Functional Behavior Assessments
What is a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)?
An FBA is an assessment to determine the root cause of a behavior. They can involve interviewing caregivers, teachers, peers and event the client; indirect assessments such as checklists or surveys; observations; data collection and/or direct assessment via functional analysis (FA).
Historically, FBAs have yielded 4 functions:
Escape from demands
Attention from peers and/or adults
Access to tangible items
Sensory, also known as automatic reinforcement
Some FBAs may continue to use this language, however, as behavior analysis has progressed, it is clear that more nuance is needed. For instance, no one tries to escape from every demand. In those instances, knowing what demands precede the behavior is important. It’s also important to know more about the environment: does it depend on how much is going on when the demand is present? Thinking about this example as well, there needs to be consideration for ability too. Imagine being asked to do something all the time that was really hard for you, and not having the language to get out of it. If you have a BCBA who is using simplified language to describe the root of the behavior issue, ask more questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification and nuance - it is necessary to your understanding, and to your child’s progress.
Who conducts an FBA?
Statutes and regulations do not designate the type of provider. However, an FBA is in the scope and sequence of a behavior analyst. There is a national certifying body for behavior analysis, and those with that certification are more commonly known as Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). 33 states currently have state licensure regulations, which designate the scope and sequence of practice for behavior analysts.
If your school district has any other provider conduct an FBA, our recommendation is to raise concern. Similar to how a teacher would not assess for oral motor deficits, why has it become acceptable for non-trained professionals to conduct behavioral assessments? An OT, PT, psychologist, social worker or SLP are not trained in the most up-to-date FBA procedures, and behavioral assessment is almost always outside of the scope of their jobs, even if they say it isn’t.
When is an FBA warranted?
In a school setting, an FBA is done under the following circumstances:
When a behavior is disruptive to the student’s learning or the learning of others
Following a manifestation determination meeting where the behavior in question has been determined to be a function of the student’s disability
These are pretty narrow options. If you suspect that your child has a behavioral issue that is impeding in their ability to learn, you want to put a request for an FBA in writing to your district.
In the ABA world, FBAs are done pretty readily, even if a behavior is not causing an overt disruptive issue. Often times it can be the covert, underlying issues that can be holding up progress or causing other issues to occur. Careful evaluation, even if a behavior is not causing an uproar is paramount to a child’s success.
Also in general, if a behavior is not interfering in your child’s progress, and it is not unsafe, consider whether it needs to be assessed. For example, if a child uses echolalia to process what is being spoken to them, addressing the echolalia may inhibit progress rather than promote it. As a note, that is also a developmental step that many children take, and it is common for older children with developmental delays to have residual echolalia to support auditory processing.
What to expect with a (good) FBA:
A good FBA will be a multi-faceted evaluation. You want multiple sources of information to understand the full picture from all angles. Some options that you may see:
Interviews: The BCBA may interview you, teachers, related service providers, other professionals who work with the child, and even the child themselves to gain more information about what is going on
Surveys: There are some formalized surveys that the BCBA may distribute to those familiar with the child. There are mixed results with the surveys based on research, as the questions can be leading. In instances where there is already a plan in place, the answers may also be inaccurate/sway the results.
ABC data: ABC data refers to antecedent-behavior-consequence data, which looks at what is happening before a behavior occurs and immediately after. This information can give the BCBA more insight into potential triggers (“antecedents”) as well as what consequences the student may be seeking after the behavior occurs. This data can usually be coded and graphed to provide information in a more visually appealing way.
Data about the behavior: The BCBA may collect data solely on the behavior: how often it occurs, how long it lasts, how many times a day/session it occurs etc. They may also collect scatterplot data to determine if the behavior happens more often during one part of the day.
Functional analysis: An FA uses direct assessment of the behavior to determine the function. Essentially, the BCBA will manipulate the environment to try to get the behavior to occur. FAs can be the fastest way to determine the function of the behavior, but for more serious or dangerous behaviors, they may be unethical. An additional consent form should be given before any BCBA conducts an FA, in order to ensure that a parent understands the potential risks. It is possible that the behavior can increase as a result of the FA. It is also possible that other behaviors may emerge. This is least often used in practice, although it can be the most efficient way to determine the function.
A BCBA will likely not use all of these measures, but will pick and choose a few to pull the information together. Once the assessment is complete, the parent should be able to understand when the behavior is occurring, and why the behavior is occurring.
The next step is what to do about the behavior, and how to make the environment more conducive to success, which we’ll address when we cover behavior intervention plans!
