Functional Assessment and Program Development for Problem Behavior

Dr. Robert E. O'Neill (M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara) is the chairperson of the Department of Special Education at the University of Utah. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), he previously served as the coordinator of the Program in Severe Disabilities and the Program in Mild/Moderate Disabilities in the department, and teaches in both areas. He also teaches in the department's master's and doctoral programs. Dr. O'Neill's recent work has focused on strategies for supporting persons exhibiting severe problem behaviors in a variety of community settings. His current work is concerned with the areas of functional assessment, teaching communication skills as alternatives to problem behaviors, school-wide behavioral support, and gender issues in emotional/behavioral disorders. He has published numerous articles, books, and book chapters and has presented at state, national, and international conferences. His work has appeared in, among other journals, the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Exceptional Children, Research and Practice in Severe Disabilities, Education and Treatment of Children, Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, and the Journal of Positive Behavioral Interventions.

This guide to functional assessment procedures includes a variety of strategies for assessing problem behavior situations, and presents a systematic approach for designing behavioral support programs based on those assessments. Professionals and other readers learn to conduct functional assessments and develop their own intervention programs.

1. Introduction. 2. Functional Assessment and Analysis Strategies. 3. Linking the Function of the Behavior to the Intervention. 4. Building Behavior Support Plans. 5. Writing Behavior Support Plans. Conclusion. Appendixes. A. List of References and Resources Relevant to Functional Assessment. B. Functional Assessment Interview (FAI) Form. C. Student-Directed Functional Assessment Interview Form. D. Blank Functional Assessment Observation Form. E. Functional Assessment Observation Form for Yolanda. F. Summary Statements for Observation Form Examples. G. Blank Competing Behavior Model Form.