Functional Assessment Observation Form Tutorial

FBA Process (steps)

1. Collect indirect assessment information to determine function

1. FACTS2. Develop testable hypothesis and indicate

function(s)3. Collect direct observation data to confirm summary

statement1. FAOF

4. Finalize hypothesis

Direct Methods (FAOF)Direct Methods (FAOF)

• Functional Assessment Observation Form– Collected in context – Based off assumptions – Observes all aspects of context– Provides objective data on time place.– Requires outside observer (more cumbersome) – The higher the risk, the sooner you use this

• Gathering info on environmental factors

Functional Assessment Observation Form (FAOF)

• Intended to simplify use & summarization

• For low to moderate frequency behaviors (fewer than 20 times per day), can collect across entire day

• For high frequency behaviors, use time sampling

FAOF indicates:

• The number of events of problem behavior• The problem behaviors that occur together• The times when problem behavior events are most

and least likely to occur• Events that predict problem behavior events• Perceptions about the maintaining function of

problem behaviors• Actual consequences following problem behavior

events

FAOF - 8 Sections• Identification/dates• Time intervals

– Break into activities or time blocks– Summarize total frequencies at the bottom of the form

• Behaviors– List behaviors identified during interview– You may track positive behaviors as well– Can record multiple behaviors within one event

• Predictors– List predictors identified during interview

• May include specific persons present; schedule changes; noise; etc.– Some common predictors already listed

FAOF - 8 Sections• Perceived functions

– Make “best guess” regarding functions of PB– Includes research validated functions– Includes “don’t know”

• Actual consequences– Record actual consequences that follow PB

• Examples: told “no”, redirected, time-out, etc.

• Comments– Record brief comments (including initials when no PB occurs)

• Event & date record– Help keep track of # of events & days– Slash events as they occur, record date each day

Steps for Setting Up a FAOF

1. Write basic identifying information and dates of observations

2. List the time intervals and settings/activities down the left side of the form.

3. List the behaviors to be monitored.4. List potentially relevant setting events and/or more

immediate antecedent events in the Predictors section.5. List any additional possible functions of behaviors, if

necessary, in the Perceived Functions section.6. List the actual consequences that are typically delivered

when behaviors occur.

FAOF Practice (part 1)

READ basic information about Yolanda Martin and set up your FAOF

Steps for Recording Data on the FAOF

1. If problem behaviors occur during a recording interval:

1. Recorder puts first unused number in appropriate box or boxes in Behaviors section

2. Recorder uses the same number to mark appropriate boxes in the Predictors, Perceived Functions, and Actual Consequences sections

3. Recorder crosses out just-used number in the list at the bottom of the form

4. Recorder writes any desired comments in the Comments column

5. At the end of the time period the recorder puts his or her initials in the Comments box

Steps for Recording Data on the FAOF

1. If problem behaviors do not occur during a recording interval:

1. Recorder puts his or her initials in the Comments box for that interval and writes any desired comments.

FAOF Practice (part 2)

Read each vignette under ‘Behavioral Incidents’ and then record it on the form by marking in

the relevant boxes

FAOF Practice (part 3)Compare your completed form with sample

Finalizing HypothesisFinalizing Hypothesis• You should have presumptions of the

following based on the data:

• Setting Events:• Antecedent:• Behavior:• Consequence:

• You Should also be able to rate the strength of your hypothesis based on your data—do this so you know how closely to observe intervention plan

Guidelines for Interpreting FAOF Data

1. Examine the Behaviors columns to decide which behaviors are occurring, how often they are occurring, and whether some or all of the behaviors seem to be co-occurring regularly.

2. Examine the form to see whether behaviors are consistently occurring during particular time periods and whether particular Predictors are consistently related to the occurrence of particular behaviors during those time periods.

3. Consider the Perceived Functions and Actual Consequences sections of the form to identify the probable functions of different behaviors and the consequences that may be maintaining them.

4. Based on the observation data, decide whether your initial summary statements seem valid, whether they should be revised or discarded, and whether you need to develop additional statements.

FAOF Practice (part 4)

Examine the completed FAOF, interpret collected data and develop summary

statement

Interpreting FAOF Data

• Describing behaviors– Yolanda’s data indicate that across 3 days, she

yelled six times, destroyed materials 3 times, and showed aggression toward teachers and peers a total of 5 times

– Yelling and destroying materials, and yelling and aggression sometimes occurred together

Interpreting FAOF Data

• Predicting behaviors– Seat work periods and other activities with little

attention may be consistently related to the occurrence of yelling.

– Being asked to do apparently nonpreferred math tasks was consistently related to the destruction of materials and once to aggression.

– Other periods appeared relatively problem free (such as Reading/Language Arts)

Interpreting FAOF Data

• Determining the functions of behaviors– Behaviors were serving two primary functions: (a)

gaining attention and (b) escaping requests to complete nonpreferred tasks

– On a number of occasions when the perceived function was attention, Yolanda was redirected back to the activity. This redirection may be serving as a form of reinforcing attention for such behavior.

General Questions for Interpreting Data

• Is the behavior occurring within the context of the same activity, materials, instructor, or group of peers, and so forth?

• Does the behavior consistently occur following particular antecedents? What percent of each antecedent appears in the data?

• Following instances of the behavior is there a consistent consequence(s) used by the teacher, peers, or other adults? What percent of each consequence appears in the data?

General Questions for Interpreting Data, cont’d

• Does the student terminate the behavior following a particular consequence(s)? In what percent of occurrence does the consequence result in the student’s terminating the behavior?

• When a consequence is repeatedly followed by the termination of the behavior, is there an implied function?

• Does the same A-B-C occur repeatedly, leading to a consistent hypothesis of function across all, or almost all, occurrences of the behavior? What percent of this pattern appears within the data?

Not Sure About the Hypothesis?

• What would make the challenging behavior stop? Is it something you would provide or allow the child to access? Or is there something to remove? Or can you allow the child to leave?

• If still unsure, collect more data in the same context.

• Some challenging behavior may have the same form but serve multiple functions.

• Some challenging behaviors may begin around one function (e.g., escape) and continue to serve another function (e.g., gain attention).