Functional Behavioral Assessment Procedures Research Articles

A comparison of two function-based interventions: NCR vs. DRO in preschool classrooms

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to determine the relative efficacy of non-contingent reinforcement (NCR) and differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) after behavioral functions were identified through indirect, descriptive, and experimental assessment. Participants included three preschool-age children in three center-based classrooms in a southeastern Head Start agency. Functional behavioral assessment data were used to inform treatment procedures, which were examined with an alternating treatments design. This study examined (a) relative differences in the efficacy of NCR and DRO in decreasing problem behaviors in preschool children, (b) relative differences in the efficacy of NCR and DRO in increasing appropriate behavior, (c) relative preference for functional behavioral assessment procedures, and (d) differential preference for NCR versus DRO for preschool teachers. Results indicated NCR was more effective than DRO for improving behavior for two of three participants, although both NCR and DRO were effective, relative to a control condition, for decreasing problem behaviors and increasing appropriate behaviors.

Behavior analytic approaches to problem behavior in intellectual disabilities.

The purpose of the current review is to summarize recent behavior analytic research on problem behavior in individuals with intellectual disabilities. We have focused our review on studies published from 2013 to 2015, but also included earlier studies that were relevant. Behavior analytic research on problem behavior continues to focus on the use and refinement of functional behavioral assessment procedures and function-based interventions. During the review period, a number of studies reported on procedures aimed at making functional analysis procedures more time efficient. Behavioral interventions continue to evolve, and there were several larger scale clinical studies reporting on multiple individuals. There was increased attention on the part of behavioral researchers to develop statistical methods for analysis of within subject data and continued efforts to aggregate findings across studies through evaluative reviews and meta-analyses. Findings support continued utility of functional analysis for guiding individualized interventions and for classifying problem behavior. Modifications designed to make functional analysis more efficient relative to the standard method of functional analysis were reported; however, these require further validation. Larger scale studies on behavioral assessment and treatment procedures provided additional empirical support for effectiveness of these approaches and their sustainability outside controlled clinical settings.

Acceptability of Functional Behavioral Assessment Procedures to Special Educators and School Psychologists

This survey study assessed the acceptability of a variety of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) procedures (i.e., functional assessment interviews, rating scales/questionnaires, systematic direct observations, functional analysis manipulations) to a national sample of 123 special educators and a state sample of 140 school psychologists. Results indicated that special educators and school psychologists reported generally positive perceptions regarding their willingness to participate in, the appropriateness of, the usefulness of, and the feasibility of the FBA procedures. Special educators were significantly more likely to endorse the use of systematic direct observation and functional analysis manipulation strategies than school psychologists, although no differences were found regarding the social desirability of FBA procedures for individuals exhibiting mild and severe problem behaviors. School psychologists were also more likely than special educators to express concerns about the amount of time that can be entailed in FBA procedures. We discuss implications for practice and future research.

Examining the Efficacy of a Basic Functional Behavioral Assessment Training Package for School Personnel

This study evaluated the effects of manualized training in “Basic” functional behavioral assessment (FBA) for typical school professionals on the ability of these professionals to complete technically adequate FBAs. Twelve school professionals participated in four 1-hr training sessions using the Basic FBA training handbook. After documenting knowledge competencies, 10 of the 12 professionals each completed a formal FBA with a student from their school. The technical adequacy of these 10 FBAs was assessed with functional analyses. Results from the 10 functional analyses confirmed that all 10 school professionals accurately identified the antecedents and consequences controlling student problem behavior. The efficiency and social validity of the Basic FBA training process was also investigated. These preliminary findings suggest a role for behavior specialists to train typical school personnel in Basic FBA procedures. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are presented.

Young Children With Challenging Behavior

Using the five intervention elements described by Dunlap et al. (2006) as a guide, the authors of this article reviewed the functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and function-based intervention research of the past 17 years (1990-2007), focusing on a component analysis of FBA and function-based intervention procedures. Thirty-five studies were coded for FBA procedures, intervention procedures, routines and activities targeted for FBA or intervention maintenance, and generalization. Findings indicate that young children with challenging behavior have benefited from FBA and function-based interventions. However, despite identification of recommended FBA and function-based intervention practices (Dunlap et al., 2006), a variety of procedures were used, many lacking these important elements. More than half of the studies used analogue testing in a non-natural setting rather than testing the hypothesis in the natural environment. A limited number of studies included teachers and parents in the entire FBA and intervention process. Future directions are discussed.

