Functional Behavior Assessment

Date: 12/04/19
Name: “student”
Age: 7-8
Grade: 2nd

Definition of Target Behaviors

Non-compliance: not following directions, failure to comply with class routines, not
transitioning to the appropriate work area

Indirect Assessments

Teacher Interview
This was filled out by Melissa Blue and responses were discussed over the telephone on
10/15/19.

Health
The student has good general health. There is no indication that his behavior is related to any
side effect of medication. There is no indication that his behavior is related to thirst, hunger, or
lack of rest.

Educational/School
The student has difficulty with participating in the non-directed, semi directed, and the
self-directed classroom area. He has difficulty organizing his school supplies, study area, time,
and assignments. It is difficult for the student to stay on task, complete work assignments, handle
stressful situations, calm himself when he is agitated, follow rules, problem-solve, and transition
between work stations. The student has a hard time studying for and taking tests.
The student has difficulty acquiring and/or maintaining friendships, and he often
withdraws from social interaction. He is never verbally or physically aggressive in social
interactions. The student has trouble requesting his needs, including: items, activities,
information, changes in the environment, and help. He also has difficulties in conversational
skills and asking/answering questions.
Things that work well for the student include: small class size, stability, kindness, and
understanding rules and consequences. Loud noises, confusion, and changes make the student
feel very insecure. Not understanding social skills gets in the way of the student’s progress. He
does not know how to talk to other children. I am willing to help reinforce/punish behaviors that
occur at Asbell. The student gets rewarded at the end of the week if he follows the behavior plan
at school during the week. Each Friday the student will be rewarded with a “fun Friday,” in
which one work area of the classroom will become an area to play board games.

Things that the student finds rewarding playing are the break areas of the classroom,
recess, and board games. When giving a command, I need to repeat myself two or three times.
Concerns for the student’s behavior or progress in school are expressed as he doesn't check his
schedule and transition from one work area to the next. I am also concerned that he does not fit
in with other kids. He sometimes goes off in a fantasy world, as he prefers to sit alone and play
with blocks or foam letter sets in the break area.

Previous Behavior Interventions

A class wide behavior system where the student earns a “Fun Friday” at the end of each week.

Direct Assessments

Antecedent Behavior Consequence (A-B-C) Data

Baseline Data were collected on:  

Date Start End Duration (minutes)

1-
May 10:05 2:02 237.0
2-
May 12:45 1:05 20.0
2-
May 2:30 2:55 25.0
3-
May 9:50 12:55 185.0
5-
May 8:40 3:30 410.0
877.0

Behavioral percentages: Total number of behavior events is 60

(Note: the number of occurrences of each indicator varies due to the possibility of recording
more than one behavior, predictor or function for each occurrence of the target behavior(s))

Behavior Totals %
Inappropriate Noises 33 55.00%
Non-compliance 27 45.00%
Location
Classroom 50 83.33%
Lunch 4 6.67%
Hallway/Bathroom 2 3.33%
Outside 4 6.67%
Office (CST, counselor
etc) 0 0.00%
General Activity
Morning meeting 0 0.00%
Seatwork 22 36.67%
Group work 10 16.67%
 Special 21 35.00%
Transition 6 10.00%
Interruption 0 0.00%
Lunch/Recess 2 3.33%

Antecedents
100
Percenteage of Condition Present

80

60

40

20

0
Low Attention Restricted Access Demand Peer Attention Doing Nothing
Condition

Figure 1. Antecedents for problem behavior. This figure depicts the percentage of antecedent
conditions present during direct observations.
 Consequences
100
Percent Consequence Occurred

80

60

40

20

0
Attention Redirected Demand Removed No Consequence

Consequence

Figure 2. Consequences for problem behavior. This figure depicts the percentage of
consequence conditions present during direct observations.

