Function of Behavior

Tier 3 Support for Students with Challenging Behavior

Applied Behavior Analysis

Developed from Science of Human Behavior (Behaviorism)

Emphasis on application in the real world“the systematic application of behavioral

principles to change socially significant behavior to a meaningful degree”

RTI & SW-PBIS

Effective Instruction PBS

Conceptual Foundations

Behaviorism

ABA

Laws of Behavior

Applied Behavioral Technology

Social Validity

All Students

Primary Prevention:School/Classroom-Wide Systems for

All Students,Staff, & Settings

Secondary Prevention:Specialized Group

Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior

Tertiary Prevention:FBABSP for Students with High-Risk Behavior

~80% of Students

~15%

~5%

CONTINUUM OFSCHOOL-WIDE

POSITIVE BEHAVIORSUPPORT

Behavior

Identify the Target BehaviorDesired Behavior or Non-desired Behavior

Behavior must be identified so that it is observable & measurableDefine the behavior so that someone else could

go into the room and both of you could measure the behavior without question

Why Do People Behave?

Modeling? Accident? Instinct? Condition??

Why Do People Continue Behaving?

IT WORKS!

Understanding Chronic Misbehavior

If a student repeatedly engages in a problem behavior, he/she is most likely doing it for a reason, because it is paying off for the student

The behavior is Functional or serves a purpose

Behavior is a form of communication, unfortunately some students learn that Problem Behavior is the best way for them to get their needs met

Understanding Chronic Misbehavior

Recognize that recurring misbehavior occurs for a reason, and take this into account when determining how to respond to misbehavior.

We can understand how to intervene most effectively with a student by identifying the function (or purpose) of their behavior

ABC’s of Understanding Chronic Behavior Patterns

What happens before (A or antecedent) the

behavior occurs? Trigger

What is the behavior (B)?

What happens after (C or consequence) the

behavior occurs? Response or Outcome of the Behavior

A B C

Antecedents What triggers the behavior? What happens immediately preceding the

problem/target behavior? What triggers the behavior, be specific...

What activity? What peers? What tasks? Describe in detail

If you wanted to set up the student to engage in the problem behavior, what would you have do?

Consequence What is the response to the behavior? What happens immediately following the

behavior? How do peers respond? How do the adults respond? What are the consequences for the student? How many times out of 10 do each of these

responses occur following the problem behavior?

What is the student gaining as a result of engaging in the behavior? How is it paying off for the student?

Learning A B C

Student Learns through repeated experience, that under these specific Antecedent conditions, if I engage in this Behavior, I can expect this Consequence

Learning & ABC

A B CStudent is asked to do a math problem in front of the class

Student tries to do the problem at the board, but struggles

Peers laugh at student and one says aloud, “that one is so easy”

NEXT DAY

Student is asked to do a math problem in front of the class

What happens today???

Reinforcing Consequence

AB CIf the consequence is rewarding/desired, the

subject learns the behavior is functional for getting what they want

Behavior Increases in the Future

Rewarding or Desired Consequence

Punishing Consequence

A B C

If the consequence is punishing/undesired, the subject learns the behavior is not functional for

getting what they want

Behavior Decreases in the Future

Punishing or Undesired Consequence

Summary Statement

Based on several observations Identifies predictable relationships between

environmental variables and behavior

During

When

student will

because

therefore the function of the behavior is to access /escape/avoid

(choose one)

(some Antecedent condition occurs)

(engage in a specific Behavior)

(a predictable outCome will occur)

(something in the environment)

(some routine)

Summary Statement

Based on several observations Identifies predictable relationships between

environmental variables and behavior

During

When

student will

because

therefore the function of the behavior is to access /escape/avoid

(choose one)

(some Antecedent condition occurs)

(engage in a specific Behavior)

(a predictable outCome will occur)

(something in the environment)

(some routine)Science or Social Studies

asked to read out loud in class

Verbally refuses, disrespects teacher

his teacher calls on someone else

oral reading

Sample Summary Statement

Susan calls Brenda a “creep face” and laughs

at her

Brenda punches Susan on the arm

Susan stops laughing and walks away

BRENDA HITS OTHER STUDENTS - WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS?

Antecedents

A group of students at recess call Brenda fat

Brenda kicks several of them

The students run away

Brenda spells a word incorrectly during an oral

review and the child behind her laughs

Brenda pulls the child’s hair

Brenda is sent to the office

Brenda is playing blocks with Ben. Ben takes a

block from Brenda

Brenda hits Ben over the head with another block

Ben puts the block down and runs away

Behavior Consequences

Summary Statement

WHEN ANTECEDENT , BEHAVIOR BECAUSE CONSEQUENCEBRENDA HURTS THEM THEY GO AWAY

OTHER STUDENTS CALL HER NAMES OR TEASE HER

Think about the Function of Behavior When understanding behavior, you are the

investigatorYou need to understand from the student

perspective…You need to be convinced…You need to be confident in the results of the

interview…

Most Common Functions of Behavior

To Obtain:

peer attention

adult attention

desired activity

desired item

desired peer

To Avoid/ Escape:

difficult task

non-preferred

activity

peer

staff

Why is Function so Important?

