Steps to completing a Functional Behavior Assessment:
Behavior- Identify a behavior that you want to reduce for yourself (FBA only targets behavior reduction, not skill acquisition). You are not allowed to use another person/pet for this project. It is self-directed. Make sure the behavior is not a one you are uncomfortable talking about (as students are encouraged to discuss their FBA progress on FBA). Pick behaviors from general category such as eating, hair twirling, nail biting, frequent texting, drinking too much coffee, using curse words, teasing friends, getting off-task. If you have any doubt on which behavior to target, please check with your instructor.
Define- Operationally define the behavior using guidelines from your text book.
Data collection- Identify a measurement system. Plan for data to be collected few times a week. As we all are busy, I would recommend against a daily data collection, unless you are using permanent products (e.g., number of empty coffee cups at the end of work day, number of texts sent to XYZ, amount of coffee consumed). If you are doing direct measurement of behavior in real-time (e.g., nail biting), keep the session length no more than 30-45 minutes. You can use a paper-system, smartphones, or another creative approach (e.g., putting coins from one jar to another every time you used a curse word). Adapt the technical knowledge of data collection to your practical setting. If you are targeting cursing while driving, paper pen would not be feasible. It may be better to record yourself during driving and then come home and code that audio clip for frequency count. Make sure the measurement system matches the dimension of the behavior. If you have any doubt, please confirm the data collection system with your instructor.
Self-interview- Simulate an interview with yourself to figure out the various contingencies that may be in play with this target behavior.
Scatterplot- Figure out when are you most likely to engage in that behavior and direct your data collection during that time frame.
ABC data- Complete these observations to determine the function of the behavior. Even though a frequency count is derived from these observations, do not use the number from ABC observations for baseline. Those should come using the data collection system identified previously.
Problem behavior pathway- Now that you have all these various sources of information, complete this FBA blueprint to visually demonstrate what is happening. Fill in the boxes with relevant information as if you will need to use this form to explain to client’s family how the behavior is being maintained.
Hypothesis- Once you are done with the pathway, you will be able to confidently list a statement informing the function of this behavior.
Competing behavior pathway- Now you will complete this form to use as a blueprint for a function-based treatment. This will visually explain to the reader, what contingencies will be different during treatment. It will list the antecedents, replacement behavior and how it will be maintained, and consequences for the target behavior so that it is no longer reinforced. This form will serve as your behavior change proposal. This will allow your instructor to see what you are proposing as the intervention for the target behavior. Make sure that the replacement behavior matches the function of the behavior.
Once you have data collected from baseline (at least 5 data points), graph using excel. Please follow the graphing guidelines presented in various modules and also follow the various articles and graphing resources provided to help you create graphs.
