Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Functional Behavioral Assessments


This week, we began our discussion of Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA). As you recall, these assessments focus on getting to the bottom of problem behavior by identifying the motivation, antecedent and consequences as well as the target behavior. The FBA uses a team approach to capture a full picture of the ASD individual. Based on the FBA, a plan can be developed to address the behavior. Although the FBA uses  informal assessment techniques, it is by no means a haphazard  or shoot-from-the-hip approach. An FBA is a carefully planned and well documented process that results in a hypothesis about the target behavior. This allows for a promising intervention with the ASD individual.

Please view this video from the St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) in Marysville, MI, which explains their  approach to FBAs. This approach is very consistent with that described by Beth Glasberg in our text. It goes into detail about how to conduct the assessment and shows a very practical tool that you may find useful in conducting  FBAs.

Please view the video and discuss the  St. Clair County RESA process and instrument as you think it might be implemented in your own organization. Critique the process against the theory behind FBAs as described by Glasberg and in comparison with your organization’s needs.  How does the instrument stack up? How would you modify it to make it better? Do you find the hypothesis a useful tool in working to address problem behaviors with ASD individuals?

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