District-Level Administrators’ Perspectives on the Implementation of Functional Behavior Assessment in Schools

Since the reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; 1997) through the current reauthorization (IDEA 2004), disciplinary procedures and functional behavioral assessment (FBA) have been widely used in school districts to assist in the prevention and amelioration of problem behaviors. Although researchers have documented the effectiveness of FBA strategies in identifying environmental factors that contribute to and maintain problem behavior, less is known about how personnel in school districts are actually using FBA procedures. This survey examined district-level administrators’ perspectives regarding their district's use of FBA procedures across two southern states (Florida and South Carolina). Major findings indicate that conducting FBA procedures was mostly useful for dealing with chronic problem behavior, followed by verbal aggression and physical aggression. The FBA procedures were least useful in dealing with drug-related behaviors, weapon-related behaviors, and truancy. However, respondents indicated that chronic behaviors and verbal aggression were more likely to result in an FBA if they occurred at the high-intensity and moderate-intensity level, respectively, whereas physical aggression was more likely to lead to the initiation of an FBA at the low-intensity level. Also, respondents indicated that they were likely to use indirect FBA strategies, rather than direct measures, and to use a team of professionals when conducting FBA. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Increasing the On-Task Homework Behavior of Youth With Behavior Disorders Using Functional Behavioral Assessment

Research has shown a positive correlation between time spent on homework and learning. However, students often engage in off-task behaviors to escape the demands of homework. Youth with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) are especially likely to engage in off-task behaviors. Effective interventions to increase on-task behavior during homework are needed to increase students' academic success. Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) procedures may be helpful for intervention planning; however, there has been limited research on use of FBA with youth with EBD experiencing poor academic performance or task completion problems. In the current study, FBA methods were used to identify the contingencies maintaining the off-task behavior of four youth with behavior problems. Effects of interventions based on functional hypotheses were compared to the effects of interventions not linked to such hypotheses. Discussion focuses on utility of FBA procedures for developing and implementing effective interventions for youth with EBD.

Agreement of Functional Behavioral Assessment and Analysis Methods with Students with EBD

Recent years have seen a steady increase in empirical studies of the application of functional behavioral assessment procedures with students with EBD. However, many questions remain concerning efficacy and validity with this population. The present study involves the application of several indirect and direct functional behavioral assessment procedures (e.g., questionnaires, direct observation, analog analyses) with 20 students identified as having EBD. The results of the different methods were compared via descriptive and statistical analyses and indicated that although there was some agreement between certain categories of assessment methods, the indirect methods generally demonstrated poor agreement with the results of the functional analyses. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Functional behavioral assessment and intervention with emotional/behaviorally disordered students: In pursuit of state of the art.

Abstract The application of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) procedures for the purposes of developing interventions for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD) has received considerable attention since the 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The purpose of this paper is to review the literature addressing the use of FBA with E/BD students in school settings and to discuss implications for a state of the art model that integrates empirically supported procedures with promising practices to be implemented within the ecology of current educational systems. Key Words: Functional behavioral assessment, functional assessment, functional analysis, indirect assessment, direct assessment, emotional disorders, behavioral disorders, descriptive analysis ********** Since the 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), schools have been required to conduct functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) and develop positive behavioral support plans for students with disabilities who were exhibiting challenging behaviors that interfered with their learning or the learning of others. Additionally, cumulative suspensions equaling or exceeding ten days within a school year were considered a change in placement and required the IEP team to conduct the FBA within ten days of the change in placement for those students if a behavior support plan was not in place at the time of the infraction. The 2004 revision of IDEA, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, softened the FBA requirements to include only those students whose disciplinary infractions are manifestations of their handicapping condition. While the 1997 legislation did require the use of FBA for students exhibiting significant behavioral difficulties, it did not specify procedures or techniques to assess behavior for the purpose of determining function, thus no gold standard that details how to implement the mandate existed in 1997 and still does not exist. Some authors argue that the legislation was passed prior to the field having adequate empirical literature to demonstrate the use of these procedures with this population. In a review of 97 studies including 458 participants, Nelson, Roberts, Mathur, & Rutherford (1999) concluded that the research base on FBA with all populations was just emerging at the time of the mandate. To comply with the legislation, school districts throughout the country were forced to establish FBA procedures and identify or prepare personnel who could conduct FBAs and prescribe behavioral support plans based on those assessments. School districts essentially had two choices: develop professional expertise in functional assessment for their school personnel, or secure the services of behavior analysts. Much of the initial efforts aimed at conducting school based FBA modeled the type of applied behavior analysis typically reported in studies in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis with subjects with developmental disabilities (DD) (Gresham, 2003). Implemented practices in the schools relied less on research than on the cottage industry of FBA that grew out of legal necessity (Sasso, Conroy, Sticher and Fox, 2001). Increasingly then, developing forms of FBA and function guided behavioral intervention were proposed and evaluated in the research with greater rigor. At the same time, legal analysis of case law emerging since IDEA 1997 provided support for many aspects of what experts in the area would consider best practices. Etscheidt (2006) reviewed all cases from 1997 to present in which the development of a behavior intervention plan was the subject of the appeal. Several themes emerged from this review including the notion that, in students with IDEA eligibilities, behavior plans that include positive behavioral supports must be developed when behavioral needs are evident and the child's learning (or the learning of others) is impacted. …

