Identification of behavioral function in public schools and a clarification of terms

Abstract

The discipline-related component of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that schools conduct a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) when a student's behavior disrupts the educational environment and/or results in suspension from school. Applied behavior analysts often make a distinction between the terms functional assessment/functional behavioral assessment, and functional analysis yet there exists no consensus on how that distinction should be made. A relevant review of the literature was conducted to identify research articles using functional analysis or functional assessment methodology in public school settings in an effort to identify the specific procedures employed by each. Results of the review support the existence of a discrepancy between proposed and actual school-based assessment models, as well as other claims regarding functional assessment research. We address the problem of distinguishing between the terms assessment and analysis as they relate to procedures employed to determine behavioral function of students exhibiting aberrant behavior. A clarification of terms is proposed.

Formação de professores e análise do comportamento: caracterização de necessidades formativas para a docência em matemática na educação básica

“…A Análise do Comportamento sustenta, de modo inconteste, nas últimas décadas, um robusto acervo de contribuições para a compreensão de processos de ensino e de aprendizagem em contextos diversos (Henklain & Carmo, 2013;Hübner & Marinotti, 2004;Kates-McElrath, Agnew, Axelrod, & Bloh, 2007;McComas, Vollmer, & Kennedy, 2009;Tourinho & Luna, 2010) e, especialmente, no âmbito da aquisição e do desenvolvimento de repertórios matemáticos (Carmo & Prado, 2010;Levingston, Neef, & Cihon, 2009;Luna & Marinotti, 2010;Neef, Nelles, Iwata, & Page, 2003;Wood, Frank, & Wacker, 1998).…”

Functional Analysis With Typically Developing Children: Best Practice or Too Early to Tell?: In Response to Hanley (2012)

“…To date there has not been a comprehensive review of the broader body of functional assessment literature. In one of the few partial reviews, Kates-McElrath, Agnew, Axelrod, and Bloh (2007) evaluated school-based functional assessment studies conducted between 1992 and 2005. They included only studies with a data set; thus, studies using only indirect methods were excluded.…”

Classroom-Based Functional Behavioral Assessment

“…An additional challenge is that the IDEA provides minimal direction to teachers for FBA development and implementation, whereas the professional literature provides a variety of suggested FBA procedures (Gresham et al, 2001; Kates-McElrath, Agnew, Axelrod, & Bloh, 2007). The IDEA fails to provide best practices for data collection and analysis that are needed for the development of effective and behaviorally applicable behavior intervention plans (BIP; Shumate & Willis, 2010).…”