the role of functional behavior assessment in behavioral intervention
DESCRIPTION
Or, is this how it goes? problem behavior school discipline more or less problem behaviorTRANSCRIPT
The Role of Functional Behavior Assessment in
Behavioral Intervention
Is this how it goes, usually?
FBA
BIP
Reduction in problem behavior
Or, is this how it goes?
problem behavior
school discipline
more or less problem behavior
Or is this how it goes?
problem behavior
incentives for no problem
behavior
more or less problem behavior
When we try discipline or incentives to change behavior, even when behavior seems to improve, do we understand the reason the problem behavior occurred in the first place?
What do we learn about the student from the process of applying interventions when we don’t understand the function of the behavior?
The method a behavior analyst uses:
Reinforce the socially appropriate behaviors, not the problem behaviors.
Help the person to develop socially appropriate behaviors to meet needs.
Understand the reasons a person is behaving the way he/she is.FBA
ReinforcementP or N
BIPcontrol R
Schedule R Differentially apply R
Technical Jargon
• Positive or Negative Reinforcement
• Differential Reinforcement
• Schedule of Reinforcement
What does an FBA do?
FBA
Reinforcement?
Positive? Negative?
What does a BIP do?
BIP
Control Reinforcement
Differentially Schedule
the role of reinforcement
Positive = addition of stimulus
Negative = removal of stimulus
Examples:
You sit quietly in your seat while your classmates passes out her birthday treats.
Example
You pinch your nose and groan that you hate broccoli!
Example
You raise your hand to ask for a turn.
Example
You crack a joke in the middle of a lesson.
Determine the function, then intervene.
If the behavior functions for obtaining or gaining something, then change something so that behavior can no longer function that way.
If the behavior functions for avoiding or escaping something, then change something so that behavior can no longer function that way.
Possible Functions of Behavior
Reinforcement
Gain/Obtain
pleasant conditions
objects, food, activities,
sensations
social attention
Escape/Avoid
unpleasant conditions
objects, food, activities, sensations
social attention
Behavior Plans
Control reinforcement
differentially schedule
Discipline without FBA
• Error corrections or reprimands could be increasing behavior because they are functioning as attention and the attention reinforces the behavior.
• Time-out procedures could be increasing behavior because they are functioning as removing aversive or unpleasant conditions, which reinforces the behavior.
4:1 Ratio
Differential – gives more attention to the behaviors we want from students and gives less attention to the behaviors we do not want from students.
Schedule – make a plan to use the ratio or you could give too little reinforcement or none to the behaviors you want to see
FBA & BIP
The FBA reveals the reason the behavior occurs again and again.
The intervention takes the reason into account.
Example
Why is the boy throwing the airplane?
Attention?
4:1 ratio might work. When all students are reinforced first for the behaviors the teacher wants to see, students who demonstrate these behaviors get more attention.
This student may need more attention still…or…
Escape or Avoid
Perhaps the student gets out of tasks he does not enjoy.
He gets sent to time-out in the corner or the hallway or to the principal’s office, for example, instead of doing math.
Behavioral InterventionHe may need a variety of treatments.
Modified work expectations (i.e., make it easier or reduce the demands).
To be taught a replacement behavior such as how to ask for help or ask for a break.
Incentives for completing the work (e.g, behavior contract &/or token system).
Prompting or pre-correction for the correct behavior. Not allowed to escape work by demonstrating problem
behaviors. Response cost (e.g., loss of privileges or tokens upon
demonstrating problem behaviors).
Summary
The behavioral intervention may include disciplinary consequences and incentives, only the plan for the use of either of these types of interventions are individualized, in other words, based on the function of the student’s behavior.
Therefore, the behavioral intervention plan is based on understanding the student’s individual needs.