Why should I do it:

• Provides more information about students’ behavior
• Helps identify factors regarding behaviors that may not be obvious
• Provides data trends and patterns
• FBA can be simple or intensive
• Helps identify the root causes, functions, and reinforcers of behaviors
• Provides data for developing an appropriate and effective behavior plan

When should I do it:

• When a student is not responding to interventions
• When it is unclear as to why the behavior is occurring
• When a student’s behaviors require a behavior plan
• When antecedents and/or reinforcers cannot be readily identified
• When a student is suspended multiple times or has a high number of office discipline referrals
• When a student is getting into trouble frequently
• When a pattern of trend seems to be forming
• When a student seems to engage in the same behavior regardless of consequence
• When consequences and/or rewards seem ineffective
• When a student does not appear to care or be affected by attempts to address the behavior

How do I do it:

• Begin with a Simple Functional Behavior Assessment (SFBA) by downloading and completing the SFBA form below
• If the SFBA does not yield enough data and insight to determine the function of behavior, download and complete the Intensive Functional Behavior Assessment form available below (IFBA)
• When completing the FBA forms, gather information and data from the student’s records, parents, teachers, and any other staff that work with the student
• Once you have completed the FBA form and have a theory as to the function of the behavior, develop a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) based on the data and results from the FBA

Resources & Support for technique:
(Items with footnotes link to external websites)

• Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA)
  • Simple Functional Behavior Assessment Form.doc ¹
  • Intensive Functional Behavior Assessment Form.doc ²
  • Functional Behavioral Assessment ³
  • Functional Behavioral Assessment ⁴
  • FBA – Identifying Behavior for a Functional Behavior Analysis ⁵
  • FBA – Functional Behavioral Analysis ⁶
  • FBA – How to Write a Functional Behavior Analysis ⁷
  • Antecedent: A Specific Meaning for Analyzing Difficult Behaviors ⁸
  • FBA Form.doc ⁹
  • Example FBA.pdf ¹⁰
  • FBA and Level I & II BIP Forms ¹⁸
• Data Tracking Forms:
  • PBISWorld.com Behavior & Intervention Tracking Form (Excel)
  • PBISWorld.com Behavior & Intervention Tracking Form (Open Office)
  • Behavior Review Form ¹¹
  • Weekly Scatterplot (With Times) ¹²
  • Weekly Scatterplot (Blank) ¹³
  • Antecedent Behavior Consequence (ABC) Log ¹⁴
  • Time-Out Log ¹⁵
  • Individual Data Summary.xls (chart interventions and outcomes) ¹⁶
• Determining Rewards
  • Forced Choice Reinforcement Survey.pdf ¹⁷
• Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP)
  • BIP Forms & Resources

Footnotes:

1. Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency. Simple Functional Behavior Assessment. [http://www.resa.net/downloads/positive_behavior/simple_fba.doc].
2. Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency. Intensive Functional Behavior Assessment. [http://www.resa.net/downloads/positive_behavior/intensive_fba.doc].
3. Academic Success For All Learners. Functional Behavioral Assessment. [http://www.iseesam.com/teachall/text/behavior/LRBIpdfs/Functional.pdf].
4. Mauro, T. Functional Behavioral Assessment. [http://specialchildren.about.com/od/fba/g/FBA.htm].
5. Webster, J. FBA – Identifying Behavior for a Functional Behavior Analysis. [http://specialed.about.com/od/iep/a/definebehavior.htm].
6. Webster, J. FBA – Functional Behavioral Analysis. [http://specialed.about.com/od/specialedacronyms/g/fbaglossary.htm].
7. Webster, J. FBA – How to Write a Functional Behavior Analysis. [http://specialed.about.com/od/behavioraldocuments/tp/FBAlist.htm].
8. Webster, J. Antecedent – – A Specific Meaning for Analyzing Difficult Behaviors. [http://specialed.about.com/od/glossary/g/Antecedent.htm].
9. State of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Functional Behavior Assessment Form. [http://www.k12.wa.us/SpecialEd/Data/StateForms/7a_Functional_Behavioral_Assessment.doc].
10. West Allis Milwaukee School District. Example of Completed FBA (OASYS Form) . [http://p3cdn2static.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_1212649/File/migration/FBAOASYS-Example.pdf].
11. Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency. Behavior Review Form. [http://www.resa.net/downloads/positive_behavior/beh_review_form.doc].
12. Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency. WEEKLY SCATTERPLOT. [http://www.resa.net/downloads/positive_behavior/weekly_scatterplot_times.doc].
13. Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency. . [http://www.resa.net/downloads/positive_behavior/weekly_scatterplot_blank.doc].
14. Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency. ABC Log. [http://www.resa.net/downloads/positive_behavior/abc_log.doc].
15. Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency. Time Out Log. [http://www.resa.net/downloads/positive_behavior/time_out.doc].
16. Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency. POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL DATA SUMMARY. [http://www.resa.net/downloads/positive_behavior/individual_data_summary.xls].
17. Modified by Gable, R. A. (1991) from: Cartwright, C. A., & Cartwright, G. P. (1970). Determining the motivational systems of individual children. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 2:3, 143-149. Forced-Choice Reinforcement Survey. [http://www.spannj.org/BehavioralPresentation/BehavioralPresentation/Student%20Involvement%20%26%20behavior%20problems/Forced%20Choice%20Reinforcement%20menu/Forced%20Choice%20Reinforcement%20Menu.pdf].
18. Gogebic-Ontonagon ISD. Gogebic-Ontonagon ISD – Behavioral Consultant Forms. [http://www.goisd.org/article_133.php].