watching the Functional Analysis of Problem Behavior video discuss the following:
- Importance of conducting a functional analysis.
- How functional analysis will support your work with clients.
- What challenges you might foresee in conducting a FA.
- Why do we want to evoke a response?
5. In addition, ask one question you have from the video that your peers can answer.
Use the Discusion post rubric attached to elaborate the answer.
Example: Conducting a functional analysis (FA) is essential because it allows us to identify the function of problem behavior rather than relying on assumptions. By systematically manipulating antecedents and consequences, we can determine whether behavior is maintained by attention, escape, access to tangibles, or automatic reinforcement (Iwata et al., 1982/1994). This leads to more effective and individualized interventions for the individuals that we serve. In my work with clients, functional analysis results directly guide treatment planning. Knowing the function of behavior helps me select appropriate functionally equivalent strategies like functional communication training (FCT) or differential reinforcement, which increases the likelihood of meaningful and lasting behavior change (Hanley et al., 2003). It also helps determine functionally equivalent replacement behaviors to teach in replacement of maladaptive behaviors. One challenge I foresee is ensuring safety while evoking problem behavior, especially with severe behaviors like aggression, self-injurious behavior, or property destruction. It can also be difficult to maintain procedural integrity across all staff and settings. We intentionally arrange conditions in an FA to create opportunities for the behavior to occur so we can directly observe the relationship between environmental variables and the behavior. Without evoking the behavior, we cannot confidently identify the function that is maintaining it. How do you all balance the need to evoke problem behavior in an FA while maintaining client safety and minimizing risk?
References
Hanley, G. P., Iwata, B. A., & McCord, B. E. (2003). Functional analysis of problem behavior: A review. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36(2), 147185.
Iwata, B. A., Dorsey, M. F., Slifer, K. J., Bauman, K. E., & Richman, G. S. (1994). Toward a functional analysis of self-injury. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27(2), 197209. (Original work published 1982)