Functional Behavior Assessment Flashcards

Functional Communication Training (FCT) is directly informed by FBA because FCT:

Answer: Replaces problem behavior with a communicative response that produces the same function-matched reinforcer

FCT identifies the function of the problem behavior through FBA and then teaches an appropriate communicative response (e.g., asking for a break) that produces the same functionally equivalent reinforcer, reducing the problem behavior.

Under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), an FBA is required when:

Answer: A student with a disability is removed from their educational placement for more than 10 school days due to behavior

IDEA mandates that an FBA be conducted when a student with a disability faces a change in placement exceeding 10 consecutive school days, or for a pattern of removals totaling more than 10 days, related to the behavior.

A behavior analyst finds that a child's self-injurious behavior occurs primarily during transitions between activities. What does this information most likely indicate for the FBA?

Answer: Transitions serve as an antecedent condition that may signal the removal of preferred activities

Behavior occurring during transitions may indicate an escape function, as transitions often signal the end of preferred activities or the start of less preferred ones, serving as an aversive antecedent.

Which of the following is a critical limitation of relying solely on indirect assessment methods (interviews, rating scales) in an FBA?

Answer: Informant reports may be inaccurate, biased, or fail to identify true behavioral functions

Indirect assessments depend on informant accuracy, memory, and interpretation, which can introduce bias and may not reliably identify the true environmental variables maintaining the behavior.

When FBA results indicate that problem behavior is maintained by escape from demands, which intervention strategy is most function-matched?

Answer: Using extinction by preventing escape while teaching a functional communication response for breaks

For escape-maintained behavior, function-matched intervention includes extinction (preventing escape from demands) combined with FCT to teach an appropriate way to request a break, addressing both the maintaining variable and skill deficit.

What distinguishes a 'hypothesis statement' from a 'summary statement' in the FBA process?

Answer: A summary statement describes observed patterns while a hypothesis statement is a testable, predictive statement about the function of behavior

A summary statement describes the antecedent-behavior-consequence patterns identified through assessment, whereas a hypothesis statement takes the form of a testable prediction about the conditions and function that maintain the behavior.

Which type of validity is most essential for an FBA to be considered complete and trustworthy?

Answer: Functional validity — whether the identified function actually maintains the behavior as confirmed by intervention outcomes

The ultimate test of an FBA is functional validity: if the function identified is correct, a function-based intervention should reduce the problem behavior and increase the alternative behavior, confirming the assessment's accuracy.