POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS: Functional Behavior Assessment July 26, 2006

1
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORTSFunctional Behavior
AssessmentJuly 26, 2006

• Delaware PBS InitiativeDelaware Department of
  EducationUniversity of Delaware Center for
  Disabilities StudiesDeveloped in part with
  material from the Illinois PBIS Network

2
Meeting Norms

• Breaks Group and Individual
• Reinforcers Party Manners
• Response Procedures
• Other Group Preferences
• Conference Code
• Multi-task Resources
• Materials Review

3
As a result of this FBA Workshop, we will Know,
Understand, and Do

• Know
• The purpose of a Functional Behavior Assessment
  is to determine the function of the behavior.
• The FBA hypothesis statements should include
  antecedents, problem behavior and the function of
  behavior.
• Collaboration with families and professionals is
  a key component of an effective FBA process.
• Understand
• Determining the function of behavior is critical
  to supporting behavioral change.
• There are multiple methods of gathering
  assessment information.
• Do
• Collaborate with a team to complete an FBA using
  the Initial Line of Inquiry.
• Determine data collection methods for specific
  behaviors.
• Develop behavioral hypotheses using the Initial
  Line of Inquiry

4
The Continuum of Behavior Support
Students with chronic/intense behavior problems
(1-7)
Students at risk for problem behaviors (5-15).
Specialized group interventions/setting specific
systems
Students without serious behavior problems
(80-90)
All Students in the School
5
Effective Behavior Support in Schools
School-wide Systems
Setting Specific Systems
Classroom systems
Individual Systems
From RTC on Positive Behavior Support, 1995
6
Designing School-Wide Systems for Student Success
1-5
1-5
5-10
5-10
80-90
80-90
7
Could the behavior be a result of an academic
need or an instructional frustration?

• Is the instruction explicit, systematic, focused?
  Is it lively and engaging?
• Is progress monitored frequently?
• Are research-based interventions and
  instructional supports matched to student needs?
• Is on-going assessment of student performance
  occurring?

Student
MatchSuccess
Task Environment
Instruction
Adapted from University of Maryland IC Lab
8
What percentage of behavior concerns after
assessment are found to have an underlying
academic concern?
9

• 80 of behavioral cases have an academic
  underpinning

The Laboratory for Instructional Consultation
Teams, University of Maryland, presented in
Delaware IST Training, March 1st, 2006
10
Steps of the Planning Process

• Conduct a functional behavioral assessment
  gather information (data) about behavior(s) of
  concern.
• Formulate specific and global hypotheses.
• Design and implement the behavioral support plan.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the plan.
• Modify the plan as needed.

11
Individual Student Support System

• Through a collaborative approach, a team conducts
  a Functional Behavior Assessment and designs an
  Individualized Behavior Support Plan to assist
  students with
• improving social, academic, and general
  skills,
• decreasing problem behaviors, and
• generalizing the appropriate behaviors
  into other environments.

12
Individual StudentPositive Behavior Support

• Functional Behavior Assessment
• Is based upon a collaborative approach,
• Defines the problem behavior operationally,
• Gathers information to develop hypotheses,
• Leads to Behavior Support Plan that results in
• Improvement in social and other skills,
• Decreases in problem behavior, and
• Maintenance and generalization.

13
Goal of Functional Behavioral Assessment

• To explain a persons behavior in terms of
• The individuals strengths and interests
• Events that serve to trigger the behavior
• The events that serve as pay offs
• The underlying needs the behavior meets

14
Guiding Principles

• 1. Positive behavioral support is grounded in
  person-centered values.
• 2. All behaviors are learned.
• 3. Behaviors are related to the context, i.e.
  people, activities, and environment in which they
  occur.
• 4. Problem behaviors serve some function or
  purpose for the student.
• 5. Effective support plans are based on a
  thorough understanding of the students
  strengths, social contexts, and the function of
  the problem behavior.

