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School-Friendly Functional Analysis

Training Overview

This training focuses on a school-friendly functional analysis (FA), a behavior analytic assessment that can be used in schools to develop a function-based intervention to decrease challenging behavior and teach relevant skills. The training materials are divided into the following modules:

Supplemental resources are included at the bottom of the page. These include (1) template and sample protocols designed to help teams plan a school-friendly FA, (2) example videos of role-played school-friendly FA sessions, and (3) a list of resources that helped inform the development of these training materials.

Suggested Citation: Pollack, M. S., Lloyd, B. P., Crowell, G. E., Baran, E. K., Reznik, O. R., & Santini, M. A. (2022). School-friendly functional analysis (Video training modules 0–8). Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University. Available at https://lab.prd.vanderbilt.edu/lloyd-lab/sffa

Many thanks to Cassie Gray, Elly Hunter, and Sara Sosnowski for lending their voices for these video modules!

Module 0: Introduction to Training Series

Module 0 introduces the training series on school-friendly functional analysis (FA), including the three priorities of this assessment approach: safety, collaboration, and individualization.

Module 1: Overview of Functional Analysis

Module 1 introduces the functional analysis (FA), including how it is different from other commonly used functional behavior assessment strategies and how results can be used to help develop interventions.

Module 2: When to Conduct an FA

Module 2 describes five factors to consider when deciding whether or not to conduct a school-friendly FA: (1) staff training and experience, (2) the form of challenging behavior, (3) the frequency of challenging behavior, (4) availability of collaborators, and (5) the questions needed to answer to inform intervention.

Module 3: Planning for Implementation

Module 3 outlines the steps to plan a school-friendly FA: (1) decide who will implement and supervise the assessment, (2) identify the target behaviors, (3) decide where the assessment will take place, and (4) develop a safety plan.

Module 4: Designing Assessment Conditions

Module 4 provides guidelines for generating hypotheses to test during school-friendly FAs, as well as recommendations for designing assessment conditions that correspond to each hypothesis.

Module 5: Steps for Implementation

Module 5 outlines the steps to implement a school-friendly FA, including steps to conduct control and test sessions, considerations for sequencing conditions, and tips for deciding when to end the assessment.

Module 6: Troubleshooting Tips

Module 6 describes several tips for troubleshooting common implementation issues. You will learn how to proceed if the student responds in unexpected ways during the assessment.

Module 7: Data Collection, Display, and Interpretation

Module 7 explains how to collect data during school-friendly FAs and provides suggestions for displaying and interpreting the data collected.

Module 7 Resources

Data Collection Form (Template)

Module 8: Using Results to Inform Intervention

Module 8 reviews suggestions for how to use results from a school-friendly FA to inform a function-based intervention that is likely to reduce challenging behavior and promote skill acquisition.

Supplemental Resources

  • Guiding Protocol

    The guiding protocol below outlines nine steps designed to help school teams work collaboratively to plan a school-friendly FA. The steps included in the protocol align with those reviewed in the planning modules (i.e., Modules 2-4).

  • Example Video Sets

    Each video set below contains five role-played school-friendly functional analysis sessions for a hypothetical student.

  • References

    Ala’i-Rosales, S., Cihon, J. H., Currier, T. D. R., Ferguson, J. R., Leaf, J. B., Leaf, R., McEachin, J., & Weinkauf, S. M. (2014). The big four: Functional assessment research informs preventative behavior analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12, 222–234. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-018-00291-9

    Fritz, J. N., Iwata, B. A., Hammond, J. L., & Bloom, S. E. (2013). Experimental analysis of precursors to severe problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46(1), 101–129. https://doi.org/10. 1002/jaba.27

    Ghaemmaghami, M., Hanley, G. P., Jin, S. C., & Vanselow, N. R. (2016) Affirming control by multiple reinforcers via progressive treatment analysis. Behavioral Interventions, 31, 70–86. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1425

    Hanley, G. P., & Fiani, T. (n.d.). Practical functional assessment: Understanding problem behavior prior to its treatment. https://practicalfunctionalassessment.com/

    Hanley, G. P., Jin, C. S., Vanselow, N. R., & Hanratty, L. A. (2014). Producing meaningful improvements in problem behavior of children with autism via synthesized analyses and treatments. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47(1), 16–36. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.106

    Jessel, J., Hanley, G. P., & Ghaemmaghami, M. (2016). Interview-informed synthesized contingency analyses: Thirty replications and reanalysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 49(3), 576 –595. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.316

    Jessel, J., Metras, R., Hanley, G. P., Jessel, C., & Ingvarsson, E. T. (2020). Evaluating the boundaries of analytic efficiency and control: A consecutive controlled case series of 26 functional analyses. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(1) 25–43. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.544

    Lloyd, B. P., Torelli, J. N., Pollack, M. S., & Weaver, E. S. (2022). A decision tool to support individualized hypothesis testing for students with severe and complex challenging behavior. [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University.

    Lloyd, B. P., Weaver, E. S., & Staubitz, J. L. (2016). A review of functional analysis methods conducted in public school classroom settings. Journal of Behavioral Education, 25, 324–356. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-015-9243-y

    Lloyd, B. P., Weaver, E. S., & Staubitz, J. L. (2017). Classroom-based strategies to incorporate hypothesis testing in functional behavior assessments. Beyond Behavior, 26(2), 48–56. https://doi.org/10.1177/1074295617711145

    Metras, R. L., & Jessel, J. (2021). Adaptations of the interview-informed synthesized contingency analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(3), 877–881. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.849

    Pritchett, M., Ala’i-Rosales, S., Cruz, A. R., & Cihon, T. M. (2021). Social justice is the spirit and aim of an applied science of human behavior: Moving from colonial to participatory research practices. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 1–19. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00591-7

    Rajaraman, A., Austin, J. L., Gover, H. C., Cammilleri, A. P., Donnelly, D. R., & Hanley, G. P. (2022). Toward trauma-informed applications of behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 55(1), 40–61. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.881

    Rajaraman, A., Hanley, G. P., Gover, H. C., Staubitz, J. L., Staubitz, J. E., Simcoe, K., M., & Metras, R. (2021). Minimizing escalation by treating dangerous problem behavior within an enhanced choice model. Behavior Analysis in Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00548-2

    Slaton, J. D., Hanley, G. P., & Raftery, K. J. (2017). Interview-informed functional analyses: A comparison of synthesized and isolated components. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 50(2), 252–277. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.384

    Slaton, J. D., & Hanley, G. P. (2018). Nature and scope of synthesis in functional analysis and treatment of problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 51(4), 943–973. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.498

    Staubitz, J. L., Staubitz, J., Pollack, M. S., Haws, R., & Hopton, M. (2022). Effects of an enhanced choice model of skill-based treatment for elementary students with emotional and behavioral disorders: a replication. [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University.

    Thomason-Sassi, J. L., Iwata, B. A., Neidert, P. L., & Roscoe, E. M. (2011). Response latency as an index of response strength during functional analyses of problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 44(1), 51–67. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2011.44-51

    Warner, C. A., Hanley, G. P., Landa, R. K., Ruppel, K. W., Rajaraman, A., Ghaemmaghami, M., Slaton, J. D., & Gover, H. C. (2020). Toward accurate inferences of response class membership. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(1), 331–354. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.598