Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)
�Functional Behavioral Assessment Short Paper,� in which you outlined three challenging
behaviors (and a possible function for each behavior) commonly observed in young children. Then,
explore the purpose and process of behavior management in a paper in which you:
Describe the purpose of behavior management in early childhood education settings, including why it
is important to think proactively. Integrate the specific challenging behaviors to be detailed in this
paper.
Discuss three strategies teachers may use to determine the functions of challenging behaviors.
Design an individual support plan for each of the challenging behaviors which includes:
the possible functions of the behavior
specific positive behavior supports
replacement behaviors
Summarize the role of the teacher in designing and implementing a classroom behavior plan.
Writing the Final Paper
FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT (FBA) 2
Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)
Introduction
Parent works down to earth to ensure that their children exhibit good behaviors. However,
this is not easy as it is very difficult to instill good behaviors to young children. Therefore,
the following discussion will indulge in discussing the purposes of behavior managing in
early childhood education settings. In addition, the paper will address some of the
indispensable strategies to be utilized to determine functions of challenging behaviors.
Moreover, the discussion will encompass on designing individual support plans address the
behaviors. Finally, the paper will summarize by illustrating the roles of the teacher in
formulating and making a classroom behavior plan effective.
Discussion
Behavioral Management in classrooms entails a process enacted and implemented by
teachers to ensure that young children manage their behavior. When management is effective,
FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT (FBA) 3
there is maximization of student’s learning, as no time is wasted on disturbances and other
maladaptive practices (Losinski, Maag, Katsiyannis & Ryan, 2015). Therefore, Miller & Lee
(2013), the overall purpose of Behavior Management is to support young children to put on
display behaviors that are apposite to their learning. In addition, behavior management has a
purpose in training social behaviors, which are not only appropriate for learning, but also for
school and home situations (Miller & Lee, 2013). When behavior management is kept
constant, it is guaranteed that positive and immediate responses are derived. However, when
management is inconsistent, it can be assured that those young children will not be able to
stop the bad behavior as expected.
Thinking proactively is given an upper hand to thinking reactively. However, what makes
thinking reactively to be commended is that it has the ability to lend a hand to the children to
accomplish their own goals that is grounded at the root source of their behavior (Lyod &
Kennedy, 2014). Conversely, proactive approaches are quite imperative as they address the
misbehavior in a more effectual manner. Notably, proactive thinking is individually oriented
towards a particular child’s behavior. For instance, it entails digging out root cause of the
behavior such as timid behavior from the child perceptive (Hansen, Wills, & Kamps, 2014).
During childhood education, it is very crucial for teachers to make sure that they give the
children individualized instructions, giving an insight to where errors in their behavior settles
so as for them to understand what proper behavior is. In addition, Lyod & Kennedy (2014),
defining what apposite behaviors are and dealing with bad behaviors in a proactive approach
at an early age is very important in addressing poor preferences and decision-making
capabilities. For instance, a teacher can term aggressive behaviors, fearful behavior, as well
as anti-social behavior as inappropriate behaviors. Terming behaviors in such manners
promises that a child can start developing skills to distinguish appropriate behaviors form bad
ones.
FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT (FBA) 4
Some of the essential strategies to be utilized to determine functions of challenging behaviors
comprise of functional analysis, direct observation, and indirect assessment. On its own,
indirect assessment comprises of interviews, record reviews, and questionnaires. Aggressive
behaviors of younger children can be evaluated through an interview by identification of the
events correlated with the incident and nonoccurrence of the problem behavior (Hansen,
Wills, & Kamps, 2014). For instance, teachers who account that a student engages in
aggressive behaviors in their respective classrooms may attend the interview to give first-
hand information. Record reviews are very important to uncover some of the setting’s
experiences, aspects related to life, and academic advantages as well as problems (Miller &
Lee, 2013). Checklists and questionnaires are employed to verify the social skills of the child.
However, indirect assessments cannot be effectual if not combined with direct assessments.
Direct assessments comprises of duration, the occurrence, latency, as well as the strength of
problem behavior (Hansen, Wills, & Kamps, 2014). Functional analysis, on the other hand, is
applicable in testing hypothesis by logical exploitation of the events that are thought to make
problem behavior happen. Methodically, researchers test an event that is deduced to add to
the happening to the problem behavior, while regulating the other possible basis of variance.