Filter & Horner, 2009

Ingram, Lewis-Palmer & Sugai, 2005

Newcomer & Lewis,

2004

Functional, not Good/Bad

Functional = Reinforced – it pays off Behavior being reinforced may be “good” or “bad”, but

it’s functional for the individual engaging in it

Non-functional = Not Reinforced –didn’t pay off In a sense it’s being punished Behaviors not reinforced may be “good” or “bad”, but

it doesn’t matter because it wasn’t functional for the individual engaging in it

Learning New Skills

A B C

Student Learns through repeated experience, that under these specific Antecedent conditions, if I engage in this Behavior, I can expect this Consequence

Consistent

Responding is the

Key!!!

Show Tracy Video

Learning & ABC -- An example (A) When sitting at the lunch table with group of ‘cool’

peers (B) if I try to get their attention appropriately by offering to share (C) peers ignore me and don’t respond – do not get desired attention Behavior is punished – less likely to occur in future

(A) When ‘unlucky girl’ comes to table with ‘cool’ peers and student wants attention (B) if I make fun of ‘unlucky girl’ (C) peers will laugh and give me attention Behavior was rewarded – more likely to occur in future

A B C

Practice Activity

Another girl sits down at table

w/ a mean voice - “Who said you could eat at my table…”

Peer gives negative look, but no response

TRACY MAKES RUDE COMMENTS TO PEERS WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS?

Antecedents

Negative look/ no response “I thought cows ate grass” Peers giggling – girl ignores

Peers giggling at previous comment

“don’t you know it’s rude to read at the table?”

Girl gives negative look, but says nothing

Peers laugh Excuse me” throws food at girl

Peers laugh loudly, girl laughs, staff intervenes

Behavior Consequences

DEVELOP A SUMMARY STATEMENT FOR TRACY

WHEN ANTECEDENT , BEHAVIOR BECAUSE

CONSEQUENCENegative look by girl, no response from peers

“hello!”, throws bag in girls face

Peers laugh girl calls Tracy ‘jackass’

Peers laugh loudly “Man, I’m being punished for cruelty to animals”

Peers laugh; Tracy escorted to office by staff

Practice Activity -- Answers

Another girl sits down at table

w/ a mean voice - “Who said you could eat at my table…”

Peer gives negative look, but no response

TRACY MAKES RUDE COMMENTS TO PEERS WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS?

Antecedents

Negative look/ no response “I thought cows ate grass” Peers giggling – girl ignores

Peers giggling at previous comment

“don’t you know it’s rude to read at the table?”

Girl gives negative look, but says nothing

Peers laugh Excuse me” throws food at girl

Peers laugh loudly, girl laughs, staff intervenes

Behavior Consequences

Summary Statement

WHEN ANTECEDENT , BEHAVIOR BECAUSE

CONSEQUENCETRACY MAKES RUDE COMMENTS THE PEERS LAUGH

SITTING WITH COOL PEERS & ‘UNCOOL’ PEER ARRIVES

Negative look by girl, no response from peers

“hello!”, throws bag in girls face

Peers laugh girl calls Tracy ‘jackass’

Peers laugh loudly “Man, I’m being punished for cruelty to animals”

Peers laugh; Tracy escorted to office by staff

ABC’s of InstructionAcross the Continuum of Learners

Antecedent Behavior Consequence

Instruction

Prompt Student Response

Teacher Feedback

Mainstream

“What is the capital of Sweden?”…. Bueller, Bueller

Student thinks “Stockholm”

Sporadic verbal praiseStudent self reinforcement “I got it right!”

Direct Instruction Reading

Showing card with word “cat” – saying “this word is ‘cat’, what word?”

“cat”

“c-ar”

Yes – that word is cat;

No, this word is cat

Significant Disabilities

“Choosing food at lunch”

Most to least prompting-physical guidance (hand over hand)-Physical-Gestural -verbal

Student Response

Reinforce response-tangible reinforcer-verbal praise-access to natural reinforcer “get lunch”

DIFFERENCES across Continuum- # of trials to mastery- explicitness of instruction

Proactive v. ReactivePBS v. Aversive approach

PBS v. Aversive Model (ABC)

A B CPBS (Positive Behavior Support) – Proactive

Emphasis on Interventions to prevent problem behavior

Emphasis on explicitly Teaching Alternate, Desired Behavior

Emphasis on Positive Reinforcement of desired behavior

Traditional Aversive/Punitive Model - Reactive approach

Limited focus on Antecedent Interventions

Little focus on teaching behavior

Emphasis on punitive response to negative behavior

Traditional / Punitive Approach (ABC)

A B CStudent Situation & what the student has learned

Asked to do math problem at the board in front of class of peers

1st time tried to do problem

Peers laughed and said “that one’s easy”

Ever since – students acts out behaviorally

Teacher usually calls on other student to do problem, peers laugh

Traditional Aversive Model - Reactive approach

No intervention – ask students to do problem on board as usual “should be able to do it just like everyone else”

No focus on teaching – student “would have learned it if he was paying attention in class”

Emphasis on punishing response – send student to Behavior Intervention Center or office