NINE STEPS IN A
FUNCTIONAL ANALYSES
(From "Help at a Glance" in Hand-In-Hand)
A functional
analysis can help you determine whether a child's
behavior reflects communicative intent. The following are
the nine steps in this process:
Step 1: Define the individual's
behavior. (Look at only one behavior such as:
pulling or pushing someone to get something, pinching as
if to say "I'm not happy," spitting food,
looking away, smiling, jumping up and down, flapping of
hands, making a quizzical face, patting himself or herself,
removing of shoes or socks, throwing himself or herself
on the floor, etc.)
Step 2: Evaluate what motivates
the behavior. (What happens around the child
when he or she exhibits the behavior? What are the
consequences or responses? Does the child or student
receive something?)
Step 3: Observe when the
behavior occurs. (What time of the day does this
behavior occur? Is the child or student tired, just eaten?
Has the child or student just arrived to school or is he
or she ready to leave?)
Step 4: Assess the individual's
preferences. (What does the child or student
like or dislike?)
Step 5: Select a mode of
communication. (Determine what the skill level
may be for the child. Does this child or student make
associations between an activity and an object or symbol?
Are you as the teacher or parent using total
communication: everything possible to get a message
across such as speech, symbols, gestures, touch, etc.)
Step 6: Implement strategies to
minimize or increase the occurrence of the behavior. (If
the behavior is positive you will implement strategies to
increase the behavior such as smiling, touching a symbol,
etc. If the behavior is negative you will implement
strategies to decrease the behavior such as pinching,
hitting, pushing, pulling, etc. The strategies will vary.
They can include anything from giving praise each time
the behavior occurs to the giving of stickers. Or the
strategy might include ignoring the behavior. Use your
knowledge of what the child or student likes or dislikes.)
Step 7: Structure frequent
opportunities for communication. (For example,
set up the situations for the student to have to request
something.)
Step 8: Develop a plan for
generalization and maintenance. (Make all
attempts to have the behavior addressed in the same
manner at home or in the community as you do at school.)
Step 9: Assess the outcomes. (This
is very important! Document the progress or lack of
progress made in increasing or decreasing the behavior!)
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