Functional Behavior Assessment Part 2

1. Functional Behavior Assessment Part 2 Katie Wesley kwesley@clackesd.k12.or.us Sarah Falcon sfalcon@clackesd.k12.or.us Clackamas ESD December 8th 2011

2. Objectives • Continuum of Supports • What is an FBA • What’s best practice • Review • Antecedents • Behavior • Defining the behavior • Consequences/Function • Narrowing your choices • FACTS • Example/Non-example & Practice • Conducting Observations • Dimensions • Procedures • Practice • Closing

3. Rate Yourself • 1…I know FBA is important and it’s something I should be learning more about • 2…I know a little but haven’t really done it • 3…I know a little and have tried it • 4…I have successfully completed a FBA and worked to implement a corresponding BSP • 5…I’m an expert in FBA

4. CONTINUUM OF SCHOOL-WIDE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT Tertiary Prevention: FBABSP for Students with High-Risk Behavior ~5% Secondary Prevention: Specialized Group Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior ~15% Primary Prevention: School/Classroom- Wide Systems for All Students, Staff, & Settings ~80% of Students

5. Why Do People Behave? Modeling? Accident?Instinct? Condition?? Why Do People Continue Behaving? IT WORKS!

6. Re-re-re-re review rules Blame others Counseling “aversive” consequences Establish “bottom line” Outcome…increases in aggression, (b) vandalism, (c) truancy, and (d) dropping out. Mayer, 1995; Mayer & Sulzar-Azaroff, 1991; Skiba & Peterson, 1999 Common Response: Get Tough! expulsion security guards special schools/rooms video cameras zero tolerance

7. What is FBA? A systematic… process for developing statements about environmental & contextual factors that • contribute to occurrence & maintenance of problem behavior, And more importantly • serves as basis for developing proactive & comprehensive behavior support plans.

8. Environmental Redesign Behavior support is the… redesign of environments, not the redesign of individuals Attend to what happens between problem behavior bouts as much as what happens during behavior episodes Positive Behavior Support plans define changes in the behavior of those who will implement the plan!

9. 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

10. FBA Methods • R- Record review • Relevant historical information • I- Interview • Teachers, parent, Students • O- Observation • Peer comparison, select appropriate times, definitions • T- • Testable Hypothesis • Confident of your A-B-C hypothesis • How else can you test • Structural analysis • Systematically altering antecedents • Experimental analysis (functional analysis) • Setting up controlled conditions (consequence)

11. What are the critical features of the FBA process? • Clear & measurable… • definition of target problem behaviors • Complete… • testable hypothesis or summary statement is provided • Statement of… • function (purpose) of behavior • Data (direct observation) to confirm hypothesis • Behavior support plan developed based on testable hypothesis • Contextually appropriate to increase implementation fidelity • Includes on-going… • monitoring & support

12. Schedule meetings • FBA interviews • Support plan meeting • Follow-up meetings • Conduct FBA • Develop Support Plan • Implement Plan & Collect Data • Follow-up: Evaluation & Next Steps From FBA to BSP: Team Process

13. Key FBA Concepts Establish a Knowledgeable Team Using the FACTS to identify: Target Behavior: Socially important: Observable, Countable Identification of Relevant Routines Identification of Environmental Variables Antecedents, Consequences, Setting Events Creating testable summary statements Observation Procedures: The tools & process used to collect data (information) Building BSP

14. Establish a Knowledgeable FBA Team Knowledge about the… individual His/her behavior, interests, strengths, challenges, future Knowledge about the… context Instructional goals, curriculum, social contingencies, schedule, physical setting. Knowledge about… behavioral technology Elements of behavior Principles of behavior Intervention strategies

15. Student Strengths & General Problem Behaviors FACTS: Step 2 • Always start with strengths & student’s likes • Sets a positive tone for the meeting • Useful for support planning FACTS: Step 3 • Identify general problem behaviors • Understand teacher’s concerns • Will narrow more specifically later in interview (Part B)

16. Routines Environmental Context • General description of setting/ activities • Start Broad & Then Narrow • From times of day (math), types of activities (independent seat-work), specific triggers (Double-digit addition)

18. Behavior (operationally define) • Observable & Measurable • Socially important • Unambiguous and objective—no label • Tells exactly what a person says or does • Can you see the behavior? • Can you count the behavior? • clear start/end • Examples and Non-examples with minimal differences • showing boundaries of what is and is not included • Independent observers agree

19. Remember… • It’s not about how the assessor defines the behavior, it’s about understanding the problem from the teacher’s perspective! • How does he or she define the problem? When does the behavior cross the line from acceptable to not acceptable? • Are there ever times when the behavior is not a problem (e.g., yelling on the playground vs. in the classroom)?

