Tier III: Functional Behavioral Assessment

1. Tier III: Functional Behavioral Assessment Tim Lewis, Ph.D. University of Missouri OSEP Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports pbis.org

2. Starting Point • We can’t “make” students learn or behave • We can create environments to increase the likelihood students learn and behave • Environments that increase the likelihood of social and academic success are guided by a core curriculum, adapted to reflect student need, and implemented with consistency and fidelity

3. Big Ideas • Understand interaction between behavior and the teaching environment • Build Positive Behavior Support Plans that teach pro-social “replacement” behaviors • Create environments to support the use of pro-social behaviors • Around individual student need / self-management • Classroom • School-wide • Create efficient systems to conduct and implement

4. Tertiary Prevention: Specialized Individualized Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior CONTINUUM OF SCHOOL-WIDE INSTRUCTIONAL & POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT ~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. Social Competence & Academic Achievement SW Positive Behavior Support OUTCOMES Supporting Decision Making Supporting Staff Behavior DATA SYSTEMS PRACTICES Supporting Student Behavior

6. Individual Students • Part of a continuum: Must link to school-wide PBS system • Quick supportive response to teacher • Plans based on a Functional Behavior Assessment • Clear process in place • Behavioral expertise available • All in school understand basic logic of FBA and PBS

7. What is a Functional Behavioral Assessment “A process for gathering information used to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of behavioral support” (O’Neil et al.) • Operational definition of behavior • Identification of events that are functionally related to behavior • Identification of consequences that maintain behavior • Hypothesis about function of behavior • Direct observation to confirm/support hypothesis

8. When To Conduct a Functional Assessment • When student exhibits patterns of challenging behavior • When a change in placement is made as a result of a school “discipline” procedure • When current behavioral intervention plan is not changing the pattern and/or outcome of behavior

9. 300.530 • (f) Determination that behavior was a manifestation. If the LEA, the parent, and relevant members of the IEP Team make the determination that the conduct was a manifestation of the child's disability, the IEP Team must-- • (1) Either-- • (i) Conduct a functional behavioral assessment, unless the LEA had conducted a functional behavioral assessment before the behavior that resulted in the change of placement occurred, and implement a behavioral intervention plan for the child; or • (ii) If a behavioral intervention plan already has been developed, review the behavioral intervention plan, and modify it, as necessary, to address the behavior; and • (2) Except as provided in paragraph (g) of this section, return the child to the placement from which the child was removed, unless the parent and the LEA agree to a change of placement as part of the modification of the behavioral intervention plan. IDEA.ED.GOV

12. Why Conduct a Functional Behavioral Assessment

14. The Key Behavior is functionally related to the teaching environment

15. Structural Analysis Setting Factors Assessment Tool • Level 1: Classroom Set-up and Structure • Level 2: Context Specific Activities • Level 3: Instructional Delivery and Tasks • Level 4: Student Behavior Stichter, J. P., Lewis, T. J., Johnson, N., & Trussell, R. (2004). Toward a structural assessment: Analyzing the merits of an assessment tool for a student with E/BD. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 30, 25-40.

18. Basics • Focus on observable behavior • Label free approach • Acknowledgement of other factors • Instructional approach • Emphasis on understanding the principles of behavior not specific forms or “cook book” strategies

19. Basics • Best Practice vs. Discipline • Process vs. a set of Forms • Rule out explanations • Move from personal experience with “discipline” • Repeated practice to build fluency • Teach - Practice

20. FBA – PBS Plan Process Success requires: • Individual(s) with expertise in FBA-PBS • Fluency with a clear process among all staff whereby roles are clearly defined • A basic understanding of Applied Behavior Analysis (Behavior is functionally related to the teaching environment) among all school staff

21. Process (FA to PBS) Conduct functional behavioral assessment Create plan based on functional assessment outcome Develop infra-structure to support behavior change (system change)

22. Essential Steps to Individual PBS Plans • Request for assistance • Operationally define problem/replacement behavior • Background/archival data/ data collection/Environmental Assessment • Functional Behavioral Assessment • Indirect measures • Direct observation • Develop hypothesis regarding function of problem behavior • Develop a PBS plan • Social skill instruction • Self management • Environmental modifications • Implement, Monitor and Evaluate progress

23. Essential Steps to Individual PBS Plans • Request for assistance • Operationally define problem/replacement behavior • Background/archival data collection/Environmental Assessment • Functional Behavioral Assessment • Indirect measures • Direct observation • Develop hypothesis regarding function of problem behavior • Develop a PBS plan • Social skill instruction • Self management • Environmental modifications • Implement, Monitor and Evaluate progress

24. Behaviors Have Dimensions Describe behavior such that it is observable and measurable • Frequency • Topography • Locus • Duration • Latency • Force or intensity

25. Measuring Behavior

26. Things to keep in mind about data collection… • “Sample” of behavior • Select a method that fits within existing resources and/or teaching routines • Create variation of methods – just keep consistent throughout • Use data to guide decisions

27. Behavioral Objectives • Specific and measurable statements about expected or desired behaviors and levels of performance at the end of an instructional time period During a 20 minute recess period, plato will verbally respond to peers in a positive or neutral manner in 80% of opportunities for three consecutive days by the end of the first term.

