines in which the problem behavior is most and leastlikely to occur • Define the antecedent events (triggers; setting events) that predict when the problem behavior is most likely • Define the ONE consequence that contributes most to maintaining the problem behavior in that routine. • Summary Statement of findings.

FBA Summary Statement Setting Events Triggering Antecedents Problem Behavior Maintaining Consequences 3 2 1 4 In room with Noise and/or too many people Avoid noise/people Allergies Head Hit

What about Power, Control, Choice, Revenge? Video Identifying Maintaining Consequences Given a Problem Behavior These are large social constructs that do not help in the design of specific behavior support. Each can be narrowed to “what you get” or “what you avoid.” To make functional assessment functional the outcomes must be very specific and precise. Get: Object, Activity, Sensation Avoid: Object, Activity, Sensation Object/ Activity Social Object/ Activity Physiological Social Physiological Precise Event Precise Event Precise Event Precise Event Precise Event Precise Event

Many ways to do FBA • Simple/ Typical FBA • Interview the person who knows the student best • Build a summary statement Setting  Antecedent  Prob Beh  Consequence Event (Trigger) (Maintaining) • Use direct observation to verify the summary statement FACTS Demo

Use FBA to Design Effective Support:TheDesign of Effective Environments • Problem behaviors are irrelevant • Aversive events are removed • Access to positive events are more common • Problem behaviors are inefficient • Appropriate behavioral alternatives available • Appropriate behavioral alternatives are taught • Problem behaviors are ineffective • Problem behaviors are not rewarded • Desired behavior ARE rewarded

Use FBA to Design Effective Support: • Use the FBA to narrow the challenge • Behavior in Routine maintained by Function • Help the team produce a plan that is uniquely appropriate, specific and practical. • Do this by asking the right questions, not providing the solution.

Using FBA to Design Effective Support:The Simple BSP • How can we prevent problem situations? • What should we teach as an alternative behavior? • How to increase reward of appropriate behavior? • How to minimize reward of problem behavior? • Are negative consequences for problem behavior needed? • Are safety routines needed? • What data to collect? • Are we doing the plan? • Is the plan working?

Intervention Development

Marion: 3rd grader, Asperger’s Syndrome Strong preferences for games Play with others Peer social interaction Reprimand during prior class Playground Scream at / threaten others Get access to game or equipment Ask for Help BSP

Make Problem Behavior Ineffective And Positive Behavior More Effective Make Problem Behavior Inefficient Make Problem Behavior Irrelevant Examples of Interventions

Alice Teaching Consequences Prevention

Selecting an “alternative behavior” • Alternative behaviors: • 1. Produce the SAME outcome as problem behaviors • 2. Are socially appropriate • 3. Are as (or more) efficient than problem behavior • Amount of physical effort • Speed of effect • Number of time performed to get reward

Which of the Following are Appropriate Alternative/Replacement Behaviors? • Jason is nine and cries when asked to do difficult tasks. The crying is maintained by avoiding or escaping the tasks. • Possible Replacement Behaviors: • More token rewards for doing tasks • Asking for a break from tasks • Asking to do something other than the tasks • Requesting adult attention • Asking to have soda after tasks are done

Which of the Following are Appropriate Alternative/Replacement Behaviors? • Jason is nine and cries when asked to do difficult tasks. The crying is maintained by avoiding or escaping the tasks. • Possible Replacement Behaviors: • More rewards for doing tasks • Asking for a break from tasks • Asking to do something other than the tasks • Requesting adult attention • Asking to have soda after tasks are done

Which of the Following are Appropriate Alternative/Replacement Behaviors? • Leslie is 12, has severe intellectual disabilities, does not use words, and hits her head. Head hitting is maintained by adult attention during work periods. • Which is the best Replacement Behavior • hide under her desk and be ignored • sign for “more” to another student • take completed work up to show the teacher • move to sit by another student • engage in stereotypies

Mitch • 8 years old, no disabilities, highly verbal, good sense of humor • --------------------------------------------------------------- • Problem behaviors: Talks out, calls other children names, uses teasing voice tone • Context: In less structured contexts where he is not getting peer attention (e.g. independent seat work) • Primary Maintaining Function: obtain peer attention • Setting Events: Extended time without peer contact.

Mitch Desired Behavior Typical Consequences Do work Complete work, Get more work Problem Behavior Setting Events Triggering Antecedents Maintaining Consequences Minimal peer contact Tease, Taunt peers Seat work, Alone Obtain Attention from peers Replacement Behavior ?

