Data Collection Baldwin County October , 2008

Functional Behavioral Assessment  “Why does this student behave the way he/she does?” Answer the following questions:  When is the behavior occurring most frequently?  Where is the behavior likely to occur?  With whom is the behavior likely to occur?  What activities are most likely or least likely to cause the behaviors to occur?  Are there situations when the behavior never occurs?  What happens before and immediately after the behavior occurs?  What environmental stimulus is present? Develop your hypothesis. What is reinforcing the student’s behavior?

What is behavior? Anything a person says or does that can be observed. Remember: It needs to be measurable.

Defining Behavior General Terms Specific Terms AggressionHitting LazyNo Work Completion Needs to be described using specific terms, not summary labels Two categories: Behavioral deficits Behavioral excesses

Focus on Understanding the Behavior. Antecedent BehaviorConsequence It’s easy as ABC.

Antecedent Antecedent is the stimulus that precedes the behavior and may exert influence over that behavior Look at the following: –Time of day –Day of week –Physical setting –People –Activity

Antecedent Identification Gives an advantage…the behavior may be preventable if the antecedent is identified!

Consequence – outcome that maintains the behavior

Escape/Avoidance Function Escape/Avoid Tasks or Activities –Difficult tasks –Change in routine –Unpredictability Escape/Avoid Social Attention –Smiles, hugs –Corrections Escape/Avoid Internal Stimulation –Pain –To escape hunger

Social Attention Function Obtain Attention –Physical affection –Physical proximity –Eye contact –Verbal interaction

Tangible Function To obtain access to items or activities –Food –Toys –Money –Trips to store –Access to playground

Observational Recording Systems Event or frequency Interval or time sampling Duration Latency

Event or Frequency Most directly or accurately reflects a behavior’s frequency Examples –John had 20 call-outs between 11:00 and 12:00. –Susie had 23 errors in an oral reading passage of 200 words.

Interval Recording Define a specific time period in which the behavior is observed – time period is divided into equal intervals Examples –Off task behavior –Hand flapping 10”20”30”40”50”60”

Time Sampling Note whether the behavior is occurring at the end of a specific interval Examples –Thumb sucking –Off task –Hand flapping 10’20’30’40’50’60’ one hour

Duration When we describe how long a behavior lasts, we are measuring duration. Examples –John stayed in the bathroom for 30 minutes. –Harold worked on his math for 20 minutes. –Marvin’s tantrum lasted for 65 minutes.

Latency A measure of how long it takes a student to start performing a behavior Examples –After I told John to come out of the bathroom, it took him five minutes to appear at the door. –After the teacher said, “Get to work,” Harold stared into space five minutes before he started his math. –It took Marvin 20 minutes to stop having a tantrum after I put him in the time-out room.

Increasing Appropriate Behaviors Reinforcement –An increase in the strength of a response following a change in the environment immediately following the response.

REINFORCEMENT Step One –Select the behavior to be increased –Select a specific behavior rather than a general category of behavior

REINFORCEMENT Step Two –Select Reinforcers Readily available Can be presented immediately following the desired behavior Can be used over and over again without causing rapid satiation Do not require a great deal of time to consume Varied Use lots of praise and physical contact if appropriate Provide continuously – initially.

REINFORCEMENT Step Three –Wean from intervention Try to fade out tangible reinforcers and try to maintain intervention gains with social reinforcement only Look for other natural reinforcers in the environment that might also maintain the behavior Plan periodic assessments of the behavior to ensure it is occurring at an appropriate frequency or rate once the intervention has been completely faded out

Increasing Appropriate Behaviors If trying to establish a new behavior you may consider shaping –Shaping The development of a new behavior by successive reinforcement of closer approximations of the desired behavior –Example – For a child learning to verbally communicate »Initially reinforce any babbling »Over time, reinforce closer approximations of specific sounds »Then, begin reinforcing sounds that approximate words

Common Pitfalls Reinforcers are weak Intervention program faded too fast. Intervention program has not been faded.

Decreasing Inappropriate Behaviors If, in a given situation, an individual emits a previously reinforced response and the response is not followed by a reinforcing consequence, then the person is less likely to emit the behavior in the future.

Decreasing Behaviors When behavior reduction is desired, the intervention should not simply focus on a consequence for inappropriate behavior, but should also provide positive reinforcement for some alternative, appropriate replacement behavior.

Functions of Behavior Escape/Avoidance –Gradual introduction and simplify expectations Intermix mastered tasks with novel/difficult tasks 80% mastered tasks/20%novel/difficult tasks –Offer choices when appropriate –Reward work completion Initially reinforcers should be provided immediately and on a continuous schedule. Over time, this can be faded Token economy

Functions of Behavior Social Attention –Actively ignore inappropriate behavior while reinforcing appropriate behavior –Time Out

Functions of Behavior Tangible –First/Then Procedures –Teach waiting with timers and reinforcement –Response Cost

Next Workshop Excel Spreadsheet See chart for time and location.

Excel Spreadsheet Excel Spreadsheet – Computer Labs in all locations DateParticipantsLocation November 4Spanish Fort feeder patternIT Services – Loxley November 20Baldwin County High feeder patternBay Minette Middle November 25Robertsdale High, Robertsdale Elementary, and SBCT Robertsdale High November 25Central Baldwin Middle, Elsanor, Rosinton, LoxleyCentral Baldwin Middle December 4Daphne High feeder patternDaphne High December 11Gulf Shores High feeder patternGulf Shores High December 16Foley High, Magnolia, Elberta Elementary, Elberta Middle Foley High December 16Foley Middle, Foley Intermediate, Foley Elementary Foley Middle December 18Fairhope High, Fairhope Intermediate, J. Larry Newton Fairhope High December 18Fairhope Middle, Fairhope K-1, Fairhope Elementary, Alternative Fairhope Middle