HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT FUNCTION-BASED INTERVENTION

Review FBA• Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)

• When understanding problem behavior, research suggests that it is important to understand the purpose, or function of the behavior in order to best identify interventions.

• FBA is a set of procedures used to identify variables that are directly related to the student’s challenging behavior.

• FBA and the Law• The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) federally

mandated schools under certain circumstances to use FBA’s to develop supports for students with problem behavior.

• Despite requirement of FBA’s and BSP’s into SpEd law in 1997, schools are still struggling to implement effective FBA/BSP and effective Tier 3 Behavioral Support (Scott, 2007).

However…Many school districts view FBA as a legal mandate with

which to comply, rather than an instructional process to ameliorate problem behavior.

One of the biggest challenges is the preparation of school-based teams. (Lane, Barton-Arwood, Spencer & Kalberg, 2007)

VanAcker, Boreson & Patterton (2005) found that most teams had less than required team members and often failed to take function into consideration when developing interventions

There is a strong resistance within general education to retain students with disruptive and/or inappropriate behavior. (e.g., Gale, Hendrickson & Rutherford, 1991; Lewis, 1994)

And when schools do address student problems behaviors they frequently rely on negative consequences(e.g., Colvin, Sugai & Kameenui, 1993)

What We KnowFBA-indicated interventions, those that consider function,

are more effective than interventions that don’t(Ingram, Lewis-Palmer & Sugai, 2005).

And that schools are able to implement function-based support with technical assistance from consultants (Kamps, Wendland & Culpepper, 200); Lane, Barton-Arwood, Spencer & Kalberg, 2007

So, what are the barriers to providing comprehensive support?Borgmeier et al (in preparation) interviewed administrators,

behavior specialists, teachers and district specialists

• Staff buy-in that included either unwillingness to implement recommended plan and/or teachers wanted the student removed but FBA process maintains student in classroom

• Lack of training and education

• Lack of implementation fidelity and sustainability

• FBA-BIP process was too time consuming (e.g., paperwork)

• Lack of support (Time, resources, schedules or problems extended beyond school day)

WHY FUNCTION-BASED SELECTION

Review: Antecedents & Consequence

• Antecedent• Events that occur before the behavior and occasion the

occurrence of the behavior• “Would this be a good time to do ____________?”

“Will it get me what I am wanting to happen?”

• Consequence• Events that occur after the behavior and serve to affect the

probability of that behavior occurring again in the future under similar conditions • “Did _____________ get me what I was hoping for?”

“Did it meet my need?”

Definitions• “Positive” = add or give• “Negative” = take away or remove

• “Punishment” = decrease• “Reinforcement” = increase

Positive reinforcement• Increase in future probability of behavior occurrences

associated with contingent presentation of a stimulus• “stimulus” = condition, object, or event• action = present/give• effect = increase

Negative reinforcement• Increase in future probability of behavior occurrences

associated with contingent removal of a stimulus• action = remove/take away• effect = increase

Positive punishment • Decrease in future probability of behavior occurrences

associated with contingent presentation of a stimulus• action = give/present• effect = decrease

Negative punishment• Decrease in future probability of behavior occurrences

associated with contingent removal of a stimulus• action = remove/take• effect = decrease

ACTION

Give

Take

EFFECT

Increase

Positive Reinforcement

Negative Reinforcement

Decrease

Positive Punishment

Negative Punishment

A Matter of Perspective

Action

E ffect

Behav ior

Person

•Always define the who and what you are interested in.

When selecting a specific practice:

• Base selection on need identified by competing behavior pathways analysis• Setting events, antecedents, teaching behaviors,

consequences to increase and decrease behavior

• Match practice to function of problem behavior• Gain social or item/activity, escape social or demand,

automatic

• Match practice to context• Skills, resources, values, etc.

• Choose the practice that is least intrusive, yet effective• Balance between intrusive and effective• Begin where you believe you will be successful

Common Strategies• Increase Behavior

• Token Economy• Group Contingencies• Behavior Contracts

• Decrease Behavior

TOKEN ECONOMY

Definition• A contingency management system that allows students

to earn tokens that can be exchanged at a latter time for specific back-up reinforcers. (Wolery, Bailey, & Sugai, 1988).

Everyday Examples• Airline mileage programs• Bread, coffee, donut,…”free one” card• Academic course credits & grades• Shirakiya toy points•

Token Reinforcement• Token = anything that can be readily dispensed contingent upon behavior• Examples: points, credits, poker chips, stickers, play

money, weaving hoops

• Back-up Reinforcer = previously identified activities, objects, events, or privileges that have reinforcing value• Examples: free time, school store, discount, parking

privileges, CD, computer time, music, edibles

Establishing a Token Economy

• Identify target behaviors• Define tokens• Identify incentives for appropriate behavior• Plan an exchange system• Plan procedures for fading tokens• Developing monitoring system• Establishing operating guidelines

Requirements• Clearly defined expected behaviors. • Effective back-up reinforcers. • Instruction on expected behaviors. • Instruction on token system/procedures. • Data-decision rule for fading and modifying. • Planned correction procedures.

Token Economy, misc.

• A token economy can give immediate feedback on behavior, yet presentation of the reward can be delayed.

• Avoid satiation of reinforcers.

GROUP CONTINGENCIES

Definition

• Making consequences either contingent on group behavior or by letting an individual student’s behavior affect consequences for the entire group (Wolery, Bailey, & Sugai, 1988).

