Why is he doing this Understanding Student Behavior

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Why is he doing this? Understanding Student
Behavior

• Richard Van Acker, Ed.D.
• University of Illinois at Chicago
• College of Education (M/C 147)
• 1040 W. Harrison
• Chicago, Illinois 60607
• vanacker_at_uic.edu

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Factors that influence behavior

• Biological Factors (innate drives, genetic
  predisposition, specific biochemical or
  neurological issues).
• Family Factors (coercive parenting, parental
  illness or mental health issues)
• Societal Factors (poverty, culture)
• School Factors (Failure, coercive discipline,
  frustration and anxiety)
• Media Factors (TV and video game violence,
  generational interaction)
• Learning (modeling, direct instruction)

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Generally schools employ coercive approaches to
address challenging behavior

• Verbal reprimand
• Embarrassment
• Loss of privileges
• Extra work
• Detention
• Restraint
• Seclusion
• Suspension
• Expulsion

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What we hope to accomplish today

• Explore the process of conducting an adequate
  Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA).
• Various levels of the FBA
• Operational definition of the target behavior(s)
• Hypothesis generation
• Hypothesis testing (data collection and analysis)
• Identification of key antecedents and
  consequences that serve to occasion and/or
  maintain a target behavior
• Verification of the function of a target behavior

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A Functional Behavioral Assessment

• ..is a systematic collection and analysis of data
  that will vary in length, scope and complexity
  depending on the severity and clarity of the
  students behavior
• seeks to identify patterns in the students
  behavior and the purpose or function of the
  behavior for the student.
• explores to social context surrounding the
  behavior to see how the context may serve to
  support the display of the target behavior.
• serves to inform the development of the Behavior
  Intervention Plan (BIP)

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The 1997 Amendments to IDEA call for
individualized Behavior Intervention Plans

• When a student with disabilities displays
  behavior that may interfere with his or her
  learning or that of others.
• When a students behavior threatens to result in
  a disciplinary change of program (e.g., more than
  10 days of suspension in a given year or removal
  to an Interim Alternative Educational Setting)

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Questions typically addressed

• What is the specific nature of the behavior being
  displayed (or failing to be displayed)?
• How often does the target behavior occur how
  long does it last?
• Where does the behavior typically occur?
• Who is present for the occurrence/non- occurrence
  of the behavior?
• What is going on during the occurrence/non-occurre
  nce of the behavior?
• When is the behavior most/least likely to occur?
• What are the common consequences for the
  behavior?
• How does the students react to the usual
  consequences that follow the behavior?

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The Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) is to be
informed by a Functional Assessment of the
Students Behavior

• Select and define target behavior.
• Develop a hypothesis as to the function of the
  behavior.
• Collect data -
• Indirect data collection
• Direct data collection
• Validate the function and key context variables
  related to the behavior
• Triangulation of data
• Functional analysis
• Develop the Behavior Intervention Plan

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Levels of FBA Complexity
Horner Sugai (2007)
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Schools were not prepared for IDEA 97

• Lack of personnel trained to conduct FBA and to
  develop adequate BIPs.
• The process does not coincide with the current
  disciplinary philosophies of many educators and
  administrators
• Lack of time.
• To complete,
• To implement, and
• To evaluate

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Questionable Scientific Merit to FBA Process

• Lack of validity and reliability in the measures
  being used.
• Process and procedures not empirically validated
  on the populations and/or behaviors for which
  they are being mandated.
• Questions as to the impact of the FBA on the
  effectiveness and efficiency of the interventions
  developed.

(Gresham, Quinn, Restori, 1999 Nelson,
Roberts, Mathur Rutherford, 1999)
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Schools have not fared well in recent litigation

• Schools often fail to conduct FBAs when required
  to do so.
• When FBAs are completed, they are often found to
  be inadequate
• BIPs are often not completed when required
• BIPs, when completed, are often inadequate.
• BIPs are poorly implemented.

(Smith, 1999)
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Failure of school personnel to understand the
complex nature of behavior
Disability
Habit
Needs and Desires
Culture
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How might we typically address the following
behavior?

• Brian is a third grade student.
• He has a mild learning disability.
• He lives with his mother and three brothers -
  father has died.
• Mother works a minimum wage job.
• Brian loves pens and pencils

When the bell rings for lunch- Brian races out of
the room.
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The Functional Assessment of Behavior

• The identification of the target behavior
• An informed hypothesis as to function of the
  behavior
• Data collection
• Indirect data collection
• Direct data collection
• Verification -
• Triangulation of data
• Functional analysis of behavior
• Developing the behavior intervention plan
• Program to decrease undesired behavior
• Program to increase desired alternative behavior
• Monitoring the implementation and evaluation

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Behavior Problems can Occur for many different
reasons

• Knowledge deficits
• Does not know what is expected
• Not enough practice of skill
• Has not learned to generalize skill
• To communicate intent - if language impaired
• Indicate physical discomfort
• Indicate frustration or need for help
• Sensory/Perceptual Needs
• Stereotypic or self-injurious
• Sensory input needs
• Attention

• Escape
• Tangible reward
• Peer Affiliation
• Justice or Revenge

(Modified from Neal Cessna, 1993)
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Consider the Various Aspects of the Target
Behavior
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Selecting the Target Behavior

• Few students only present one challenging
  behavior.
• You must decide which behavior(s) you want to
  address.
• Develop an operational definition for each target
  behavior.
• Observable
• Measurable
• Develop a response definition if needed.
  (Provides a count of one.)

