mardi 8 mai 2018

Important Functional Behavior Assessment Steps To Be Followed

By Harold Olson


Human behavior is as varied as the number of unique finger prints. Functional behavior assessment, also known as FBA, is an approach used to identify unique problems, especially among students. It methodically attempts to know why a person has certain behavioral tendencies and how this behavioral patters can be altered to fit societal norms and standards. Functional behavior assessment steps are systematic and should be keenly followed.

The initial objective of FBA was to help in identifying students with abnormal behavior and coming up with measures to keep the problem in check. It targeted students with intellectual disability such as those who had autism. Some of the key pointers that helped in picking them out included lagging way behind academically, poor social interaction and attention seeking behavior.

The first step in FBA is to identify the problem. The individual under study must first be accurately defined. The assessor then takes time to objectively study them in various settings and define their pattern of behavior. This may take quite sometime and one needs to be forbearing in order to come up with a detailed report. Several factors such as culture should be considered in the process.

The second step in assessing the affected person is information gathering. Two main approaches are employed; direct and indirect. The indirect method seeks to establish the view of people who interact with the subject frequently. This can be done by requesting them to fill forms containing well thought-out questions concerning the case study, or simply conducting oral interviews. Using both tools gives the team a broader perspective because each has an advantage over the other.

After collecting data, the next step is to formulate a hypothesis which aims at drawing conclusions from the data collected. For example, some individuals behave the way they do because they feel neglected. Dismal academic scoring could be due to lack of knowledge and skills. Misbehavior could also be because the subject may not be aware that their actions are outside the norm.

Formulation of a hypothesis is followed by creating a plan for intervention based on the hypothesis. For the intervention plan to succeed, team co-operation is key. Every person in the team has a specific role assigned to them although some roles may overlap. Regardless of this, the overall intention is to provide overall modification of behavior.

Assessment concludes with evaluating the processes used and how effective they have been. Again, evaluation is a team effort. All members of the team have to combine their reports after spending a period of time with the subject. Alternatives can be sought if the process is unsuccessful.

In summary, functional behavioral assessment is a process and not a single step. It requires skill, resources and an open mind. This is because conditions may change in the course of the study, which may require the assessor to conduct further assessment before moving to the next step.




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