20. Operationally Defining Behavior • Talking Out • Any vocalizations that are not initiated by the teacher, are out of turn, or are unrelated to academic content

21. Video Example • What is the problem behavior that Eddie is displaying? • Now, what is a definition of this behavior, 1 example, and 1 non-example?

22. Antecedents in the Routine STEP 8 Identify antecedents generally • What typically happens just before problem behavior to trigger it? What does it look like? Just like defining behavior • If you did this “trigger” 10 times, how often would it result in problem behavior? • Does the problem behavior ever happen when trigger is absent/opposite of trigger? • Identify specific features of the antecedent • The more specifically you can narrow, the better able you are to prevent the problem behavior • Use prompting questions on FACTS

23. Antecedent? • Math • Being excluded from a recess game • Controlling the situation • When she is upset • Reading passages independently & then answering worksheet questions • Trying to get attention • It happens all day • Lining-up (especially for recess) • During keyboards with little adult supervision

24. Setting Events STEP 9 • Something that, when present, makes it more likely that the trigger will set off the problem behavior? • Momentarily changes the value of the reinforcer for the student. • The event must be present sometimes and not others. • Does the behavior only occur when the setting event is present? • Many times there is not a setting event we can identify. • May not exist • May not have enough information to know it exists (e.g., happens at home, happens with a peer and student doesn’t share)

25. Setting Event? • Missing a dose of medication • Fight with peer • ADHD • Forgetting to eat breakfast • Child is in foster care • Not getting to go out at recess • Lack of sleep • Incomplete assignment • Divorced parents • “Global” or events that are always present cannot be a setting event. • It must be related to the antecedent/consequence to actually be a setting event. • Must increase the likelihood the trigger will set off thebehavior problem.

26. Consequence & Function • Consequence: • What stimulus/event occurs/happens after the behavior? • Specific description of the event, like behavior • Function: • The ultimate outcome of the behavior that occurs on a repeated basis • We need to understand from the student’s perspective what they are trying to access? Avoid? • Always identify the consequence in “context” • Define the behavior, routine, antecedent, etc…then ask about consequence • Typically define the most powerful consequence.

27. What are the 2 Basic Functions? Pos Reinf Neg Reinf

28. Function of Behavior

29. Consequence Function Read these teacher conclusions about student function of behavior. Narrow these to functions you can build a plan around. • I have to send her to the office following the behavior each time. It’s in the code of conduct. • The Student is always in a power struggle with me. She argues with me about something and I have to keep reminding her of what she’s supposed to be doing • He requires a lot of sensory input after he slaps at the teacher • The Student talks out and their question is answered by the teacher most times • The Student just wants to control the situation. He tries to confront me and he often argues with me. I send him to a partner classroom when he gets like that.

30. Step 11 Summary Statement • Conclude with a hypothesis that is precise and testable

31. Name That Hypothesis • Every time Julio is given a math worksheet, he throws himself on the floor and refuses to do it. Julio’s teacher walks away and ignores him for the rest of the class period. • B. Escape • All even # • Attention • Escape • Tangible • Multiple Functions

32. Name That Hypothesis • Frankie is a big boy who likes to eat! At lunch, he frequently steals food from other peoples’ plates. If they try to block this behavior, Frankie pinches others until they let go of the food. Then he quickly eats it. • C. Tangible • If you are wearing socks & you picked a # • Attention • Escape • Tangible • Multiple Functions

33. Name That Hypothesis • Mario has a bad habit of turning in incomplete homework. As a result, his teacher makes him stay in during recess and do his homework with her. Mario continues to submit incomplete homework assignments. • A. Attention • Wearing Purple? • Attention • Escape • Tangible • Multiple Functions

34. Video Clip • Complete the FACTS interview along with Billie Jo for the Good & Not so good Example. • What is the A, B, C, & summary statement for both examples? • What did Billie Jo do well and what could be improved upon for both examples?

