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Interview and Observation Methods in Functional Assessment

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Functional Assessment for Challenging Behaviors

Part of the book series: Autism and Child Psychopathology Series ((ACPS))

Abstract

Challenging behaviors are evinced by individuals who have a variety of disabilities including those with intellectual disability (ID; McClintock, Hall, & Oliver, 2003; Poppes, van der Putten, & Vlaskamp, 2010) and/or autism spectrum disorders (ASD; Matson, Wilkins, & Macken, 2009; Mudford et al., 2008; Murphy, Healy, & Leader, 2009), as well as those individuals who have mild disabilities or do not possess any documented disabilities (Gettinger & Stoiber, 2006; Kinch, Lewis-Palmer, Hagan-Burke, & Sugai, 2001). When formulating treatment plans for these individuals, clinicians often state that conducting a functional behavioral assessment is an integral part of the process and assists in treatment planning. In fact, federal law in the USA currently mandates that treatment of all challenging behaviors is based on the results of a functional behavioral assessment as stated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of, 1997 and 2004 (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of, 1997, 20 U.S.C. Section 1400 et seq, 1997; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of, 2004, 11 Stat. 37 U.S.C. Section 1401, 2004). However, the methods of conducting a functional behavioral assessment need not be identical across cases. Techniques are often individualized depending on the frequency and severity of the challenging behavior, availability of resources, and information that has already been acquired regarding the challenging behavior and its function(s).

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Notes

  1. 1.

     References marked with an asterisk indicate studies included in the McIntosh et al. (2008) review paper discussed within.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA

    Alison M. Kozlowski

  2. Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA

    Johnny L. Matson

Authors
  1. Alison M. Kozlowski
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  2. Johnny L. Matson
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Correspondence to Alison M. Kozlowski .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 70803, USA

    Johnny L. Matson

Appendices

Appendix A

Date/time

Antecedents (what happened right before?)

Target behavior

Consequence (what happened right after?)

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

Appendix B

Date/time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staff initials

         

Behavior

         

Physical aggression

         

Out of seat

         

Location

         

Classroom

         

Hallway

         

Bathroom

         

Cafeteria

         

Playground

         

Antecedents

         

Direction given

         

Preferred item removed

         

Transition

         

Denied request

         

No staff attention

         

Other (write on back)

         

Consequences

         

Verbal reprimand

         

Redirection to current task

         

Ignored

         

Given tangible

         

Allowed to escape activity

         

Other (write on back)

         

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Kozlowski, A.M., Matson, J.L. (2012). Interview and Observation Methods in Functional Assessment. In: Matson, J. (eds) Functional Assessment for Challenging Behaviors. Autism and Child Psychopathology Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3037-7_7

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