TAKING THE MYSTERY OUT OF FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS Isabelle Cowan, MASP, L. Psych, BCBA Marlene Breitenbach, M.S.Ed, BCBA Tracy Miller, M.Ed Danielle Rochon, B.A.
Feb 24, 2016
TAKING THE MYSTERY OUT
OF FUNCTIONAL
ANALYSISIsabelle Cowan, MASP, L. Psych, BCBA
Marlene Breitenbach, M.S.Ed, BCBATracy Miller, M.Ed
Danielle Rochon, B.A.
TYPICAL SCENARIO
Student with significant behavioural challengesFrustrated team
Messy dataExpectation
CASE EXAMPLEFrequent episodes of aggression since K
Escalation to point of restraint and use of a time-out room
Frequent consultations from various competent professionals
Mounds of ABC data
Inconclusive results from interviews
Direct observations a challenge with so many different variables in play at once
NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS Setting up situations in which you are
manipulating the antecedent and providing a consequence when the target behaviour occurs.
Purpose: to identify the function of the behaviour (what is maintaining the behaviour)
“Allergy test”
Large body of research to support the use of this methodology
PROCEDURES ARE STRAIGHT FORWARD Iwata, B, et al, (2000). Skill acquisition in
the implementation of functional analysis methodology. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 33, 181-194.
Taught undergraduate students how to conduct Functional Analysis conditions within 2 hours by explaining the procedures, modeling and giving feedback.
Article describes how to carry out the functional analysis.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CONDITIONS
Alone (Automatic Reinforcement)
• Give student opportunity to engage in the problem behaviour without consequence
Attention
• Provide student with attention when behaviour occurs
Play (Control condition)
• Provide an enriched environment with no demands and provide attention on a frequent basis
Demand (Escape)
• Allow student to escape the task demand when behaviour occurs
OTHER POSSIBLE CONDITIONTangible
• Provide student with a desired item when the behaviour occurs (choose the item that you suspect the student is engaging in the behaviour to get)
EVOLVING PERSPECTIVE IN REGARD TO FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS
This is not rocket
science!
Let me look
into it
Only for the elite
WHO CAN DO A FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS?
Undergraduate students (Iwata et al., 2000)
B.A. level therapists (Moore et al. 2002)
Teachers (Wallace et al., 2004)Parents taught how to carry out FA
through teleconferencing (Barretto et al., 2006)
PROCESS Target behaviour: verbal complaints and
whining (precursor behaviour to aggression)
5 sessions: Four 10 minute conditions in which we set up the situation to potentially evoke the behaviour and arrange a specific consequence.
Data Collection: Recorded when behaviour occurred.
Result: More frequent behaviour in attention condition.
REQUIRED SKILLS Identify your target behaviour
Follow instructions
Provide a consequence when the target behaviour occurs
Record behaviour when it occurs
Interpret the data
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?
When you understand the function of the behaviour, the effectiveness of the intervention can be significantly improved.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?
Helps to identify what the student needs to learn to replace the target behaviour (DRA).
Provides convincing data for staff to change their own behaviour (EXTINCTION).
Helps to know what reinforcer you should make available so that the student isn’t as motivated to seek it out (NON-CONTINGENT REINFORCEMENT)
MODELING OF THE ASSESSMENT CONDITIONS
EXAMPLE OF EACH CONDITION 2 minute demonstration of each condition
Target behaviour : Hit the table with open hand or closed fist, with enough force so that it can be heard by the teacher.
Non-examples: touching the table; brushing against the table.
Data collection method: Frequency count
Task: Observe each assessment condition and record each occurrence of the behaviour
DATA SHEET Frequency Count
Condition Frequency of Behaviour Totals
Attention / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / 18
Demand / / / 3Play 0
Alone 0
(Note: For each condition presented, write a tally during the interval then record the totals)
ALONE CONDITION•Adult present, but no social interaction occurs. •No access to toys, leisure materials or preferred items.
Antecedent
•Individual engages in the target behaviour
Behaviour
•When target behaviour occurs, do not do or say anything. •Do not make eye contact or make changes in facial expressions.
Consequence
If a target behaviour occurs most frequently in this
condition
then, it is likely that the behaviour itself produces its
own reinforcer (self-stimulation).
ALONE CONDITION (AUTOMATIC REINFORCEMENT)
ATTENTION CONDITION•Leisure and play materials available•Inform individual that you will be busy•Provide no further attention
Antecedent
•Individual engages in target behaviour
Behaviour
•When target behaviour occurs, approach individual and make a statement of concern. You can pair comment with brief physical contact.•e.g. "Don't do that, you might get hurt."
Consequence
ATTENTION CONDITION
If a target behaviour occurs most frequently in this
condition
then, it is likely that the behaviour is maintained by
attention.
PLAY CONDITION (CONTROL)
• Free access to toys, leisure materials, and known preferred activities.