Five steps to helping a team build a better plan of support • Summarize the FBA • Build Agreement • Clarify core features of BSP • Effective environment • Ask questions to define intervention options • Not just one option • Select options with strong “contextual fit” • Not just “effective” but “doable” • Define how the BSP will be implemented

Minimize the current rewards for problem behavior • Teacher controlled • Teacher Attention (withhold…redirect) • Activity • Privilege • Student controlled • Peer attention • Activity • First in line • Four square lead • Tangible • Food

Examples:Define (a) FBA summary statement and (b) possible elements of support • Emmit • Eric • Rayette • Jason

Five Steps in Leading a Team from FBA to a Behavior Support Plan • 1. Summarize FBA • Setting Events-> Antecedents -> Behavior -> Consequence • 2. Define goals of BSP process: • Make problem behavior irrelevant • Make problem behavior inefficient • Make problem behavior ineffective • Do all this in a contextually appropriate manner • 3. Lead discussion to identify options • Ask questions, don’t give solutions • Paraphrase, elaborate, integrate • Always bring group back to FBA logic • Produce multiple ideas (elements)

Leading a Team from FBA to BSP • 4. Given an array of possible BSP elements, shift discussion to contextual fit. • What elements are feasible, acceptable, sustainable?’ • What is the smallest change that will produce the largest effect? • ----------------------------------------------------------- • Contextual Fit Defined: • The extent to which the people who will implement a behavior support plan find the elements of the plan • Consistent with their personal values • Consistent with the professional skills • Consistent with the resources available in the setting • Consistent with the available administrative support

Leading a Team from FBA to BSP • 5. Transform ideas for BSP elements into a formal plan for implementation • Who will do what, when, and how will we know?

Do quiz without complaints. Discussion about answers & homework. On Mondays and/or when up all of the night before. Daily nongraded quiz on previous night’s homework Verbal protests, slump in chair, walks out of room. Avoids doing quiz & homework discussion. Turn in with name & sit quietly w/o interrupting.

Do quiz without complaints. Discussion about answers & homework. Verbal protests, walks out of room. On Mondays when he has had little sleep Daily nongraded quiz on previous night’s homework Avoids doing quiz & homework discussion. Turn in with name & sit quietly w/o interrupting. Make problem behavior irrelevant. Make problem behavior irrelevant. Make problem behavior inefficient. Make problem behavior ineffective. Make desired behavior effective Interventions

Do quiz without complaints. Discussion about answers & homework. On Mondays and/or when up all of the night before. Daily nongraded quiz on previous night’s homework Verbal protests, slump in chair, walks out of room. Avoids doing quiz & homework discussion. Turn in with name & sit quietly w/o interrupting. Teach options to problem behavior: 1. Turn in blank 2. Turn in with name 3. Turn in with name & first item done. 4. Turn in with name & 50% completed. With first sign of problem behaviors, remove task, or request completion of task next period. Remove task based on step in task analysis (STO). Provide effective verbal praise & other reinforcers. Give time to review homework. Give quiet time before starting. Give easy “warm-up” task before doing quiz. Precorrect behavior options & consequences.

Outline of a Behavior Support Plan • Assessment (FBA, Person-Centered Plan, Wraparound) • Operational Descriptions, Routines, FA Hypotheses • Competing Behavior Pathway • Prevention • Teaching/Education • Reward desired behavior • Place Problem behavior on extinction • Corrective consequences for problem behavior (if needed) • De fine safety/emergency procedures (if needed) • Evaluation and Monitoring for Improvement • Steps for implementation BSPCindy

Planning for Implementation

Assessing Implementation • Behavior Support Plan Weekly Assessment • Student:_________________________ Week: _______________________________ • To what level did we implement the plan we proposed? • Low Moderate High • 1 2 3 4 5 6 • To what degree is the plan having a positive impact on the student? • Low Moderate High • 1 2 3 4 5 6

Eric: BSP Implementation and Perceived Impact Aide Quality of Implementation 6 + + Teacher Implementation Quality of Behavior 6=+ Perceived Impact

Summary • Invest in building consensus around FBA summary statement. • Recruit strategies that are local, practical, but still consistent with FBA…(Lead don’t tell). Recruit local knowledge • Using Competing Pathway to build efficient plans (the smallest changes that produce the largest effect) • Ensure that the plan includes procedures for getting implementation to occur. • Always include procedures for evaluation • Are we doing what we said we would do? • Is the process having an effect on the student?

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Leading a Team from a Functional Behavioral Assessment to a Behavior Support Plan