Functional Behavior Assessment

Development of an intervention is the final step in the functional behavior assessment (FBA) process. In the completion of the FBA antecedent and reinforcing contingencies are identified which can be manipulated to prevent the behavior from occurring, remove reinforcement for engaging in the undesired behavior, or be utilized to reinforce alternate behaviors (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007). An FBA is a necessary component of the intervention process in that it provides the necessary information with regard to the function of the behavior through the systematic manipulation of environmental variables thought to maintain the problem under controlled conditions; yielding a clear demonstration of the interaction between the independent variable

When a student who has a disability’s educational placement is changed due to challenging behavior, a functional behavior assessment must be conducted. Functional behavior assessment (FBA) is used to aid in the development of behavior intervention plans (BIP’s). In a functional assessment, the type and the source of reinforcement for problem behaviors are used as a basis for intervention efforts that are designed to increase occurrence. Functional analysis can also be used to determine the specific function of a behavior, but FBA’s are more commonly used, especially in school settings. In a functional analysis (FA), antecedents and consequences that represent those in the person’s natural environment are arranged so that their effects on the problem behavior can be observed and measured. The difference between a functional analysis and functional behavior assessment is that the assessment establishes a connection between the behavior and antecedent or the consequent variables, but a functional analysis identifies informal relationships. For this reason, a functional analysis is seen to be a more valid tool for identifying the function of a behavior; however, there are limitations to using a functional analysis. This method may momentarily strengthen the problem behavior or result in the behavior acquiring new functions. Federal mandates like IDEA 2004 and school reforms such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) have played a role in the increase of the

Functional behavioral assessments have two major components, identifying and defining target behaviors as well as conducting behavior observations. The assessment should begin with indentifying and defining targeted behaviors and the best way to do that is to conduct a formal interview of the student. The interview should include family who are directly connected to the student's home life as well as the staff involved with the student. The interview should reveal important things like when does the behavior occur during the day, how frequently, what the behavior is receded by, what

Thank you for your considering my application to the Applied Behavior analysis program. For all of my life I have known that I was going to help people. It could be said that it is in my DNA. I just never suspected what the capacity would be. On December 15thI graduated from Albright college, I began working at Melmark on December 16th. My first thought, on that first day was “Oh no, I can’t do this, I need to quit” That was over two years ago, and I have gone to work every day, with a smile on my face. While working at my first position, out of college, I discovered my passion. My passion, I find, is working with children and adults with autism and with people who suffer from addiction. Watching the smiles on their faces, the determination when they work to complete a goal, and just the progress makes every hardship worth it, I love it. Each day, in my position as an ABA, I run behavior support plans, IEPs, teaching plans and other protocols, and each day I truly wish that I could have contributed to these plans, protocols, and IEPs. I ponder the recommendations that I could come up with, I wonder that if I had been able to participate in these conversations to create these plans could I have brought something else to the table, a different viewpoint. Affecting the way that the plans are written and in turn ran, I feel that I could make a big difference in the lives of the children and their families also. Every two weeks each child’s team meets to discuss his or her

Cole’s mother and English teacher completed BASC II scales. The BASC II measures a student’s emotional, behavioral, and adaptive functioning. The score that is used for the scale is the T-score. The T-score indicates the distance of a score from the norm group mean. The BASC II has a mean T-score of 50 with a standard deviation of 10. Scores ranging 60 to 69 are considered to be in the At-Risk range. The T-scores that are 70+ are in the Clinically Significant range. On the Adaptive Scale portion of the BASC II, the T-Scores that are from 30 to 39 are in the At-Risk range. The T-scores that are below 29 are in the Clinically Significant range.

Autism is described by many struggles in behavior, social situations, verbal and nonverbal abilities and sensory difficulties (Rotatori et al. 2003). Children with this disorder often display abnormal enactments because of the troubles one have with returning to her environment. Behavior difficulties may perhaps arise as the effect of her amplified sensitivity to a noise, visual or what she felt.

|The duration of this behavior is exhibited daily in 3 out of 6 class periods. |

Also when I took Abnormal Psychology I learned about the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System 2nd edition (ABAS) it measures the behavior frequency of the child. Parents score the child on individual questions between 0-3. 0 is not able, 1 is never when needed, 2 is sometimes when needed, 3 always when needed. The sections include communication, home living, academics, community use, health and safety, leisure, self-care, self-direction, social, and work. When the ABAS is scored it gives a score on developmental skills, emotional behavior, and relationship with others. It determines if the children is above or below average, it shows which sections they are strong and weak in, and if help should be given to that child. I was able to score a couple of Adaptive Behavior Assessments by putting it into the computer that generates an report that would then be used in the weekly meetings to determine if the child should be placed in special education.

List two potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.

Anthonio “Tony” Ceja is a fifteen-year, six-month old male diagnosed with Autism (ASD) per Psychological Assessment evaluation administered 2003, by an Inland Regional Center Psychologist.

The B.A.T clinical team met with Lukas, his parents, Mr. Josh Sherfey and Mrs. Melissa Sherfey, and his brother Logan on October 3rd, 2016, at their home. On this date the clinical team conducted an indirect functional assessment, which consisted of a parent interview and a review of ABA services in relation to Lukas. The clinical team gathered information regarding Lukas’s history (as outlined in the section above) and inquired about the challenges they encounter, including and behaviors that are of concern.

This article focuses on experimental and applied behavior analysis. They begin their article with the history of how the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) began. The JEAB or Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB) was receiving a quit a collection of new techniques and theories in both clinical and experimental. It was after this time and the JABA was made. There quickly became a divide between experimental and behavioral analysis.

According to the CDC, autism is “a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges (Facts About Autism, 2016)”. Autism was first discussed in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner, after he observed 11 children who had fixations on the inanimate environment rather than people (Quick Facts About Autism). It affects about one percent of the population, and is

List two potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.

While a mother was escaping an abusive relationship in search of welfare assistance, she took her thirteen-year-old daughter along with her. “Genie,” as she was called, intrigued the social worker in the welfare office. She was mesmerized by Genie’s posture, size, and stance. Curiously enough, the worker thought Genie might have been a case of unreported autism in a possible six- to seven-year-old (Rymer 1993). As a result, the worker notified her supervisor, who contacted the police.