15
Why Conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment?

• Success rates are higher when intervention is
  based on prior functional assessment
• FBA is required by Law in some cases
• Element of using Positive Behavior Support
• Widely applicable to students with
• challenging behavior

16
Special Education Requirements

• FBA BSP may be required when Students w/ IEPs.
• ?- demonstrate a pattern of behavior that
  interferes with learning or behavior is an area
  of need on IEP
• ?- have a classification or student profile
  (e.g. ED) and a FBA/BSP would help inform
  development of IEP goals/ objectives to support
  emotional behavior needs
• FBA BSP are required when Students w/ IEPs.
• ? reach 10 days suspension Manifestation
  Determination indicates the behavior is related
  to disability
• ? are under consideration for a change of
  placement due to behavior problems. Team would
  conduct FBA/BSP so that behavior supports can be
  implemented prior to considering change
  (exception FBA BSP can be developed after
  removal to an Interim Alternative Educational
  Setting for weapons or drug offenses)

17
All Students are Angels

• Some studentsmight have crooked halos, but
  they deserve a chance to spread their wings and
  show what they can do.
• Headmaster Lavina Smith of Sarah Pyle Academy as
  quoted in The News Journal, June 10, 2006.

18
Engaging Families Students

• Explain FBA/BSP process to parents/caretakers and
  youth
• Set expectations everyone should know the rules
• Engaged families are more supportive and can
  reinforce the plan

19
What Parents Want

• Parents want their children to
• be safe
• be healthy
• be happy
• be successful
• have a better life
• feel good about themselves

20
Ways to Engage Parents

• Phone interviews/meetings
• Send FACTS checklist home
• Home or workplace meeting
• Email

21
Basic Steps of an FBA

• Gather specific and broad contextual information
• - Strengths of student family
• - Define behaviors of concern
• - Determine when behavior is or is not likely to
  happen
• - Determine what happens before behavior occurs
• - Determine what happens after behavior occurs
• Develop specific and global hypotheses

22
Part One of the Initial Line of Inquiry (FBA)
Students Strengths
Participants
23
Setting the Tone through Strengths-Based Approach

• Build on unique talents and abilities
• Developing strengths results in more positive
  change than trying to repair flaws
• Create interventions from strengths
• Parents youth feel empowered
• Buckingham, M Clifton D. (2001). Now,
  discover your strengths.
• New York The Free Press.

24
Strategies for Eliciting Strengths

• Incorporate information from Person-Centered
  Planning
• Use guiding questions
• Positively reframe student behaviors
• Use a strength discovery tool

25
Specific InformationAbout the behaviors of
concern

• Describe the behaviors in observable terms
• Prioritize behaviors
• Establish a way to measure the behaviors

26
Activity

• As a team, review each behavior and record on
  handout whether it is observable or not
  observable.
• If not, rewrite the behavior in observable terms.

27
Observable or Non-Observable?

• Disrupts class
• Talks out
• Is depressed
• Aggressive
• Leaves classroom
• Inappropriate sexual conduct
• Sticks foot into aisle
• Disrespectful

• Rude behavior
• Throws paper
• Terrorizes others
• Refuses to work
• Uses f word
• Annoys teacher
• Sleeps in class
• Off task behavior
• Defiant

28
Observation Measurement

• When to measure
• Before (baseline) and during
• Continuous or sampling
• What to measure
• Common dimensions (frequency, duration)
• Other dimensions (quality, intensity, latency)
• How to measure
• Interval
• Continuous
• Permanent Product

29
(No Transcript)
30
Methods of Measuring Behavior

• Frequency recording a behavior each time you
  see it happening (counting)
• Interval breaking the observation period into
  intervals of time and recording at the end of
  each interval whether or not the behavior
  occurred during the entire interval
• Partial Interval breaking the observation
  period into intervals and recording if the
  behavior occurred at all during that interval
• Duration recording the length of time a
  behavior occurs

31
Baseline Measure

• Period of time during which a behavior is
  observed and measured
• Prior to any intervention

32
Fast Triggers Specific Information

• Whats happening before the behavior occurs
• Be specific - analyze
• Look for patterns - synthesize
• Look at what does NOT trigger the problem (when
  is the student happiest or most cooperative ?)

33
Slow Triggers (Broad Contextual
Information)What do you need to know about the
student?

• Likes, dislikes, hopes, fears
• Strengths, abilities, skills
• Important relationships
• Skill Needs
  (communication, social skills or academic areas)
• Daily routines and activities
• Medical issues or home concerns

34
How to Determine Slow Triggers(Broad Contextual
Information)

• Person - Centered Planning
• Interviews (family, student, staff)
• Team discussion
• Record review
• Specific skill assessments
• Academic success and concerns

35
Could the behavior be a result of an academic
need or an instructional frustration?

• Is the instruction explicit, systematic, focused?
  Is it lively and engaging?
• Is progress monitored frequently?
• Are research-based interventions and
  instructional supports matched to student needs?
• Is on-going assessment of student performance
  occurring?

