1. Leading A Team from a Functional Behavior Assessment to a Behavior Intervention Plans in Seven Easy Steps
Rob Horner and Others
University of Oregon
Presented By Ken Kramberg
And Richard Boltax
Lead

2. Guiding Principles Behavior is predictable. Behavior changeable.
Human behavior occurs within an environmental context, not in a vacuum.
Human behavior is learned and can be taught by manipulating aspects of the environmental context--Behavior is a function of the environment
Source: Crone , D.A. & Horner, R.H., 2003

3. Function Based Approach
A process that focuses on
changing environmental factors
instead of
fixing the person.
It’s about what we as adults will do differently!

4. 4

5. Irrelavant Transition Slide

6. Defining Behavior and Function of Behavior Two Pre-requisite Skills

7. DEFINING Problem Behavior
(Challenging Behavior)
Behavior is…..
any action which is observable and measurable, and has a distinct onset and offset.
secprevnten

8. Behavior Kicking Pinching Cursing Hitting Spitting Yelling Disrespect
Examples:
NonExamples
Kicking
Pinching
Cursing
Hitting
Spitting
Yelling
Disrespect
Defiance
Off task
Anger
secprvten

9. Non- v. Observable (-) hyperactivity
(+) initiates 5 different tasks within 2 minutes
(+) leaves room at least 3 times during a 30 minute lesson
(+)….

10. Functions
Pos Reinf
Neg Reinf

11. Ex1. Determining Function
Given a task, student…
Whispers that work is stupid,
Writes on papers,
Says work is stupid,
Throws paper in waste basket, &
Leaves room.
What is function of behavior? (Test)

12. What is function of behavior? (Test)
Ex2.
Given difficult task, student…
Says this work is stupid,
Pokes student at next table,
Argues with student,
Tells teacher to butt out,
Threatens teacher
Runs away from teacher who chases.
What is function of behavior? (Test)

13. When Sequoia misses her 12:30 medication & teachers present multiple task demands, she makes negative self-statements & writes profane language on her assignments. Teaching staff typically send her to the office with a discipline referral for being disrespectful.
Avoid difficult tasks
What function?
Setting event
Antecedent
Response
Consequence
Sequoia makes
negative self-
statements &
writes profane
language
Teacher sends
Sequoia to
office for being
disrespectful
Misses 12:30
medication
Teachers
make
multiple
task demands

14. Caesar has dyed his hair three colors & is teased several times by his friends before class. When he enters the class, his teacher stares at his hair. Caesar immediately says “what are you staring at?” His teacher immediately sends him to in-school detention.
Escape adult &
peer attention
What function?
Setting event
Antecedent
Response
Consequence
Caesar is
teased several
times about his
hair by his
friends before
class
His teacher
stares at his
hair in class
Caesar asks
his teacher
what she’s
staring at
His teacher
sends him to
in-school
detention

15. When his teacher asks him what the capitol city of a country is, Napoleon gives the correct answers. His teacher praises his correct answer, & tells him he may work by himself or a friend on the rest of the assignment.
Access peer &
adult attention
What function?
Setting event
Antecedent
Response
Consequence
Teacher asks
what capitol
city of country is
Napoleon
give correct
answer
Teacher gives
verbal praise
& time to work
with a friend
None

16. As Veloce is walking, other kids look at him & say “what’s up
As Veloce is walking, other kids look at him & say “what’s up?” He looks back and says: “Who ya lookin’ at?!” “Ya want some of this?!” “Ya talkin’ to me?!” Kids shake their heads & all him “weirdo.”
Access OR escape
peer attention?
What function?
Setting event
Antecedent
Response
Consequence
How do you know?
Assess?
How do you know? ??
Look at him.
“What’s up!”
“Who ya
lookin’ at?”
“Ya want
Some?” “Ya
talkin’ to me?
Kids shake
heads &
call him
“weirdo”

17. Steps for Conducting a FA-BIP Process
Define the Challenge/Identify Goals.
Gather Information.
Generate a hypothesis statement.
Build a “Competing Behavior Pathway” to identify possible elements of a Behavior Intervention Plan.
Design & Evaluate a Behavioral Intervention Plan.
Plan for effective implementation of the Behavior Intervention Plan.
Monitor regularly and modify based on observed progress.
Adapted from Crone, D.A. and Horner,R.H., 2003 17

19. Identifying who needs an FBA/BIP
Multiple office disciplinary referrals
Academic/behavior data indicates challenge
High intensity or frequency of behavior
Behavior impedes academic performance or is disruptive to the learning environment
Don’t understand behavior
Universal interventions have not been successful
Not meeting goals in CICO
Source: Crone, D.A. & Horner, R.H., 2003

20. Step 1: Define the Problem Behavior
What does the problem behavior look like?
Conduct interviews, review prior incidents & observations across the student’s routine/settings to define the problem behavior.
Observable, measurable, concrete language.
NON EXAMPLE EXAMPLE
poor impulse control high pitched screams
angry, hostile, resentful kicking over chairs
paying attention completes tasks
Estimate how often the problem behavior occurs & how intense the problem behavior is.

