|
|
|
|
| Statewide Parent Advocacy Network |
Identify Challenging Behavior
Whether we are dealing with a lesson's goal, a goal in a school-based intervention plan or IEP, we need to observe and collect data on a student's performance. However, to do this accurately and consistently, we need to first define the student's targeted behavior. Although the FBA moves beyond the behavioral manifestation of a problematic behavior, the behavior itself is critical since its intensity, frequency, and duration help define the nature and scope of the problem that must be understood and addressed. Therefore, before we can decide on the cause (s) for misbehavior (s), we must first identify the misbehavior (s) in concrete, observable, and measurable terms. We must make sure everyone who sees the targeted behavior as a problem &/or who may intervene to address the problem agrees with the definition of the problem behavior.
| Challenging Behavior | Concrete Definition |
| Student is aggressive | During lunch, when the student doesn't get his way, he hits other students |
| Student is disruptive | Student continuously calls out and makes inappropriate comments during mathematics classroom lessons |
| Student is hyperactive | Student continuously moves around in his seat and gets out of his seat without permission. He rarely completes assigned tasks and is constantly talking without permission. |
The assessor (s) may also have to prioritize problematic behaviors.
Consequently, the first step in the functional behavioral assessment is to identify the specific off-task behavior the student engages in when they should be working on assigned tasks. Once listed and agreed upon these off-task behaviors must be:
1. Formally observed and measured. This will establish baseline-data on the identified student and other randomly selected students, to get comparative data, as well information on the environments.
2. Assessed to identify possible causes.
PREVENTING AND ADDRESSING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR
Revised on October 15, 2005
