1. Behavior assessment & intervention
Erica Winn, MBA/BCBA
Program Specialist
EGUSD

2. Universal Interventions – proactive strategies supporting all students
Intensive Interventions -individualized strategies supporting students with high risk behaviors
PBIS Continuum 5%
Targeted Interventions –specialized strategies supporting students with
at risk behaviors
15%
Universal Interventions – proactive strategies supporting all students
80% of Students

3. Purpose of FBA/BIP
To better understand the function of a student’s behavior in a school/classroom environment.
Find environmental/situational factors that create and maintain problem behavior.
All behavior serves a function or purpose in an environment, setting, or situation.
Establish systemic interventions to change how a student interacts with the environment and replace problem behavior with pro-social behavior
The FBA & BIP should be viewed as a single, continuous process.
The FBA/BIP report is a “living document” which is not fixed and can be changed.
Intervention should address the function of problem behavior.
Most circumstances when a student’s behavior is not being managed in the classroom effectively the teacher hopes the assessor (BICM) will be able to come in and “fix” the behavior. The teacher puts in a request for a behavior assessment thinking someone will come in and take care of the student’s behavior problems, leaving them to teach the rest of the class.
However, the purpose of the FBA is to discover potential methods for managing the behaviors with the least possible overt changes in the environment.

4. Limitations to FBA/BIP
Poor collaboration and follow through from site teams
Poor collaboration and follow through from home
Severe mental illness that is untreated or mistreated
The Human Factor
Although teachers and site teams recognize the importance of managing student behavior in class, the amount of effort involved in making the needed changes is often surprising to them.
Barriers to developing a good BIP include any difficulties in collaborating with necessary staff on site
* Teacher holds to contract maximum of one meeting per week only
* Working around break schedules, prep periods, and budget allowances
Poor collaboration between home and school
* Parents unaware of intensity of behaviors at school
* Family only receives calls when there is a problem
* High level of disproportionality in all districts
* Need for cultural responsiveness
Mental illness
* Any biological roots to problem behaviors need to be addressed to resolve behavior problems
* Family may be resistant to seeing mental health professionals or medication
We are all human and make mistakes
* Fall back into old habits quickly without much thought
* Takes significant effort to change your own behavior to effect change in others

5. Involve Family and Student
Prevention methods
Response methods
Script writing
Ongoing communication
Reinforcement at school and home
Involve Family and Student
ASSESSMENT
INTERVENTION
In order to reduce some of those barriers it is crucial for the assessor to open a bridge of communication with the family and student (if they are able to communicate).
You can learn a lot about the cultural background/beliefs of the student that may be important considerations when developing an intervention plan
* Through interview you learn the grandparents are primary caregivers at home while parents work
*Family culture is to honor the opinions and ideas of the elders, who consistently reinforce the undesired behavior without realizing their effect. This influences the parents to respond to
their child similarly.
Interviews
Observations
Reinforcement inventory
History of behaviors
Past interventions tried
Effectiveness

6. “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn” – Ben Franklin
Whenever possible we should involve the student in determining the reason the behavior is occurring and the best course of action when intervening.
The student will be able to help identify preferred reinforcers as well as potential reactive strategies.
By providing input and being involved in the process the student is more likely to buy into the intervention strategies.

7. FBA/BIP Flow Chart Identify Target Behaviors Collect Baseline Data
Determine Antecedents and Consequences
Determine Function of Behavior
MUST operationally define (Specific – Observable – Measurable)
* Make sure all involved in the assessment and intervention know and understand the definitions
Collect baseline
* Can be done for observation periods by assessor, but these are usually 1-2 hour increments at a time
* Paraeducators are commonly data collectors – Need to ensure they are trained on how to document what is needed
* If no documentation has occurred between observation periods, verbal reports can be used
Determine Antecedents & Consequences
* Through interviews, rating scales, observations, and data collection
Determine Function
* Gain Access
* Tangible, Edible, Sensory, Activity
* Escape/Avoid/Protest
Develop Hypothesis
Develop and Implement Behavioral Interventions
Monitor Progress

8. Data is Everything Establish base-line Identify behavioral patterns
Time Ÿ Duration
Frequency Ÿ Intensity
Descriptive Analysis (A-B-C)
Consider effect of specific settings or contexts on behavior
Evaluate student growth

9. Where should we collect data?
Data should be collected in as many settings and contexts as possible.
Data collection is also important in areas where behaviors are NOT occurring to determine potential preventative strategies.
It is just as important to document what occurs in the environment where the behavior is absent as it is to document where the behavior is occurring.
We must also be cognizant of documenting how able the student is of already using the replacement behavior. This will aide in determining where to start in having the replacement behavior increase while the problem behavior decreases.