Immediate Antecedent (A) Totals %

Ignored by staff 2 3.33%
Request denied 11 18.33%
Given instruction/prompt to work 38 65%
Provoked by peer 5 8.33%
Alone/doing nothing 3 5.00%
Immediate Consequence C
Attention (told to stop, blocked) 3 5.00%
Redirected to something else (attention &
escape) 47 78.33%
Work requirement ended 4 6.67%
Staff did nothing 6 10.00%

Summary of data:

Estimated behavior rate: Inappropriate Noises: 1 every 15.4 minutes, Non-compliance 1 every
12.6 minutes. Total: 1 every 14 minutes
 Location General When In order to:
Activity *(Antecedents) (Behaviors) *(Consequence)
Classroom Seatwork Inappropriate  (Redirected to
Special Given instruction or Noises something else)
prompt to work  Attention
 Tangible
Classroom Special  Noncompliance  (Redirected to
Outside Seatwork something else)
Lunch Transition  Escape
 Tangible
 Attention
*listed in order descending from highest percentage

Notes:
Both Inappropriate Noises and Non-compliance were most often preceded by an instruction or
prompt to work. For both behaviors, escape came out as a primary function based upon
antecedent events. However, when combined with consequences of the behavior, the overall
functions shifted.

Behavior Intervention Recommendations and Strategies

Antecedent procedures

The student enjoys playing with the letters and blocks in the break area. He is failing to transition
to the work stations that require him to complete his assignments. Giving The student a little
extra time in the break area allows him to not feel so overwhelmed with assignments. A powerful
intervention for the student would be to teach him to ask for a break using a break card. When
The student asks for a break, allow five minutes of extra break time for the first two weeks and
then decrease the extra time by one minute for every week there after until he is on the same
schedule as the rest of the class.
1. Classroom accommodations which may be appropriate:
1. Provide short tasks that do not require extended attention in order for the student
to be successful.
2. Permit frequent breaks after task completion, and extra time in the desired area
when the student asks for a break using his break card.
3. Use limited, concise language and whenever asking the student to transition.
4. Make sure that the student is paying attention to the instructor when he is asked to
check his schedule.
5. Use eye contact to ensure that the student is paying attention and knows what is
expected of him.
 2. Focus only on correcting the target behavior. If The student is already in a break area, and
asks for extra time, permit the appropriate amount of time. View The student’s behavior as
part of a continuum that will be shaped. Helping The student to transition into the
appropriate work station is the priority.
3. Tell The student when to transition, speaking in positives. Refrain from telling him “No,
stop, can’t…”.  Example:
Say Instead of
You can play with the blocks after math. You can’t play with blocks right now.
Use your break card and ask for a break. Break time is over and you need to move to the
math station now.
Check your schedule and see when you will Put the blocks down and move to the math
get another break. station.

A visual schedule may be utilized to provide more visual cues for transitioning. Larger tasks can
be broken down into smaller tasks to help the student structure the task as well as feel successful
in completing tasks. A smaller set of picture cards may be used to encourage the student to
express his need for a break.

When it is time to transition, speak directly to the student. After the instructor gives to entire
class the cue to transition, walk to the student’s area, make eye contact and ask him to check his
schedule and transition to the appropriate learning area.
Say Instead of
Check your schedule. (directly Class, it’s time to check schedules. (to the entire class)
to the student)
(If the student ignores the Put the blocks down and move to the math station.
demand)
Do you need more time in the
break area?
(Wait for him to get the break Break time is over and its time to do math.
card)
You can have a few more
minutes in the break area, then
you must move to the math
area.

Skill Acquisition

The student may benefit from learning how to request a break.  Once The student is fluent in
asking for a break, it may be beneficial to given a set of number of break cards to use for short
breaks throughout the day. If staff notice that the student seems to be overwhelmed, they may
prompt him to take a short break. A break may consist of a number of things (moving to the
break area, sitting quietly and playing with letters, playing with blocks, going to a different room
to play with letters or blocks). The student should take frequent short breaks (i.e. 5 minutes) as
opposed to longer extended breaks.

