Behavioral Assessment

Abstract

Since the inception of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 1975, behavioral assessments in school contexts have evolved in theory and practice. Within multitiered prevention models, behavioral assessments are used for early detection of students for whom primary prevention (for all students) is insufficient. Universal screening practices are needed by schools to detect students at the earliest juncture when behaviors are most amenable to intervention. Universal screening provides school personnel with a proactive approach for determining which students need supports beyond primary prevention efforts. For students needing targeted interventions (for some students) progress monitoring tools offer data to make decisions about students’ progress and intervention appropriateness. Targeted interventions are often implemented in small groups targeting common acquisition or performance deficits (e.g., social skills and study skills). If those interventions are still insufficient, intensive interventions (for few students) are employed. These supports require the most intensive behavioral assessments, functional behavioral assessment (FBA), and are reserved for students with the greatest need. FBA determines antecedent conditions setting the stage for problem behaviors to occur and consequences maintaining the undesirable behavior. Data are used to identify the function of target behaviors so that a functionally equivalent replacement behavior can be identified and an intervention developed to increase the future probability this replacement behavior will occur. Behavioral assessments help school personnel answer critical questions such as: Which behaviors are most critical to success in the environment of interest? What is the operational definition of the behavior? What are the contributing antecedents, events, and maintaining consequences, and how will they be measured? What is the function of the behavior? Sources of data are, generally, in three categories: direct observation, interviews, and rating scales/checklists. A triangulation of these data allows for information from multiple informants across settings to design intervention strategies. Strengths of direct observation include perspectives from an outside observer, contextual factors, and peer comparisons. Interviews provide historical perspectives and contextualization, offering information on potential functions of the behavior, aiding in prioritizing problematic behaviors, providing information on students’ strengths and preferences, and aiding in school/home collaborations. Rating scales and checklists provide standardized data examining if the target behaviors are due to performance or acquisition deficits. This bibliography is organized to provide an overview of behavioral assessment and the tools used in school settings including universal screening practices, progress monitoring of behavioral performance, and tools used to conduct FBAs.