• Write an operational definition for
• In seat behavior
• Talk out
• Aggression

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Talk out

• A verbal or vocal behavior that is displayed
  during an instructional period without first
  seeking and obtaining permission from the teacher
  (or other adult in charge) to speak or vocalize.
• The student is said to have displayed one talk
  out regardless of the number of comments or
  words/sounds displayed so long as there is no
  more than a 30 second gap between responses.

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Target Behaviors

• Are student specific and typically focus on the
  critical dimensions of the problem behavior
• Frequency
• Duration
• Latency
• Intensity/Magnitude
• Locus
• Topography

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Selection of a Data Collection System

• Archival or Record Review
• Previous discipline contacts
• Previous referrals for special services
• Review of Permanent Products
• Error analysis of student work
• Behavior Ratings or Checklists
• ADHD Scales
• Sociometric nominations/ratings
• Child Behavior Checklist
• Adaptive Behavior Scales
• Task Analysis Checklists
• Standardized Tests
• ISAT
• ITBS
• CAT

• Norm Referenced Tests
• Curriculum Based Measurement
• Teacher-made tests/probes
• Naturalistic Observation
• Non-systematic observation
• Anecdotal Records
• ABC Analysis of Behavior
• Systematic Observation
• BEAST-R
• Event Recording
• Duration Recording
• Latency Recording
• Time Sampling/Interval Recording
• Interviews
• Student
• Parents
• Teachers
• Peers
• Other Significant Adults

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Anecdotal Records
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Antecedent-Response-Consequence
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Error Analysis of Student Work

• 23 19 13 25 12
• 14 13 64 26
  93
• 37 212 77
  411 105
• What seems to be the problem?

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Interval Recording Strategies
Divide the observation session into reasonable
intervals and record the occurrence or
non-occurrence of the target behavior within the
interval. Whole interval the student displays
the target behavior throughout the entire
interval. (Under estimates
true occurrence) Partial interval the student
displays the behavior for any portion of the
designated interval.
(Over estimates true occurrence) Momentary Time
Sampling the student displays the target
behavior at the exact
end of the designated interval. (Most accurate
estimate).
Out
In
In-Seat Behavior
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Scatter Plot
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Scatter Plot
X 1-3 times O 4 or more
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Compliance
1 No Response/Planned Ignoring 4
________________________ 2 Verbal Reprimand
5 ___________________
_____ 3 Re-issue Request
6 ________________________
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Compliance
1 No Response/Planned Ignoring 4
________________________ 2 Verbal Reprimand
5 ___________________
_____ 3 Re-issue Request
6 ________________________
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Compliance
1 No Response/Planned Ignoring 4
________________________ 2 Verbal Reprimand
5 ___________________
_____ 3 Re-issue Request
6 ________________________
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Compliance
1 No Response/Planned Ignoring 4
________________________ 2 Verbal Reprimand
5 ___________________
_____ 3 Re-issue Request
6 ________________________
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Compliance
1 No Response/Planned Ignoring 4
________________________ 2 Verbal Reprimand
5 ___________________
_____ 3 Re-issue Request
6 ________________________
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Academic Participation
1 No Response, 2 Verbal Praise, 3 Verbal
Reprimand, 4 ___________
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Academic Participation
1 No Response, 2 Verbal Praise, 3 Verbal
Reprimand, 4 ___________
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Teacher behavior impacts student behavior
1 Verbal Reprimand 2 Planned Ignoring/No
Response 3 Positive response to talk-out
(response desired by student)
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Classroom Layout
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Teacher Attention and Feedback
Verbal Reprimand for Behavior
///// ///// //// (14)
Opportunity to Respond
// (2)
///// /// (8)
Verbal Praise for Academics
Verbal Praise for Behavior
/// (3)
Academic Correction
// (2)
///// ///// // (12)
/// (3)
// (2)
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Analysis of the Data - Triangulation
Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4
Antecedents
Antecedents
Antecedents
Antecedents
Consequences
Consequences
Consequences
Consequences
Setting Events
Setting Events
Setting Events
Setting Events
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Analysis of the Data - Triangulation
Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4
Antecedents Verbal Reprimand
Antecedents Transition
Antecedents Verbal Reprimand
Antecedents Verbal Reprimand
Consequences Removal from class
Consequences Removal from class
Consequences Removal from class
Consequences Planned Ignoring
Setting Events
Setting Events
Setting Events
Setting Events
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Analysis of Data Functional Analysis of Behavior

• Manipulate the hypothesized antecedent variable
• Look for hypothesized outcome

• Example Escape of task due to difficulty
• Provide easy tasks no problem behavior or few
  incidents
• Provide difficult tasks display of target
  behavior

Come on, we covered this math work before.
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PROBLEM BEHAVIOR PATHWAY Student
_________________________________ Grade _______
School ________________________ Date
___/___/___
Maintaining Consequences
Setting Events
Triggering Antecedents
Problem Behavior(s)
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Remember

• the function of a challenging behavior almost
  always represents a reasonable concern or desire
  on the part of the student.
• It is the means of addressing this concern or
  need that is at issue.
• We must help the student identify a more
  appropriate way to get their needs met.

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Lets take a look at Russell

• Target behavior Defiant behavior
• Generate an operational definition
• Do we need a response definition if so,
  generate this also
• Explore data and determine function of Russells
  defiant behavior

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Change is Like Going to Heaven Everyone Thinks
Its a Good Idea, but No One Wants to Go First.