School Counselors’ Knowledge of Functional Behavioral Assessments

A functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is one of the tools used by school personnel for providing a fair educational experience for students in special education programs. Although several school counselors are expected to participate in school-level FBA teams, questions arise as to their level of awareness, training, and beliefs regarding FBA procedures and practices. For this study, practicing school counselors were surveyed in order to determine their awareness, knowledge, and role in the FBA process.

A Comparison of Results and Acceptability of Functional Behavioral Assessment Procedures with a Group of Middle School Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders (E/BD)

There is currently controversy over the validity and applicability of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) procedures with students with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD). A set of FBA procedures, including teacher and student interviews and direct classroom observations, were carried out with eight students with disabilities (7 classified E/BD, one classified LD). Results indicated that when all three methods (teacher/student interviews, classroom observations) yielded a ranking for a function they agreed 64% of those occasions. For those situations in which there was overall disagreement there was agreement between teacher interview and classroom observations most of the time. Social validity data indicated that both students and teachers felt that the assessment procedures were a useful and productive process.

Relevance of functional behavioral assessment research for school-based interventions and positive behavioral support

The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 mandate the use of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and positive behavioral supports and interventions for students with disabilities. Although much progress has been made in our understanding of functional analysis over the past 15 years, the extent to which these findings can be generalized across clients, methods, settings, and response classes is unknown. This article reviewed 150 school-based intervention studies conducted with children published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis from 1991 to 1999. Fifty-two percent of these intervention studies did not report using FBA information linked to the intervention. Interventions based on descriptive, experimental, or combined FBA procedures were no more effective than interventions in which no FBA information was provided. With respect to positive behavioral support, over half of the studies targeted appropriate behaviors with two-thirds of them using a combination of antecedent- and consequence-based interventions. Recommendations are made for conducting fundamental research on reliability and validity issues in FBA and determining when, how, and under what conditions FBA procedures are most appropriate.

Establishing the Technical Adequacy of Functional Behavioral Assessment: Conceptual and Measurement Challenges

Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is being used increasingly in schools as a potentially effective means of matching intervention strategies to behavioral function. The unqualified use of FBA often is driven more by legal and policy decisions than by sound empirical data dictating its efficacy in all cases. Two fundamental questions have not been adequately answered by the FBA literature: (a) Are interventions matched to the operant function of behavior more effective than interventions not matched to the function of behavior? and (b) Can researchers and practitioners determine behavioral function reliably and accurately? The author presents conceptual and measurement challenges surrounding the use of FBA in school settings, as well as evidence for the technical adequacy of FBA procedures in terms of reliability and validity. The research to date has not marshaled adequate empirical evidence for the reliability of determining behavioral function, investigation of the conditions under which behavioral function is stable or unstable over time, the convergent validity of indirect and direct FBA methods, validity generalization, decision validity, and social validity of FBA. Finally there is insufficient empirical evidence to suggest that interventions matched to behavioral function are more effective than behavioral interventions not based on an FBA. Future research agendas and strategies are discussed to improve the technical adequacy of FBA in school settings for students with emotional or behavioral disorders.

Curriculum-Based Assessment Procedures Embedded within Functional Behavioral Assessments: Identifying Escape-Motivated Behaviors in a General Education Classroom

The purpose of this study was to examine whether curriculum-based assessment (CBA) procedures could be incorporated into a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) to identify antecedent events that occasion off-task classroom behaviors of students in a general education classroom. A multi-element design was used to conduct a two-phase FBA and monitor changes in off-task behavior of 3 male students in the classroom. Phase 1 consisted of a teacher interview, an academic assessment, and a descriptive analysis. Phase 2 consisted of an antecedent manipulation phase in which the difficulty level of academic activities was systematically manipulated to determine events that may elicit the off-task classroom behaviors for each student. The present study builds upon the FBA and functional analysis literature in two ways. First, this study examined the use of CBA procedures to identify antecedent events related to off-task classroom behaviors, given the assumption that these behaviors were motivated by escape from academic activities that were too difficult relative to students' skill levels. Second, this study examined the use of FBA in a general education classroom rather than analogue or clinic-based school settings in which these procedures frequently have been employed. Third, their use was examined with general education students who were experiencing problem behaviors rather than with special education students for whom FBA procedures are often implemented.