10. When should we collect data?
Time of day or schedule is sometimes very important in determining student behavior patterns.
Behavior may be affected by fatigue, medication cycle, hunger, family stressors, etc.
Narrow down times to collect data by determining when the behavior is most likely to occur.

14. Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)
FBA and BIP should be viewed as a unit
FBA data assists the development and evaluation of the BIP. They should be viewed as a single, continuous process rather than separate systems.
Interventions should address the various factors that affect a student

15. And Now What? Organize Summarize Analyze Intervention and Evaluation

17. Extinction Burst

20. Guidelines for Behavior Support Plan (BSP) Development
Setting Events Strategies
Neutralize or eliminate the effect of setting events
Antecedents Strategies
Prevent the problem behavior from occurring
Behavior Teaching Strategies
Teach alternative (based on function) and desired behaviors
Consequences Strategies
Increase alternative and desired behaviors AND decrease problem behaviors

21. Proactive (PBIS) Interventions Attention Seeking
Antecedent Intervention
(PREVENTION)
Give attention early for positive behaviors
Check-in – provide adult attention immediately upon student arrival
Give student leadership responsibility or a class ‘job’ that requires the student to interact w/ staff
Place student in desk where he/she is easily accessible for frequent staff attention
Give student frequent intermittent attention for positive or neutral behavior
Pre-Correct - Frequently & deliberately remind student to raise their hand and wait patiently if they want your attention

22. Proactive (PBIS) Interventions Avoidance
Antecedent Intervention
(PREVENTION)
Modify task or provide support
Modify assignments to meet student skill level (timelines, graphic organizers, chunking, etc.)
Assign student to work with a peer
Provide additional instruction/support
Provide visual prompt to cue steps for tasks student struggles with
Provide additional support focused on instructional skills (Homework Club, study hall, etc.)
Pre-Teaching content
Pre-Correct - Frequently & deliberately remind student to ask for help

23. Proactive (PBIS) Interventions Attention Seeking
Behavior Intervention
(TEACH)
What should student do to meet their needs?
Teach student more appropriate ways to ask for adult attention
Identify and teach specific examples of ways to ask for attention
Raise hand and wait patiently for teacher to call on you
May need to differentiate (large group, small group, work time, etc.)
Social Skills Training
Lunch Bunch
Social Stories

24. Proactive (PBIS) Interventions Avoidance
Behavior Intervention
(TEACH)
Desired Behaviors
Provide academic instruction/support to address student skill deficits
More focused instruction in class
Additional instructional group
Special Education support for academic deficit
Additional support and practice at home
Additional assessment to identify specific skill deficits

25. Proactive (PBIS) Interventions Attention Seeking
Behavior Intervention
(TEACH)
Replacement Behaviors
More appropriate ways to ask for help from teacher or peers
Provide additional instruction on skill deficits
Identify and teach specific examples of ways to ask for help
Raise hand and wait patiently for teacher to call on you
Break card
likely need to differentiate (large / small group, work time, etc.)

26. Proactive (PBIS) Interventions Attention Seeking
Consequence Intervention
(RESPONSE)
Intervention occurs after positive or negative behavior
Respond quickly if student asks appropriate for adult attention
Give the student frequent adult attention for positive behavior
Student earns ‘lunch w/ teacher’ when student earns points
Eliminate/minimize amount of attention for problem behavior
Limit verbal interaction – create a signal to prompt the student to stop
Avoid power struggles

27. Proactive (PBIS) Interventions Avoidance
Consequence Intervention
(RESPONSE)
Intervention occurs after positive or negative behavior
Respond quickly if student asks appropriate for help or a break
Reward student for on task, trying hard, work completion
Eliminate/minimize the amount of missed instructional time / work for engaging in problem behavior
Need to make sure student is capable of doing work or provide support

28. Proactive (PBIS) Interventions Avoidance
Consequence Intervention
(RESPONSE)
Sometimes students need additional encouragement to engage in the desired behavior…
Additional incentives to encourage student positive behavior:
Free homework passes
Reduced numbers of problems
Extra credit points

29. Ongoing Monitoring & Troubleshooting
Moving Forward
Measure Behavior
Intervention
Measure Progress
Ongoing Monitoring & Troubleshooting