Behavioral Assessments

A Functional Behavior Assessment, or FBA, is a systematic process for understanding the variables that influence and maintain behavior.

Rather than assuming that a child is being oppositional, defiant, manipulative, or simply “choosing” to behave a certain way, an FBA examines what happens before and after the behavior, the situations in which it is most and least likely to occur, and what the child may be communicating or accomplishing through the behavior. The goal is to understand what a challenging behavior is accomplishing for a child and identify more appropriate skills that can meet the same need—because ultimately, the focus is not simply on reducing behavior, but on building skills.

For example, challenging behavior may help a child:

• Escape or delay something difficult or unpleasant
• Gain access to a preferred activity, item, or person
• Obtain attention or interaction
• Meet a sensory or regulatory need

Sometimes several factors are involved.

An FBA helps us move beyond descriptions of what the child is doing to understand what is driving the pattern.

An FBA may be appropriate when a child or adolescent has persistent behavior that is interfering with everyday functioning at home, school, or in the community.

Concerns may include:

• Aggression
• Meltdowns or outbursts
• Refusal or noncompliance
• Difficulty with transitions
• Avoidance of school, routines, or everyday expectations
• Significant conflict surrounding hygiene or other daily living skills
• Behavior related to access to electronics, peers, activities, or other highly preferred experiences
• Repetitive patterns of escalation between a child and caregivers
• Challenging behavior that has not improved despite consequences or other interventions
• Behavior that appears unpredictable or difficult to understand

An FBA can be particularly valuable when families or schools have tried multiple strategies but continue to feel that nothing is working consistently.

One of the most important principles underlying an FBA is that behavior doesn't occur in isolation. We look carefully at the environment surrounding the behavior.

What tends to happen beforehand?

Was a demand presented? Was access to something denied? Was the child asked to transition? Were they tired, overwhelmed, confused, or already frustrated?

What happens afterward?

Does the demand go away? Does the child receive additional help? Do they gain access to something they wanted? Does an adult begin negotiating or reassuring? Does the situation become less overwhelming?

Over time, these patterns can unintentionally make a behavior more likely to occur again—even when everyone involved is doing their best to manage a difficult situation.

Understanding these patterns gives us something we can actually change.

Understanding the behavior is only useful if we translate that understanding into action.

Following the assessment, findings are used to develop individualized behavioral recommendations or a behavior support plan based on the patterns identified.

The assessment is used to develop practical strategies for:

• Preventing predictable problems before they escalate
• Changing environmental factors that may be contributing to behavior
• Teaching more effective ways to communicate needs
• Building coping, flexibility, independence, and other replacement skills
• Responding consistently when challenging behavior occurs
• Reducing patterns that may unintentionally reinforce the behavior
• Helping caregivers and other adults respond in ways that are realistic and sustainable

The goal is not simply to suppress behavior. It is to make challenging behavior less necessary by understanding what it accomplishes and teaching more effective ways to meet the same need.

Behavior change rarely depends on the child alone.

Caregivers may need help determining when to set a limit, when to provide support, how to respond during escalation, what behaviors to reinforce, and how to remain consistent without turning everyday life into a behavior program.

For this reason, caregiver involvement is an important part of the FBA process.

The goal is for caregivers to leave understanding not only what strategies to use, but why those strategies are likely to work.

The goal is to understand the whole child and the environment in which the behavior is occurring, rather than reducing a complex situation to a single behavior.

Families who complete an evaluation at TLC have access to ongoing consultation with Dr. Savaiano at a reduced rate of $200 per hour, including help understanding and implementing recommendations, navigating educational supports, and coordinating next steps with other professionals.