Functional Behavior Assessment 2024/2025
Functions of Behavior
Social positive (attention), Tangible, Automatic, Social negative (escape)
FBA methods
Functional (experimental) analysis, Descriptive descriptive analysis, Indirect descriptive assessment,
Structured descriptive assessment
Types of Indirect FBA
Interviews, Rating scales, Checklist
Strategy for conducting an FBA
Gather information via indirect and descriptive assessments, Interpret information and formulate
hypotheses, Test these hypotheses using functional analysis, Develop intervention
Types of descriptive FBA
Continuous, Narrative, Scatterplot
Role of FBA in intervention
Identify antecedent variables that can be altered to prevent problem behavior, Identify reinforcement
contingencies that can be altered so that problem behavior no longer receives reinforcement, Identify
reinforcers for alternative replacement behaviors.
Functional Analysis
Systematically manipulating environmental events thought to maintain problem behavior within an
experimental design, Conducted within analog conditions that represent naturally occurring routines.
Role of Functinal Analysis
Clear demonstration of the variable(s) that relate to the occurrence of problem behavior, Confirm
hypotheses regarding the function of problem behavior
Direct Descriptive Assessment
Observation of the problem behavior in relation to events that are not arranged in a systematic manner,
Direct observation of behavior made under naturally occurring conditions
Role of Descriptive Analysis
Identify events correlated with the behavior
Role of indirect functional assessment
Obtain information about behavior, setting, antecedents and consequences, formulate hypothesis
Scatterplot
A chart that shows occurrences of behavior in a given time frame
Role of scatterplot
Pinpoint times to do collect ABC data, determine settings behavior most likely to occur
Continuous ABC
