Conducting a FBA

Conducting a FBA

A new student has recently been assigned to R. Dailey’s 1st
grade classroom. Read the following scenario to inform you regarding the best
approaches to take in returning the classroom to its usual, learning-centered
environment.

Scenario

Jessie has just moved to “Everyone’s Town” and was registered in
the local public school, Jackson Elementary School. It is now the middle of
October and school has been in session for approximately 8-weeks. Jessie is
6-years-old and in the 1st grade – R. Dailey’s classroom.

Things have gone very well in Ms. Dailey’s classroom since “
Back to School Night” that was held one week before school began. Students are
learning and there has been enthusiastic support from parents on “Everybody’s
Special Day,” – a program Ms. Dailey designed to increase knowledge of, and
appreciation for, the different cultures represented in the classroom.

Almost immediately, Ms. Dailey encountered Jessie’s “tantrum
behaviors.” These behaviors primarily consist of falling to the floor and
screaming. Needless to say, these behavioral incidents cause a lot of chaos in
the classroom. At first, the other children seemed unsure as to how to respond
to the behaviors. After a few episodes, some would laugh, point, or put their
hands over their ears. The first few weeks that Ms. Dailey encountered these
behaviors, she tried to identify why Jessie was upset. She went to her, put her
arm around Jessie’s shoulder, and asked her what was upsetting her. Consoling
her, she would prompt Jessie to go get some water and come back to the desk.
This would end the current behavior episode, but the behaviors continued
throughout the day. Finally, after several weeks of these behaviors, Ms. Dailey
decided to utilize a “time out” procedure in which Jessie was required to sit
in a desk just outside the classroom. The hallway had many pictures on the
walls and there were always people walking to and fro. Ms. Dailey would
occasionally hear Jessie humming while in time out. Once Jessie was calm for
6-minutes, she would be allowed to return to the classroom. Still, the tantrums
continued and seemed to be increasing in frequency.

Dailey realizes that it is important to conduct a FBA to
identify the probable function of Jessie’s “tantrum behaviors” in order to
design a BIP based on that function.

Instructions

Conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment according to the
following steps: (See Table 10.1: Trinity of Behavior Management in your
textbook for guidance).

1.Conduct an indirect assessment (Interview and Intake Forms can be
downloaded in Course Documents)

2.Conduct direct observation in the classroom: You will need 3-5 days
of data at different points in the school day.

· Operationally
define the target behavior.

· Conduct an A-B-C
Assessment (A-B-C Data Sheet can be downloaded in Course Documents)

· Chart the rate
of the target behavior according to date (Chart can be downloaded in Course
Documents)

1.Based upon the A-B-C
data, hypothesize the
function of the target
behavior. (See Table 9.2: Functional Motivations in your textbook)

2.Based on your
understanding of the three-term contingency, and operant behavior, design a behavior intervention plan for Jessie.

3.Continue to collect
data and evaluate the
effectiveness of your
intervention after 1-week and after 2-weeks by comparing the intervention data
with the baseline data with regard to the frequency of occurrence.

Once you have completed the Functional Behavior Assessment,
created your behavior plan, and evaluated its effect on the target behavior,
write a summary, in essay form (minimum of 3 pages), of the steps in your
process and the purpose and importance of each step. Include the following
forms (to be attached to your paper after the reference page):

1.Interview and Intake
Forms

2.A-B-C data sheets

3.Rate chart of the
target behaviors during baseline, Week 1 Treatment, and Week 2 Treatment

You will have to use “creative license” and fabricate your data
when developing your A-B-C analysis with regard to the antecedents and
consequences. Remember, these important variables will determine the function
of the target behavior!

If you use outside sources, remember to cite them in the body of
your paper (in-text citations) and then again in your references (reference
page). Use APA style; 12-point, Times New Roman font; and double-spaced
formatting.