PBIS Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of FBA method involves interviewing teachers, parents, and the student to gather information about the problem behavior?
- Descriptive assessment
- Functional analysis
- Indirect assessment (Correct answer)
- Naturalistic observation
Correct answer: Indirect assessment
Indirect assessment collects information about behavior through interviews, rating scales, and record reviews without directly observing the student.
Question 2: What is a scatter plot used for in the context of FBA?
- Tracking a student's academic scores over time
- Identifying patterns in when and where problem behavior is most likely to occur (Correct answer)
- Plotting behavioral goals against baseline data
- Comparing problem behavior rates across multiple students
Correct answer: Identifying patterns in when and where problem behavior is most likely to occur
A scatter plot is an FBA tool that records behavior occurrences across times of day and days of the week to identify temporal and environmental patterns.
Question 3: What is a 'setting event' in FBA?
- The physical arrangement of furniture in the classroom
- A distant antecedent condition that increases the likelihood of a problem behavior occurring later (Correct answer)
- The scheduled time when behavior is most likely to occur
- A consequence that sets the occasion for future behavior
Correct answer: A distant antecedent condition that increases the likelihood of a problem behavior occurring later
A setting event is a background variable — such as lack of sleep, conflict at home, or illness — that makes a student more vulnerable to problem behavior later in the day.
Question 4: Which data collection method involves a trained observer recording whether a behavior occurs during predetermined time intervals, regardless of when in the interval it happens?
- Frequency recording
- Duration recording
- Whole-interval recording
- Partial-interval recording (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Partial-interval recording
Partial-interval recording marks an occurrence if the behavior happens at any point during the interval, making it useful for behaviors that are difficult to count discretely.
Question 5: Which professional is typically qualified to conduct a comprehensive, functional-analysis-level FBA?
- A classroom teacher with PBIS training
- A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or equivalent qualified specialist (Correct answer)
- Any school staff member who completed the district's online FBA module
- A school counselor with a master's degree
Correct answer: A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or equivalent qualified specialist
A BCBA or similarly qualified behavior specialist has the training to design, conduct, and interpret functional analyses and other rigorous FBA components.
Question 6: In FBA, what information is typically gathered during a records review?
- Real-time classroom observation data collected that week
- Parent interview transcripts and teacher satisfaction surveys
- Previous evaluations, disciplinary records, IEP goals, and medical history (Correct answer)
- Peer comparison data and statewide assessment scores
Correct answer: Previous evaluations, disciplinary records, IEP goals, and medical history
A records review examines existing documentation — including past evaluations, office referrals, attendance, and health records — to identify patterns and history related to the problem behavior.
Question 7: Which FBA tool uses a narrative format to describe the specific sequence of antecedent, behavior, and consequence for each observed incident?
- Scatter plot
- Anecdotal or running record (ABC narrative) (Correct answer)
- Momentary time sampling form
- Latency recording sheet
Correct answer: Anecdotal or running record (ABC narrative)
An ABC narrative or anecdotal record provides a written account of each behavioral episode, capturing the antecedent, the behavior, and the consequence in sequence.
PBIS Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) 2
Which type of FBA method involves interviewing teachers, parents, and the student to gather information about the problem behavior?