Reactive Procedures
Reinforcement:

If the student asks for a break using his break card, allow the allotted amount of extra break time.
A timer will be set for the for the appropriate amount of time allotted in the break area. This time
will decrease weekly until only one extra minute is allowed in the break area.

It may be helpful for the teacher to place the student’s visual schedule closer to the break area.
The teacher can also implement a timer that uses a particular noise to indicate that it is time to
work so that all expectations are clear to the student.

If the student transitions without asking for a break, begin working immediately.

For weeks one and two, if the student uses his break card to successfully ask for a break each
time, he is expected to transition for one day during the week, he is rewarded with a “fun
Friday.” Beginning with week three, the student should use his break card appropriately for two
days during the week to earn the “fun Friday.” For week four, the student is to appropriately use
his break card three days of the week to earn the “fun Friday.” For week five he is to successfully
use his break card for four days a week to earn the “fun Friday.” And By week six, the student is
to appropriately use his break card each day of the week to earn the “fun Friday.”

Certain tasks may require a short duration of work (e.g. 5-10 minutes, followed by a short break
(e.g. 1 minute)). The duration of work should gradually be increased (e.g. firs two intervals of 5
minutes, then 3 interval 6 minutes, 4 interval 7 minutes.)
rd th

The student seems to enjoy spending time playing with letters and blocks. A system may be set
up that allows the student to earn time at the break area that he can cash in at the end of the day.
 
Consequence

When the student is exhibiting noncompliance, make eye contact and ask him to use his break
card for extra time in the letter area. If the student fails to use his break card, do not allow him to
continue playing with the blocks and letters in the break area until he uses his break card. Do not
argue with him at all during this time. If the student fails to use his break card for the entire
duration of extra time that is allotted, he is to be escorted to the correct work station and begin
working immediately.

Since the suspected function of his behavior is escaping demand, please be clear and concise
when giving direction. Deliver the correction consistently without elaborating at the time.
Provide frequent breaks when the student is exhibiting appropriate behaviors (asking for a break,
then transitioning to the appropriate work area).

Evaluation Procedures
Anecdotal teacher records A-B-C data collection sheet.

Materials needed for program implementation

Break cards, visual schedule, and a timer
 BUILDING A SUPPORT PLAN
Summary Statement/Competing Behavior Pathways Diagram The student checks his schedule and When asks for a break, a small amount
independently transitions to the next of extra time in the break area is given
work station. to the student.

The student is in a certain

learning area or a break
area of the classroom.
The student is asked to check his visual
schedule and transition to the next Desired Behavior Maintaining
learning area of the classroom. Consequences
The student remains in the learning The student transitions to the next
area or the break area instead of work area independently.
checking his visual schedule and
transitioning to the next learning
station.

Setting Event(s) Antecedent Trigger(s) Problem Behavior Maintaining

Consequences
The student is taught to ask for a break
using a break card.

Alternative Replacement
Behavior

Positive Behavior Support Plan Outline

Strategies that Make Problem Behaviors irrelevant, ineffective, and inefficient

Setting Event Preventive Teaching Consequence

Strategies
What are ways to change the
context to make the problem
behavior unnecessary?
 Clarify rules and expected
Strategies Strategies
What are ways to prevent the What can be done to
problem behavior? increase expected
behaviors or to teach a
replacement behavior?
 Reminders about behavior  Practice expected
Strategies
What should happen What should happen
when a problem when desired
behavior occurs? replacement behavior
occurs?
 Reward/punishment  Reward program?
 behavior for whole class when problem is likely behavior in class program  Praise from teacher
 Written contract with the  Provide extra assistance  Self-management  Contact with parents  Other_____________
students  Modify assignments to match program  Reduced privileges
 Student self-manipulator student skills  Other give extra time  Time out
sheet  Other for a break  Office referral
 Change seating ____________________  Reprimand in class
arrangements  Other give the
 Change schedule student his break
 Counseling card and remind him
 Other teach the student to ask for a break
to use a break card