Three Variations• Dependent Group-Oriented

- Performance of selected members results in consequences for whole group

• Independent Group-Oriented- Each member same criterion consequences based

on their performance

• Interdependent Group-Oriented- Each member same criterion but consequences

based on group performance

Examples

• For every homework assignment that is turned in on time a marble is added to a jar. When the jar is full, the class gets an afternoon movie.

• Inter-dependent

Examples

• Chloe earns a pop-bead for every 3 minutes she cooperates with peers during free play. When she has 10 pop-beads, the class gets to have 10 minutes of extra break time.

• Dependent Group

Example

• Chloe earns a point for every 3 classes she is “on-time.” When she has 10 points, the whole class gets a no homework weekend.

• Dependent Group

• Students who come to class (a) on time and (b) prepared (homework, pen/paper, and text book) for an entire week can go to the gym for “Afternoon Bash.”

• Independent Group

Advantages

• Learn within a social context• Efficient• Build positive peer relations and interpersonal social skills

Disadvantages

• Peer pressure/ridicule• Social status of “subverters”• Fairness• Increased supervision and administration

BEHAVIORAL CONTRACTING

Definition Written &/or verbal agreement or arrangement between

two or more individuals that designates conditions, consequences, & responsibilities for improving behavioral performance

Prerequisites• Ability to problem solve & achieve agreement• Fluency with desired behavior(s)• Ability to establish relationship with others

Elements

1. Behavior(s) for improvement• identify 1-2 functional, useful, & socially important behaviors• describe in observable & measurable• focus on desired, achievable behavior

2. Level of improvement• set achievable performance criteria• focus on accomplishments• initially reward small approximations frequently

3. Strategies for achieving improvement• teacher-directed• self-managed• other-managed

4. Consequences for acknowledging improvement• assessment based reinforcers• indicate specific consequences for all levels of behavior

• desired• undesirable• exceptional

• specify immediate & delayed reinforcers

4. Individual responsibilities• indicate who does

• what• when • where• How

5. Record keeping procedure• establish clear data decision rules

• e.g., “3 day rules”

• arrange for continuous monitoring & evaluation

Other considerations• Involve student• Include “witnesses”• Use understandable language/terms• State positively• Monitor, review, & revise continuously

Why use contracts?• Increase proactive interactions between individuals• Increase participation & accountability• Structure behavioral programming• Promote transfer of behavioral programming from teacher

to student• Improvement of performance• Teach “responsibility”

TIME OUT FROM POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

Timeout• Decrease in future probability of behavior occurrences

associated with contingent removal of opportunity to earn positive reinforcement

Guidelines for timeout

• Must have reinforcing “time-in” environment• Keep at 5-10 minutes or less• Teach how & when to take timeout• Keep business-like & objective• Debrief/discuss after timeout consequence• Reinforce compliance• Teach/reinforce alternative response• Have plan/response in place for escalations/crises

RESPONSE COST

Response cost

• Decrease in future probability of behavior occurrences associated with contingent removal of positive reinforcers.

• Used with token reinforcement• A package intervention that includes both strategies to increase and decrease

Guidelines for response cost• Give multiple & opportunities to earn contingent positive

reinforcers

• Be sure backup reinforcers are really “positive reinforcers

DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT

DRO/DRI/DRL/DRA• Differential reinforcement

• Contingent positive reinforcement and extinction

• Again, another intervention that includes both strategies to increase and decrease together

• DRO = Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior• DRI = Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior• DRL = Differential Reinforcement of Low Rate Behavior• DRA = Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior

Definition: Extinction• Removal of previously maintaining positive reinforcers• Responding under extinction conditions

• gradual change intensity/frequency• increase before decrease in intensity/frequency• “spontaneous” recovery

• Never use extinction without positive reinforcement (DR)

• DRO = reinforcement for occurrence of all alternatives behaviors except problem behavior• Easy to use, but really reinforcing the absence of problem behavior

• DRI = reinforcement for occurrence of a specific alternative behavior• Can’t do them both at the same time, • Sometimes hard to find truly incompatible behavior

• DRL = reinforcement for progressively lower rates of problem behavior• Promotes moderation, lower rate of appropriate behavior• Slow and time consuming

• DRA = reinforcement of behavior that meets the same need• Need to know what is the need/maintaining consequence• Alternative behavior must be easier, more efficient

SOME FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

Prerequisites• Behavioral perspective

• Examine behavior & context in which it occurs

• Proactive teaching emphasis• Teach prosocial alternatives

• Data-guided decision making• Use performance to make decisions

• Group-based decision making• Work with others

• Regular monitoring & evaluation• Check daily

• Research validated practices• Use what works (evidence of effectiveness)

• Positive reinforcement of alternative behavior• Strengthen replacement behaviors

Reinforcement considerations• Tangible to social• External to internal• Other- to self-managed• Frequent to infrequent• Predictable to unpredictable

Punishment guidelines

• Cause no physical pain, injury, or humiliation.

• Always use least aversive most effective• Always pair with positive reinforcement of alternative behavior

• Always take data to monitor effectiveness• Always implement with high fidelity & by expert

• Always involve student, family, etc. in decision making

Big Ideas• Always do a FBA• Always teach & positively reinforce alternative behavior

that “competes” with problem behavior• effort, efficiency, effectiveness

• Always take data, and look at effect on target & other behaviors

• Do no harm• Use least aversive & most effective

QUESTIONS??