28. Four essential components of all objectives • learner .... who • behavior ... what • condition .... when, where • criterion... how much and by when

29. Essential Steps to Individual PBS Plans • Request for assistance • Operationally define problem/replacement behavior • Background/archival data collection/Environmental Assessment • Functional Behavioral Assessment • Indirect measures • Direct observation • Develop hypothesis regarding function of problem behavior • Develop a PBS plan • Social skill instruction • Self management • Environmental modifications • Implement, Monitor and Evaluate progress

30. Record Review • Attendance • Health history • Onset of current problems • Past services or interventions • Effectiveness of previous interventions • Previous educational functioning • Previous assessments • Sensory screening • Discipline Referrals

31. Effective Instruction in a “Nutshell” • Environmental arrangement • Designed to reach defined outcomes • Behavior Management • Rules • Routines • Reinforcement • Instructional strategies • Opportunities to respond • Promotes high levels of accuracy (80%) • Specific feedback

32. Essential Steps to Individual PBS Plans • Request for assistance • Operationally define problem/replacement behavior • Background/archival data/ data collection/Environmental Assessment • Functional Behavioral Assessment • Indirect measures • Direct observation • Develop hypothesis regarding function of problem behavior • Develop a PBS plan • Social skill instruction • Self management • Environmental modifications • Implement, Monitor and Evaluate progress

33. Moving beyond the form of behavior... Applied Behavior Analysis

34. The Basics Behavior is learned • Do not assume children know your rules, expectations, or social skills • Every social interaction you have with a child teaches him/her something

37. The Basics Behavior communicates need • Children engage in behavior(s) to "get" what they find reinforcing or to "avoid" what they find aversive • Need is determined by observing what happens prior to and immediately after behavior

38. The Basics: Applied Behavior Analysis • Concerned with the functional relationships between BEHAVIOR and the TEACHING ENVIRONMENT • “Functional Relationships” • When “X” happens, high degree of likelihood “Y” will result

39. Teaching Environment • Events that happen prior to school or class (Setting Event) • Events that “trigger” or prompt a behavior (Antecedent) • Events that follow a behavior (Consequent)

40. Functional relationships with the Teaching Environment Events that follow behavior • Following a student behavior the environment “gives” something to the student and student behavior maintains or increases -- what ever was given is reinforcing to that individual

41. Functional relationships with the Teaching Environment Events that follow behavior • Following a behavior the environment allows the student to stop an activity or is removed from the situation and the student behavior maintains or increases -- the event the student is avoiding is aversive to that individual

42. Get/Acquire “Positive Reinforcement” Receive attention from adults or peers Receive tangible objects or access to preferred activities Get automatic sensations Escape/Avoid “Negative Reinforcement” Escape adults or peers Avoid tasks or responsibilities Avoid automatic sensations

43. Functional relationships with the Teaching Environment Events that precede behavior • Events in the environment can “trigger” challenging behavior - they serve as cues for the student to perform a behavior because the student can predict the outcome when the cue is present

44. What antecedent events reliably precede problem behavior? • When does the behavior occur? • What activities are taking place? • What people are present? • How is the environment arranged? • When is the problem behavior absent? • What activities are taking place? • What people are present? • How is the environment arranged?

45. Are there setting events that reliably precede problem behaviors? • What earlier events seem to make the behavior more likely? • Illness? • Is the behavior cyclic? • Have there been changes at home? • Is the student having interpersonal problems?

47. Common Problem Behaviors and Some Usual Suspects for Functional Antecedents and Consequence Witt, Daly, Noell, 2000

48. Functional Assessment Pre-Assessment/Indirect • Interviews • Rating Scales • Student Guided Direct Observation • A-B-C • Checklists

49. Functional Assessment Forms to assist in the process

50. Define the behavior When does it occur? What are you doing? What do the peers do? Where does it occur? Are there times when the behavior doesn’t occur? Is the behavior more likely to occur given certain tasks? Are there events that happen outside of the classroom that exacerbate the problem? FA Interview