1. PAAL Training FBA
Kaori G. Nepo, M.Ed., BCBA

2. FBA: Functional Behavior Assessment
To create hypotheses about the functional relationship between environmental stimuli-behaviors
Why?
Avoid/Eliminate ineffective interventions
To develop effective interventions
Ensure the effectiveness of interventions

3. Three Term Contingency
A(SD) – B(R) – C(SR+/SR-/SP+/SP-) Antecedent: a stimulus which occurs before a behavior Behavior/ Response: movement or action by an individual Consequences: a stimulus which is produced by a behavior

4. Four Term Contingency MO A-B-C
Motivating Operation (MO): the environmental changes that alter the reinforcing value of stimulus (and the frequency of a behavior)
EO: Establishing Operation
AO: Abolishing Operation

5. Function vs. Topography
Function: purpose of behaviors
Topography: how the behavior looks like
Behaviors look same but different functions
C.f. tantrums for attention or escape
Behaviors look different but same functions
C.f. manding

6. Function Positive Reinforcement: SR+ Social Attention Tangible
Automatic Positive Reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement: SR-
Social Negative Attention
(Escape/Avoidance)
Automatic Negative Reinforcement
Sr+
Praise or reprimand
Toy, food, tokens…
Visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory, taste
Sr-
Reprimand
Task/demands
Activities
Social interactions
Settings
Sensory (noise, smell, touch, visual, taste)

7. Assessment vs. Analysis
Gather information
Form hypotheses
Not systematic arrangement of environmental stimuli
Natural settings
Use information
Test hypotheses
Systematic manipulation of environmental stimuli
Contrived/simulated settings

8. Conduct FBA
Operational Definition of the target behavior and measurement
Gather information (indirect and direct assessment)
Interpret information
Test hypothesis (Behavior Analysis)
Develop interventions

9. Operational Definition
: define the target behavior….
Objective: Observable and measurable
Clarity: unfamiliar observers can identify
Including clear description of topography
Completeness: clear boundaries, time frame
Beginning and ending
IRT/ break between behaviors
Objective:
Clarity: head hitting..hit his forehead with his palm from at least a foot away
Completeness: c.f. duration..No more than 2 seconds interruption,

10. Data Collection Direct Measurement Direct Observational Recording
Permanent Products (written sample)
Direct Observational Recording
Event Recording
Duration Recording
Latency Recording
Inter Response Time (IRT)
Interval Recording (whole or partial)
Momentary Time Sampling

11. Gather Information Indirect FBA Direct observation What to look for…
Standardized test
Medial history
Maladaptive behaviors
Setting, triggers, reinforcers
Social history
Previous FBA/interventions

12. Indirect FBA
Collect useful information from individuals and/or significant others through…
Interview
Checklists
Rating Scales
Questionnaires
Record review

13. Indirect FBA Advantage: Limitation: Convenient
Can collect useful information to form hypotheses
Limitation:
Accuracy
Subjective
Biased
Not data based
Low IOA

14. (Direct) Descriptive FBA
ABC Continuous Recording
ABC Narrative Recording
Scatter Plots

15. (Direct) Descriptive FBA
Direct observation in the natural environments
Advantage:
Collect useful information in the context
Do not interrupt routines
Limitation:
Difficulties to pinpoint correlation
May be misleading (c.f. intermittent reinforcement)
Accidental correlation
ABC Continuous Recording
ABC Narrative Recording
Scatter Plots

16. Example
Jon is 12 years old and diagnosis with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism. He attended both regular education classrooms and a special education classroom with one-on-one aide. He exhibits “chin hitting” across environments. ABC assessment was conducted in both environments and it was found that he is most likely to exhibit chin hitting during difficult tasks and in larger classrooms.
Operational Definition

17. ABC Recording Time Antecedents Behaviors Consequences 8: 15
Given demands
Chin hitting
Tasks removed
9:30
Given demands in regular class
Task removed
Attention provided
9:35
Teacher called on other students
9:52
Group instruction
Getting off seat
Redirection from teacher
10:14
Changes in schedule
Given less familiar demands

