Functional Behavioral Assessment

The Functions of Behavior

A bird that builds its nest too close to the ground or to the trunk of a tree may be easily approached by predators. If the nest is built too far out on the limb, it may be lost in a strong wind. In a similar manner, dimensions of human behavior (rate, duration, intensity) are shaped and maintained by access to favorable consequences or escape from aversive ones. For example, a high school student may develop study habits that result in better grades and hygienic skills that avoid the ridicule of peers. These interactions with the environment are often described in terms of positive or negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement refers to a desirable event that is presented or made available after a behavior occurs, and strengthens the behavior. Events that commonly function as positive reinforcers include teacher attention, peer attention, tangible items, and preferred activities. Negative reinforcement refers to an aversive event that is avoided or terminated after a behavior occurs, and strengthens the behavior. Events that commonly [Page 215]function as negative reinforcers include the termination or avoidance of social disapproval, demands, and activity restrictions.

For some students with disabilities, problem behaviors occur because their consequences are more immediate, powerful, or reliable than those associated with appropriate skills. For a youth confronted with challenging work, perseverance may result in frustration and failure, while a tantrum creates teacher sympathy and assistance. It is interesting to note that the impact of a school's response to problem behavior may be unintended. Suspending or expelling an anti-social student with serious learning problems, for example, provides escape from aversive academic demands, as well as access to the comforts of home and, possibly, the activities of other antisocial students with serious learning problems who have been removed from school. When routine consequences for problem behavior are ineffective or make things worse, an FBA may assist the teacher in developing alternative, appropriate skills.

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