Gather Information on the Identified Challenging Behavior

 

Once the challenging behavior (s) have been identified and prioritized, it’s important to gather information on this targeted behavior.

Answering the following questions, utilizing observations, interviews, assessments, etc. will address the requirements of a functional behavioral assessment:
a. What does the student avoid, or escape, by the identified behavior?
b. What does student gain by the identified behavior (s)?
c. What problem (s) is student's identified behavior solving for them?
d. Which biological, social, affective and/or environmental factors initiate, sustain or end the behavior in question?
e. What are the events that precede the identified behavior (s)?
f. What tends to be happening when the identified behavior (s) occur?
g. What seems to trigger the identified behavior (s)?
h. When, where and with whom are the identified behavior (s) most likely to occur?
i. When, where and with whom are the identified behavior (s) least likely to occur?
j. What happens right after the inappropriate behavior (s) occur?
k. What is the intensity, frequency, and duration of the identified behavior (s)?
l. Does a skill deficit contribute to the identified behavior (s)?
m. Does a performance deficit contribute to the identified behavior (s)?
n. What are the expectations, which have determined that the behavior is problematic?
o. Which positive appropriate behavior (s) could replace the behavior (s) to be decreased or eliminated?
p. What preferred items, activities, or people could be used as incentives in an intervention for this child to increase positive behaviors?
q. What are some strengths and abilities of the student, which can be used as a basis of positive change?

 

To respond to the above questions and plan for interventions that address the challenging behavior, observable and measurable data is required. Objective and measurable data provides the baseline data against which stakeholders can judge the success and progress of subsequent interventions. In addition to collecting data on the targeted student, the FBA should also collect comparative data on one or more other students. The observation method that's selected will depend on the challenging behavior to be measured. For example, based on the behavioral criteria, aggressive &/or defiant behavior may be best measured by the frequency with which they occur. In this case, the behaviors can be viewed as discrete events, with an observable beginning and end; consequently, "event recording" may be the preferred observational technique. In this simple observational and recording system, we note the number of times an aggressive defiant behavior occurs during a designated time period.

 

For example, over a week, the designated observer could record the number of aggressive and defiant behavior and find the daily average. This would enable us to quantify the scope of the problem for others, such as students, parents, teachers, administrators, school-based intervention and/or IEP teams. This would also provide us with baseline data against which the success &/or failure of future interventions can be judged. The following observation form and subsequent chart can assist in this endeavor, with or without modifications. Also, by noting those subjects, tasks, and/or activities where the targeted behavior occurs and doesn't occur, you can begin to hypothesize on the antecedent causes of the challenging behavior and perhaps those antecedent events which limit its occurrences for future interventions:

 

(Identify) Challenging Behavior Occurs (+) or Doesn't Occur (-) During Selected Interval (e.g., subjects, tasks, activities)
Student's Name:                                                                                                               Date:
Identify subject, tasks, &/or activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 

 

In addition to collecting data on the identified student’s challenging behavior, we may want to collect data on incompatible pro-social behavior. We could use a chart like the following, with or without modifications, to conduct formal observations and:

  1. Record the occurrence of the challenging behaviors at predetermined units of time, in various subjects, periods, activities, times, &/or assigned tasks.
  2. Find the average challenging &/or incompatible pro social behavior for each student in a class.
  3. Determine where the challenging behaviors are the greatest (e.g., periods, subjects, times, tasks, activities, etc.) and with which students and/or adults.
  4. Determine where challenging and incompatible incompatible pro social behaviors exist to help determine future interventions.
  5. Identify weaknesses, which would be analyzed in the assessment, with recommendations in subsequent reports, documented in the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) section of the IEP, and the possible goals of school-based interventions or special education programs and services (e.g., PBS, goals, related services, supplementary aids and services, etc.).
  6. Summarized at predetermined intervals to monitor and provide feedback to stakeholders on the success of the student in achieving goals, such as increasing engaged learning and achievement.

 

 

 

 

 

(Identify) Challenging Behavior Occurs (+) or Doesn't Occur (-) During Selected Intervals (e.g., ten 30 second observations) 

Student's Name:                                                                                                               Date:

Observation Time

 Challenging Behavior - Off task behavior Replacement Pro Social  Behavior - On task behavior
From:

To:

    
From:

To:

    
From:

To:

    
From:

To:

    
From:

To:

    

1. Off task motor (OTM) - Out of seat, constant & noticeable fidgeting, playing with pencils/toys, hitting, biting, throwing things, etc.

2. Off task verbal (OTV) - Calling out, talking to someone when prohibited, etc.

3. Off task passive (OTP) - Looking around, staring into space, looking out the window, delaying starting assigned task, skipping class &/or coming to class late.

 

The data collected from the above charts and an array of other measuring techniques can assist us in identifying the gap between what is expected of the student and his/her actual behavior. This gap should provide us significant guidance in establishing goals and objectives for subsequent interventions. For example, based on the above definitions, we could observe the student's off-task behavior for thirty 10-second intervals equally spread out over five major subjects &/or types of assigned tasks.

 

Example of observing and measuring on task & off task behavior:

 

 

Analysis

Based on the data in the above chart, 15 off-task observations were noted during 30 observations, which equals 50% off task. We arrive at a % for off task and on task behavior by dividing the number of "+" and "-" signs by the number of intervals. When we analyze this data further, we see that most of the off task behavior occurred during reading and social studies. Based on our data collection system, we could further analyze these observations by the types of tasks that were assigned to better understand the functional relationships between the task requirements and on task and off task behavior. This analysis could help us differentiate whether the off task behavior was due to a skill deficit or performance deficit. Clearly, if it's a skill deficit we would need to teach the student those skills &/or provide curriculum and/or instructional modifications. On the other hand, if it's a performance deficit we will probably need to rearrange the environment contingencies that are reinforcing off task &/or on task behaviors. In most cases, interventions will involve a combination of these factors.

 

PREVENTING AND ADDRESSING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR

Revised on October 15, 2005

 

Newark Teachers Union

Newark Public Schools

 Statewide Parent Advocacy Network