Understanding behaviour
What is a Functional Behaviour Assessment?
A Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) is not one single thing; it is a broad term used to describe a number of different methods that allow researchers and practitioners to identify the reason a specific behaviour is occurring (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007).
These assessments are typically, but not exclusively, used to identify the causes of challenging behaviours such as self-injury, aggression towards others or destructive behaviours. Although there are different methods for carrying out functional assessments, they all have the same goal: to identify the function of a challenging behaviour so an intervention can be put in place to reduce this behaviour and/or increase more adaptive behaviours.
O.F.B.I Lens as an in-house extended version of FBA developed by Breakthru
The O.F. I.B. allows us to assess the reasons and personal perspectives of a challenging and stressful behavior and, seeks to understand the behavior and provide possible solutions.
Functional Assessment Methods
There are three specific functional assessment methods: (a) Direct Observation, (b) Informant Methods, and (c) Functional Analysis. The terms “functional assessment” and “functional analysis” are sometimes thought to be the same thing but they are not; a functional analysis is one specific type of functional assessment.
01
Direct Observation
An observer would watch the client engage in activities within their natural environment. When the challenging behaviour occurs, the observer would record what happened just before it, what happened just after it and also take notes on what they perceive to be the potential cause of the behaviour.
02
Informant Methods
Interviews and questionnaires that can be completed by the client, their parents, staff members, teachers etc. Used to identify what is happening before the behaviour occurs and then what happens after the behaviour.
03
Functional Analysis
Practitioners deliberately change what happens before and/or after the behaviour in an effort to test what might be causing the behaviour. This method is used to actually test the hypothesis.
Both direct observation and informant methods are “descriptive assessments”. A functional analysis is an “experimental assessment” that can truly identify the function of the behaviour.
When we say a behaviour has a “function” we basically mean the reason the behaviour occurs. As stated by O’Neill et al (1997, p.3), ‘one of the goals of a good functional assessment is to bring clarity and understanding to otherwise chaotic and confusing situations’.
Information on this page is taken from Educate Autism site for understanding purpose.