35. Interview Practice • Pair up with a partner • Take turns playing the “teacher” and “Interviewer” • When acting as the teacher, if possible, use a real example from a student you are working with.

36. Conducting Direct Observations • Plan ahead with the teacher times you are likely to come • Determine if the teacher wants to introduce you • Consider ahead of time what you’re going to say if student’s ask what you’re doing • “I’m here to learn about what it’s like to be in your classroom.” • “I’m here to watch what kind of things 2nd graders get to do in school.” • Consider the age of students and context (e.g., small group, large group, ind. Work)

37. Conducting Direct Observations Enter quietly and as unobtrusively as possible Sit out of the way but close enough to the target student that you can get accurate data Avoid staring directly at the target student Avoid writing student’s name on your observation form If you are using a prompter, make sure you have headphones Have a plan for checking in with the teacher about whether the observation was “typical” Other considerations?

38. Measurement Defined: Measurement is the process of assigning values to variables. Purposes: Description of behaviors Validation of problem Instructional Support Planning & Accountability Improve decision making

39. Measurement & Assessment Data • Indirect • Record reviews • Interviews • Rating Scales • Permanent Products (technically “event”) • Direct • Observations

40. Decisions from Measurement What are the errors students are making, and how can I change instruction to avoid those errors? 19 15 22 37 + 3 +11 +19 +15 12 26 31 42

41. Decisions from Measurement Description What behavioral mistakes is the student making? Analysis & Validation How serious are the mistakes? Are they common across many students? Why do the mistakes seem to be happening? Accountability If you build a plan of support for a student, is it effective? Should we change the plan? Improved Decision making If you build a plan of support to improve behavior in the cafeteria, how would you tell if it was being effective? Should we change the plan?

42. Features of Good Measurement Data are valid: Are you measuring what you say you are measuring? Data are reliable: Are you measuring consistently (e.g., with precision). Data are used for decision making Repeated data collection (e.g., daily) Systematic process for organizing data for decision-making Measurement procedure is “doable” If asking teachers to collect the data, it must be easy Does not require excessive time to learn or use

43. Key Measurement Concepts Target Behavior: Unit of Measure: The feature of the target behavior that will be measured (e.g., frequency, rate) Measurement Procedure: The procedure used to collect data (information) Observation Period: Length of time for one full observation Decision Cycle: The timing of data use, and people who will use the data for making decision.

44. Units of Measure(Use “tantrum” as an example) Frequency: The number of times the behavior occurs Rate: The number of times the behavior occurs within a specified time (events per minute) Duration: How long the behavioral event lasts

45. Units of Measure (Dimension) Latency: The time from presentation of a prompt/cue to initiation of the target behavior. Topography: The physical movements needed to perform the target behavior (what the behavior looks like) Force: The intensity of the target behavior Sound

46. Why do we need so may dimensions? • Recall that all behavior occurs within a context. • It may not be the actual form of the behavior that is inappropriate, but the duration, intensity, or rate with which the behavior occurs in a given context. • For example, it is natural to be off-task some of the time. It is a problem if you are off task 80% of the time.

47. Define the target behavior and unit of measure (frequency, rate, duration, latency, topography, force) Measure the difference between loud “screams” and “soft” screams. Measure if hitting is done with an open hand or with a closed fist Measure the time Jim takes from being invited to join a play group to joining the group. Measure how long a tantrum lasts Serious versus minor rule violations

48. Units of Measure (examples)Frequency, rate, duration, latency, topography, force?? The number of words read per minute The number of times Ellen tried to eat inappropriate items (in a day) Number of problems correct on the worksheet Seconds from class bell until class is quiet. Minutes required to complete 20 problems Number of bites per min during a meal.

49. Key Measurement Concepts Target Behavior: Unit of Measure: The feature of the target behavior that will be measured. Measurement Procedure: The procedure used to collect data (information) Event, Interval, Latency, Duration Observation Period: Length of time for one full observation Decision Cycle: The timing of data use, and people who will use the data for making decision.

50. Measurement Procedures • Anecdotal Reports • Permanent Product • Event BasedObservational Systems • Tally (Frequency) • Trials to Criterion • Time BasedEstimates • Interval • Time Sampling • Time Based Observational Systems • Duration • Latency