Student
MatchSuccess
Task Environment
Instruction
Adapted from University of Maryland IC Lab
36
Actual Consequences

• Begin with planned responses (reprimands or
  other punishments)
• Consider other changes in the environment (peer
  reactions, activity)
• Determine what occurs when student is sent out of
  class, e.g. time out, intervention room, or office

37
Perceived Function

• Speculation to pay off
• What does the student get/avoid for engaging in
  the problem behavior
• What needs are the behavior(s) meeting?

38
Perceived Function(Possible Motivations of
behavior)

• Obtain adult attention
• Obtain peer attention
• Obtain objects/items
• Obtain sensory stimulation
• Obtain control

• Avoid tasks/activities
• Avoid work
• Avoid peers
• Avoid adults
• Avoid pain or discomfort
• Avoid punishment

39
Develop HypothesesSpecific Hypotheses

• Describe the triggers
• Describe behavior
• Describe what you believe is the function of that
  behavior under those conditions

40
Specific Hypothesis

• When this happens
• _______ does this..
• In order to (obtain or avoid).

41
Develop HypothesesGlobal Hypotheses

• Begin with students strengths and interests
• Focus on slow triggers and other broad contextual
  information
• Consider relationships between problem behaviors
  and some basic life stresses or circumstances

42
Strengths-based Global Hypotheses

• _______ is a young person who enjoysand is
  interested or successful in..
• ______ might benefit from ..

43
Positive Behavior Support Plan (Behavior
Intervention Plan)   Name _______________________
________ Date _________   Behavior(s)
to be targeted (state in specific, observable
and objective terms) ____________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
_________   Specific Hypothesis
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
_____________________________________   Global
Hypothesis ______________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
_______   IEP Date _______ Strategies/Supports/
Interventions described ___ Under
accommodations/services/supports ___ In
goals/objectives ___ Below  
44
Design a Behavior Support PlanFollowing the
Pathway

• Effective Behavior Support Plans
• Behavior support is the redesign of environments,
  NOT the redesign of the individual.
• Make the environment effective for this kid.
• Positive Behavior Support plans define changes in
  the behavior of those who will implement the
  plan.
• BSPs describe what WE will do differently.

45
Build a Competing Behavior Pathway

• Behavior Support Plans are only as effective as
  our understanding of the context of the problem
  behavior.
• Therefore
• Invest the time it takes, for each child, to
  build a precise hypothesis statement.
• To be effective, Behavior Support Plans must
  include specific components that PROMOTE positive
  behavior and DETER problem behavior.

46
Build a Competing Behavior Pathway
Maintaining Consequence
Desired Behavior
Setting Event
Triggering Antecedent
Maintaining Consequence
Problem Behavior
Replacement Behavior
47
Build a Competing Behavior Pathway
Completes task
Difficult AM routine Or trouble sleeping the
night before
Asked to do fine motor task alone for more than
15 minutes
Gets to participate in group activity
Plays with materials in desk/makes noises
Delays completing assignment gets teacher or
peer to assist with work
Raises hand and asks for help or break
48
(No Transcript)
49
What have we come to Know, Understand, Do?

• What we Know
• The purpose of a Functional Behavior Assessment
  is to determine the function of the behavior.
• The FBA hypothesis statements should include
  antecedents, problem behavior and the function of
  behavior.
• Collaboration with families and professionals is
  a key component of an effective FBA process.
• What we Understand
• Determining the function of behavior is critical
  to supporting behavioral change.
• There are multiple methods of gathering
  assessment information.
• What we have Done
• Collaborated with a team to complete an FBA using
  the Initial Line of Inquiry.
• Determine data collection methods for specific
  behaviors.
• Developed behavioral hypotheses using the Initial
  Line of Inquiry.

50
Lets reflect

• What do you value about what you learned today?
• Please share one or two thoughts with the group!

51
Web Resources

• Delaware Websites www.delawarepbs.org www.doe.
  state.de.us
• National Resources http//flpbs.fmhi.usf.edu/res
  ources_indstudents.asp - Select Facilitators
  Guide http//www.specialconnections.ku.edu -
  Select Behavior Support Plans www.PBIS.org
• Special Connections (http//www.specialconnections
  .ku.edu)