• At 30-second intervals, approach the student and make a comment for 5-10 seconds
• Respond to any appropriate social behaviour
Antecedent
•Individual engages in target behaviour
Behaviour
•There are no consequences for problem behavior, except that attention should be delayed if problem behavior occurs just as attention is about to be delivered.
Consequence
It is not expected that the student will engage in the
behaviour at a high frequency during this condition. If a target behaviour occurs
frequently in this condition
then, it is likely that the behaviour itself produces its
own reinforcer (self-stimulation).
PLAY CONDITION (CONTROL)
If a target behaviour occurs frequently in this condition
and in the demand condition
then, it is likely that the behaviour is maintained by
escape from social interaction in general.
PLAY CONDITION (CONTROL) 2ND POSSIBILITY
DEMAND CONDITION (ESCAPE)
• Present relevant task demands; including known disliked tasks.
• Client complies: Deliver praise.• If does not comply within 5 seconds,
demonstrate• If does not comply within 5 seconds,
physically prompt.• Provide continuous demands until end of
session
Antecedent
•Individual engages in target behaviour
Behaviour
•When target behaviour occurs, the demand is immediately removed /terminated without comment and presented again after 20-30 seconds.
Consequence
If a target behaviour occurs most frequently in this
condition
Then it is likely that the behaviour is maintained by escape from task demands.
DEMAND CONDITION (ESCAPE)
EXAMPLE OF TANGIBLE CONDITION 2 minute demonstration
Target behaviour : Scratching/rubbing head (any hand motion on head)
Scratching can be of any level of intensity.
Data collection method: Partial Interval
Task: Observe the assessment condition and record whether the behaviour occurred at any point during the interval.
DATA SHEET Partial Interval:
• Mark a “+” in the interval box when the behaviour occurs during any part of the interval Mark a “–“ if the behaviour does not occur at all during the interval.
• Intervals are every 10 seconds in this example. (They can also be 20 seconds in other situations).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
% of intervals “+”
Tangible
TANGIBLE CONDITION• Provide brief access to
preferred item, then remove the item and ignore the student.
Antecedent
•Individual engages in target behaviour
Behaviour
•When target behaviour occurs, provide brief access to the item then remove it again and ignore.
Consequence
If a target behaviour occurs most frequently in this
condition
then, it is likely that the behaviour is maintained by
access to an item.
TANGIBLE CONDITION
TAILOR THE PROCESS TO WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FORSchlichenmeyer, K.J., et al (2013) Provides ideas on how to modify
conditions to assess different antecedents.Ex.
Demand condition: easy task/hard task Attention condition: attention provided by peer
vs adult; different types of attention , Etc.
CASE STUDY Grade 8 student Target behaviour: looking at and pointing to
other people’s feet Informal staff interviews and multiple
observations FA conducted in one morning – 2 hours total 5 conditions (Attention [2]; Demand [2]; Alone
[3]; Play [1]; Tangible [1]) Each condition lasted 5 minutes (brief FA) Consultant conducted FA; EA held video camera
or left the room Data collected afterwards by watching video
(permanent product)
1 2 30
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
3
0 001
3
0
2
19
Frequency of target behaviour across FA conditions
Alone (3)Attention (2)Play (1)Demand (2)Tangible (1)
Sessions
Occ
uren
ces
of B
ehav
iur
CONSIDERATIONSCandidates for FA: Behaviour interferes significantly with
learning; “nothing working”; Behaviour Support Plan in place but
behaviour is worsening; Behaviour is severe and chronic and FA
would be faster than another approach; Descriptive FBA was done but function
is still unclear
CONSIDERATIONSCareful and Collaborative Planning Informed consent and scheduling Target Behaviour: CLEAR definition
(precursor behaviours less risky) Space: classroom? room away from ongoing
activity? Participant Roles: instructor and data
collector; practice? tape? Materials: preferred, non-preferred
CONSIDERATIONSCareful Planning
Conditions : order? duration? Identify potential risksExit strategy: What level of behaviour
would indicate that session should be shortened or stopped?
Try out with a non aggressive behaviour
KEY QUESTIONS What did you learn from this session?
Were there any surprises?
Identify and discuss a case where this approach may be of benefit.
What are some steps you would need to do to get started?
What are your questions for the presenters?
REFERENCES Barretto A, Wacker D.P, Harding J, Lee J, Berg W. Using
telemedicine to conduct behavioral assessments. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 2006;39:333–340.
Iwata, B, et al, (2000). Skill acquisition in the implementation of functional analysis methodology. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 33, 181-194.
Moore J.W, Edwards R.P, Sterling-Turner H.E, Riley J, DuBard M, McGeorge A. Teacher acquisition of functional analysis methodology. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 2002;35:73–77.
Schlichenmeyer, K.J., et al (2013). Idiosyncratic variables that affect functional analysis outcomes: A Review (2001-2010). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46, 339-348.
Wallace M.D, Doney J.K, Mintz-Resudek C.M, Tarbox R.S.F. Training educators to implement functional analyses. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 2004;37:89–92.