21. STEP 2: Gathering Information
What sequence of events reliably predicts the problem behavior?
Maintaining Consequences:
What happens immediately after the problem behavior?
What is the child trying to GET or GET AWAY from?
Get social attention
Get objects/access to activities
Get sensory stimulation
Avoid aversive task/activity
Avoid aversive social contact
Avoid aversive sensory stimulation

22. STEP 2: Gathering Information
What sequence of events reliably predicts the problem behavior?
Antecedent Events (Fast Triggers):
Analyze routines in the student’s day to identify…
Where, when, with whom the problem behavior occurs?
Where, when, with whom desirable behavior is more likely to occur?
What events, contexts, demands, tasks, people reliably trigger/precede the behavior?

23. STEP 2: Gathering Information
What sequence of events reliably predicts the problem behavior?
Setting Events (Slow Triggers - Removed in Time)
Events Removed in time that influence the behavior…
What distal events tend to predict when the problem behavior will occur later?

24. FBA Tools Direct Observation Interviews, checklists, surveys
Formal (recorded)
Informal (anecdotal)
Interviews, checklists, surveys
Brief, simple, practical
Longer, more complex, use when necessary
Archival records
Already exist

25. Tools for Gathering Information
Recommend for Brief FBA/BIP:
See F/BSP Protocol
Use interview and Observation

26. Step 3: Generate a Hypothesis Statement
A hypothesis statement is
a summary statement that describes the team’s best guess about the relationship between the problem behavior and the characteristics of the environment- the specific contexts and the specific function.
The goal of which is
to identify specific CONCRETE circumstances regularly associated with the occurrence and nonoccurrence of the problem behavior.

27. Anatomy of an Hypothesis Statement
“When ______________________________,
(summarize the antecedents here)
he/she will _______________________
(summarize the problem behavior here)
in order to _____________________________.”
(summarize the function here)

28. Step 4: 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.

29. Fundamental Rule!
“You should not propose to reduce a problem behavior without also identifying alternative, desired behaviors person should perform instead of problem behavior” (O’Neill et al., 1997, p. 71).

30. Build a Competing Behavior Pathway
Maintaining
Consequence
Desired
Behavior
Setting Event
Triggering
Antecedent
Maintaining
Consequence
Problem
Behavior
Replacement
Behavior
Adapted from Crone, D.A. and Horner,R.H., 2003

31. Build a Competing Behavior Pathway
Completes
task
Independent
classwork
Does not have
teach attention
Gets verbal
praise from
teacher
Makes
noises
Gets help from teacher
Raises hand
and
asks for
help or break

32. Behavior Intervention Program (BIP)
Two Goals:
Reduce problem behaviors
Increase appropriate behaviors
Make behaviors:
Irrelevant
Inefficient
ineffective

33. Teaching Replacement Behaviors
Explain
Specify student behavior
Model
Practice
Reinforce
Carefully explain each of the steps 33

34. Step 5: Design a Behavior Intervention Plan
Preventive Strategies
AKA: Make the problem behavior irrelevant
What modifications to the environment
(academic, social, physical)
may PREVENT the problem behavior?
What adjustments will make the problem behavior unnecessary?

35. Examples of Preventive Strategies
Increase the effectiveness of instruction for this child
(Strategy Instruction, Content Enhancement Routines)
Increase academic skill levels
Modify the curriculum
(interest preferences, choice, sequence)
Modify the demands
(quantity, difficulty, input, output, groupings, alternative tasks)
Clarify the expectations
Reorganize the physical & interactional setting
(have supplies available, pair seats, independent seats)

36. Step 5: Design a Behavior Intervention Plan
Function/Consequence Strategies
AKA: Make the problem behavior ineffective
“manage what maintains the behavior”
Make sure the child gets what they want or avoids whatever it is ONLY when the positive/replacement behavior is displayed.
Make sure they do not get what they want or successfully avoid whatever it is when they engage in the problem behavior.