18. Interpret Information
Draw hypotheses from information collected
Write in ABC format
Hypotheses
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
Escape from difficult tasks
When Jon is given difficult tasks
He hit his chin with his fist
Tasks being removed
Contingent Social Attention
When teacher attention diverted from Jon
Teacher attends to Jon

19. Behavior Analysis
Experimental manipulation of antecedents and consequences to test hypotheses
Advantage:
Clear demonstration of relation among variables
Limitation:
Temporarily reinforce maladaptive behaviors
Counterintuitive
Not effective for less frequent behaviors
Contrived settings
Time consuming

20. Behavior Analysis
Possible functions based on functional behavior assessment (c.f. contingent attention, contingent escape, alone, access to reinforcers)
each condition will be presented systematically one at a time and collect data on target behaviors
Create graphs
Visually inspect graphs

21. Examples
Motivating Operation (MO) and Reinforcement Contingencies for functional analysis
Condition
Antecedents (MO)
Consequences
Control
Preferred activities/ Attention are provided
No demands
Ignored or redirected
Contingent Attention
Attention is withheld or diverted
Attention is provided
Contingent Escape
Demands are given
Remove demands/ tasks
Alone
No demands, no materials, no teacher
Ignored

22. Examples

23. Examples

24. Examples

25. Examples

26. Develop Interventions
Alter Antecedents
Change MO
Change SD
Alter Consequences
SR+
SR-
Teach or replace with functionally equivalent behaviors
Examples
Altering task demands to make escape less reinforcing
no time out for escape
no reprimands or discussions for attention seeking behaviors
Monitor effectiveness-changes in its functions

27. FBA example
Tommy is 15 years old male student who is diagnosed with autism. He is non-verbal and use signs and pictures to communicate his needs with occasional prompts. Tommy exhibits whining (high pitch and non-contextual vocalization) across settings and people, but more likely with his mother. Interview and ABC Continuous Recording Data suggested that he is more likely to exhibit whining when his mother is talking with others.

28. FBA Form Hypotheses Hypotheses Antecedents Behaviors Consequences
Escape from demands
When Tommy is given demands
He whines (high-pitch, non-contextual vocalization)
Demands being removed
Contingent attention
when his mother is present
He exhibits whining
Attention being provided
Contingent positive reinforcement (tangible)
In the presence of reinforcers and mother
He receives tangible reinforcers

29. Test Hypotheses

30. Develop Interventions
Contingent Tangible
DRI/DRA (verbal/non-verbal)
DRO
NCR
Contingent Attention
DRI/DRA (verbal/non-verbal)
Extinction
Shaping, prompting, errorless learning, discrete trials, token economy,

31. Review #1
What is FBA? Functional Behavior Assessment

32. Review #2
Behavior Analysis is different from Functional Behavior Assessment because…
Experimental manipulation
Use information vs. gather information
Test hypotheses
Contrived settings/ interruption of routines

33. Review #3 Examples of indirect FBA are… Interview Checklists
Rating Scales
Questionnaires
Record review

34. Review #4 What are some of limitations of Indirect FBA? Subjective
Accuracy
Biased
Low IOA
Not data based

35. Review #5 Examples of (Direct)Descriptive FBA are...
ABC Continuous Recording
ABC Narrative Recording
Scatter plots

36. Review #6 What are advantages of (Direct) Descriptive FBA?
Collect useful information in the context
Do not interrupt routines

37. Review #7 Explain how to test hypotheses…
Systematic manipulation of environmental stimuli (antecedents and consequences)
Graphing
Visual inspection

38. Review #8 Why is it necessary to conduct FBA?
Avoid/Eliminate ineffective interventions
To develop effective interventions
Ensure the effectiveness of interventions

39. Review #9 What are functions of behaviors? Positive Reinforcement SR+
Social Attention
Tangible
Automatic Positive Reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement SR
Social Negative Attention
(Escape/Avoidance)
Automatic Negative Reinforcement

40. Review #10
Explain Three Term Contingency… A(SD) – B(R) – C(SR+/SR-/SP+/SP-) Antecedent: a stimulus which occurs before a behavior Behavior/ Response: movement or action by an individual Consequences: a stimulus which is produced by a behavior

41. Thank you