Individual Support Plan for the Challenging Behaviors
Timid behavior
This particular behavior makes a student to avoid unpleasant tasks, for instance, working in
the classroom’s groups with others that they dislike (Miller & Lee, 2013). The support plan
can start by teaching the student to make use of socially acceptable getaway behaviors, for
instance, requesting for help. The student can also be given incentives for spending much
more time in an undesirable task (Losinski, Maag, Katsiyannis & Ryan, 2015). Other steps in
the plan include placing some diversity of demand on the student, specifically when
FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT (FBA) 5
experiencing a frustrating state (Lyod & Kennedy, 2014). In addition, the teacher can use
signal retorts as well as making curricular adjustments or instructional amendments to
enhance the student’s interest (Miller & Lee, 2013). For instance, the teacher replacing a
frustrating assignment with another one, which is more appropriate, can deal with timid
behavior.
Aggressive behavior
Aggressive behaviors are most used by children to attract attention from others. Interventions
that focus on teaching the child proper methods to attract attention have been commended to
be successful in diminishing bad behaviors (Losinski, Maag, Katsiyannis & Ryan, 2015).
Role-play is one of the interventions. For instance, the child is taught to declare the right
things such as, ‘I am really stuck on this problem’ (Miller & Lee, 2013). In the plan, the
student or the child is to be introduced into tolerate for longer as well as to wait for longer
durations. The other step in the plan is to ignore the student or the child when he or she seems
to continue with the bad behavior (Lyod & Kennedy, 2014). The final step in the individual
support plan for children with aggressive behavior is reprimanding. Reprimanding itself is a
type of attention, which in years has shown victories in dealing with attention-hunting
behavior.
Antisocial behavior
The function of the problem behavior in this case is to avoid forming a relationship with other
whether aggressively or timidly. The intervention in this case starts by keeping the student
from engaging in the original problem or unsuitable conduct such as verbal warnings
(Losinski, Maag, Katsiyannis & Ryan, 2015). The next step in the plan is to teach
replacement behaviors such as teaching how to communicate with other. This step is
followed by activities that ensure that the child gets enough choices to indulge in the new
FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT (FBA) 6
replacement behavior, for instance, giving her or him incentives (Hansen, Wills, & Kamps,
2014). Notably, step 4 involves providing opportunities for the respective child to be
reinforced for the new behavior such as receiving applause from other members and friends.
The roles of the teacher in formulating and making a classroom behavior plan effective
include disciplining students with respect as well as dignity. The teacher also has a role of
providing positive reinforces. In specific, the teacher has the role of providing the
reinforcement, which is timely based to make the reinforcement effectual (Hansen, Wills, &
Kamps, 2014). In order to make functional behavioral assessment to be effective, the teacher
must fulfill his or her role in enacting and posting classroom and school rules. This is meant
to punish wrongdoers (Miller & Lee, 2013). In addition, the teacher has a role in emphasizing
that students should address one another in an affirmative and respectful manner (Lyod &
Kennedy, 2014). These actions are meant to deter problem behavior such as the aggressive
ones. Above all, the teacher has a role in administrating a student’s behavior through clear
hopes that are characterized with consistent feedback to the student’s activities (Losinski,
Maag, Katsiyannis & Ryan, 2015). This is not forgetting the importance of the establishment
of a strong relationship between students. When the formation of interactions is exhibited in a
school, certain problem behavior such as timid behavior and antisocial ones are easily dealt
with as students can now share ideas among them.
Conclusion
In summary, FBA has been as an effective way to deal with problem behaviors. However,
this process can be productive if appropriate strategies are put in place to determine the
functions of challenging behavior. After determining the functions, formulation of individual
support plan is crucial to assist in replacing each problem behavior. This can only be effectual
if teachers’ roles in affecting individual plans are exhibited.
FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT (FBA) 7
References
Hansen, B., Wills, P., & Kamps, D. (2014). Effects of Aligning Self-management
Interventions with Functional Behavioral Assessment. Education & treatment Of
Children, 37(3), 393-406.
Losinski, M., Maag, J., Katsiyannis, A., & Ryan, J. (2015). The use of Structural Behavioral
Assessment to Develop interventions for Secondary Students Exhibiting Challenging
Behaviors. Education 7 Treatment of Children, 38(2), 149-174.
Lyod, B. P., & Kennedy, C.H. (2014). Assessment and Treatment of Challenging Behavior
for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: A Research Review. Journal of Applied
Research in intellectual Disabilities, 27, no. 3: 187-199. Academic Search Premier,
EBSCOhost, viewed at 2 June 2015.
Miller, F., & Lee, D. (2013). Do Functional Behavioral Assessments Improve Intervention
Effectiveness for Students Diagnosed with ADHD. A Single-Subject Meta-Analysis.
Journal of Behavioral Education, 22(3), 253-282.