37. FBA/BSP Worksheet Desired Behavior Maintaining Consequences
Use words to express self & ask for help
Successful Social Interactions
Challenging Behavior
Triggering Events
Maintaining Consequences
Setting Events
Restless night/wakes up tired
Fights/hits other students (sometimes teacher)
Confusion with games rules on playground
Adult intervenes
Alternate Behavior
1. Yell (don’t touch)
2. Squeeze hands & stomp feet
3. Get an adult

38. Behavior Intervention Planning

39. Step 6: Plan for Implementation of the BIP
Behavior Intervention Plans outline specifically:
What replacement behaviors will be taught to the student?
Who will teach replacement behaviors to the student?
How the student will be taught to use the replacement behaviors?
What will be used to signal the student to use the new skill(s)? (natural events, teacher prompt, time, peer)

40. BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLAN

41. Add effective &
& remove
ineffective
reinforcers
Neutralize/
eliminate
setting
events
Add relevant
& remove
irrelevant
triggers
Teach
alternative
that is more
efficient

42. Do quiz without
complaints.
Discussion about
answers & homework.
On Mondays and/or
when up all of the
night before.
Daily nongraded quiz
on previous night’s
homework
Verbal protests, slump
in chair, walks out of
room.
Avoids doing quiz &
homework discussion.
Turn in with name &
sit quietly w/o
interrupting.
+ Give time to review
homework.
+ Give quiet time before starting.
+ Give easy “warm-up” task before doing quiz.
+ Precorrect behavior options & consequences.
+ With first sign of problem behaviors, remove task, or
request completion of task next period.
+ Remove task based on step in task analysis (STO).
+ Provide effective verbal praise & other reinforcers.
Teach options to problem behavior:
1. Turn in blank
2. Turn in w/ name
3. Turn in w/ name & first item done.
4. Turn in w/ name & 50% of items done.

43. BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLAN
Discuss difference between simple and complex: complex is more than one setting and you probably need more tools to figure out function

44. Behavioral Pathway Days with Gym
Setting Event
Days with Gym
Antecedent
Less structured activities that involve competition
Problem Behavior
Negative comments about activity and to peers leading to physical contact
Consequence
Sent out of P.E. class
Function
To escape setting

45. Brief Function-based Interventions
Antecedent Strategies
Behavior Lessons for all students about using respectful language with self and others and how to be to be a good sport
. More frequent activities with less focus on competition (parachute, 4-square, etc...)
Pre-correct
Teaching Strategies
Teach social skills (getting along with others, friendship, problem solving, sportsmanship)
Teach how to approach gym teacher to ask for a drink of water to leave setting.
Teach student how to re-enter and continue with activity
Consequence Supports
Acknowledgingrewarding student when uses new skills (asking for a drink of water to leave, using respectful language with peers, being a good sport, etc..)
Setting Event Supports
Add check-in before gym

46. Step 7: BIP Monitoring & Modification
Behavior Intervention Plans outline specifically:
What behavioral changes will we expect?
general outcome, long & short term goals,
maintenance & generalization
What methods will be used to measure and monitor progress toward the goals?
“How will progress be recorded, at what
frequency, and by whom?”

47. Step 7: BIP Monitoring & Modification
Behavior Support Plans outline specifically:
What decision rules/criteria will be used to decide if the BIP should be maintained, faded, modified, or discontinued?
Who will be responsible for monitoring the accuracy or the integrity of the implementation of the BIP?
At what interval will the team monitor the BIP?

48. FBA Team Process Steps Collect information.
Develop testable hypothesis or summary statement.
Collect direct observation data to confirm summary statement.
Develop “competing pathways” summary statement.
Develop BIP.
Develop details & routines for full implementation of BSP.
Develop strategies for monitoring & evaluating implementation of BSP.

49. Plan/Process for Simple FBA’s Who makes the referral?
What form do they use?
Where or to whom does the referral form go?
Who or what group reviews the referral form to see if Simple FBA needs to be done?
Who schedules the Simple FBA, informs teachers and others who need to know?
Who completes the Simple FBA?
Who or what group develops the testable hypothesis?
Who or what group develops the simple behavior support plan?
What is the proposed timeline from referral, decision, interview(s), summary of Simple FBA, testable hypothesis statement and development of simple behavior support plan?
When and by whom is BSP reviewed to see if it is working?