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���� Function-Based Support for Students with Autism

Chris Borgmeier, PhD

Portland State University

Chris.Borgmeier@pdx.edu

www.BasicFBA.com @BasicFBA

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Session Description

  • Using Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) to inform Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) is an important evidence-based intervention for many students with autism. This session will provide resources and review the features of effective implementation of FBA/BIP to support the inclusion of students on the autism spectrum in schools. Free training resources will be provided with an implementation model focused on increasing skills and knowledge of building administrators, building behavior specialists, teachers, and staff to maximize collaboration with families and external behavior specialists in supporting the challenging behaviors of students with autism.

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Introductions

  • Who is here today?
    • Special Education Teachers?
    • Administrators?
    • Paraprofessionals?
    • District Behavior Specialists/BCBAs/Autism Specialists?
    • Outside consultants?

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    • Who is Responsible for conducting FBA and building BIPs?

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Why is Functional Behavior Assessment Important for Students with Autism?

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Functional Behavior Assessment & Autism

  • Function-Based Assessment and Intervention are a commonly identified Evidence-Based Intervention for students on the autism spectrum

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  • Much of the research supporting FBA/BIP came from studies on students with autism

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Evidence Based Practices for Children, Youth and Young Adults with Autism Hume, K., Steinbrenner, J. R., Odom, S. L., Morin, K. L., Nowell, S. W., Tomaszewski, B., Szendrey, S., McIntyre, N. S., Yücesoy-Özkan, S., & Savage, M. N. (2021). Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism: Third Generation Review. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 51(11), 4013–4032.

  • Antecedent-based interventions
  • Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
  • Behavioral momentum intervention
  • Cognitive/behavioral instructional strategies
  • Differential reinforcement of alternative, incompatible or other behavior
  • Direct instruction
  • Discrete trial training
  • Exercise and movement
  • Extinction
  • Functional Behavioral Assessment***
  • Functional Communication training
  • Modeling
  • Music mediated intervention
  • Naturalistic intervention

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  • Parent implemented intervention
  • Peer-based instruction and intervention
  • Prompting
  • Reinforcement
  • Response interruption/redirection
  • Self Management
  • Sensory integration
  • Social Narratives
  • Social skills training
  • Task Analysis
  • Technology aided instruction and interventions
  • Time delay
  • Video modelling
  • Visual supports

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Evidence Based Practices for Children, Youth and Young Adults with Autism�Interventions regularly used in the FBA/BIP process

  • Antecedent-based interventions
  • Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
  • Behavioral momentum intervention
  • Cognitive/behavioral instructional strategies
  • Differential reinforcement of alternative, incompatible or other behavior
  • Direct instruction
  • Discrete trial training
  • Exercise and movement
  • Extinction
  • Functional Behavioral Assessment***
  • Functional Communication training
  • Modeling
  • Music mediated intervention
  • Naturalistic intervention

​

  • Parent implemented intervention
  • Peer-based instruction and intervention
  • Prompting
  • Reinforcement
  • Response interruption/redirection
  • Self Management
  • Sensory integration
  • Social Narratives
  • Social skills training
  • Task Analysis
  • Technology aided instruction and interventions
  • Time delay
  • Video modelling
  • Visual supports

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Individualizing Intervention Across the Spectrum (Tier 1 to Tier 3)

Problematic tendencies w/ Behavioral intervention for students with autism:

    • “You’re only a little autistic” 🡪 All or none autism
    • Intervention by stereotypes 🡪 limited individualization
    • Waiting for a “Hero” (BCBA or District Specialist)

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Autism Spectrum

https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/understanding-autism-spectrum-comic-strip-explanation

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Challenging Behaviors

What can help?

  • Better equip All teachers (Tier 1) in the Basics of Behavior, Function and Individualizing Support

#1🡪“You’re only a little autistic.”

Leading to?

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https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/understanding-autism-spectrum-comic-strip-explanation

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https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/understanding-autism-spectrum-comic-strip-explanation

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For students considered “Very Autistic”, there can be a tendency toward (#2)“Intervention x Stereotype” resulting in common interventions, even evidence-based interventions, haphazardly thrown at the student that aren’t aligned with the student’s individual strengths and needs:

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“Hey, let’s try…

  • a weighted vest…. a sensory room….. social stories…

#2 🡪 Intervention x Stereotype

What can help?

  • Using FBA as a guide for understanding individualized needs and matching to appropriate interventions

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Why is FBA so important for students with Autism?

  • There is as much variability across students on the autism spectrum, as there is for those who are not considered on the spectrum
  • There are many evidence-based interventions recommended for students, but each can be used more and less effectively
  • Individualizing interventions is Critical!
  • It’s critical to match the right interventions to the right circumstances and research suggests Function of Behavior is often our best guide

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What is Functional Behavior Assessment?

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Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)

An empirically supported assessment practice that identifies factors that predict and maintain student behavior and lead to identifying the function of student behavior that is demonstrated to improve both the effectiveness & efficiency of behavioral interventions in schools

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(Blair, Umbreit, & Bos, 1999; Carr et al., 1999; Epstein, Atkins, Cullinan, Kutash, & Weaver, 2008; Ingram, Lewis-Palmer, & Sugai, 2005; Lee, Sugai, & Horner, 1999; Loman & Horner, 2014; Newcomer & Lewis, 2004, Strickland-Cohen & Horner, 2015; Strickland-Cohen, Vatland, Spear, & Romer, in prep)

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Types of Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)

  1. Indirect Functional Assessment - information is gathered based on the personal observations of those who are around the child frequently using interviews, questionnaires, etc.
  2. Direct Functional Assessments – includes a trained behavior specialist directly observing the child in their natural environment to identify patterns of behavior, specifically the Antecedents-Behavior-Consequences (ABCs)
  3. Functional Analysis – assessment using experimental manipulation to test through data collection the function of student behavior

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FBA/BIP in Schools: How are we doing?

  • Growing body of research showing that FBS can be effectively designed and implemented by typical school personnel
      • (Crone, Hawken, & Bergstrom, 2007; Dukes, Rosenberg, & Brady, 2007; Loman & Horner, 2014; Maag & Larson, 2004; Renshaw et al., 2008; Scott, Nelson, & Zabala, 2003; Strickland-Cohen & Horner, 2015)

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  • However…
    • FBA continues to be underutilized
    • Schools continue to struggle to utilize FBA information to build and implement individualized supports
      • (Blood & Neel, 2007; Cook et al., 2007, 2012; Scott & Kamps, 2007; Scott, Liaupsin, Nelson, & McIntyre, 2005; Van Acker, Boreson, Gable, & Potterton, 2005)

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Why is FBA Underutilized In Schools?

  • We often use our most effective tools only after challenging behaviors have become severe and/or dangerous (Scott et al., 2010)
    • FBA/BIP only seen as a legal requirement to be used under most severe circumstances
    • Use of FBA is Driven by the Law, rather than used as a more proactive support

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The “Hero” Model of Behavior Support

  • As a result:
    • FBA/BIP is often limited to use under extreme, dangerous, or emergency situations

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    • only people with “specialized training” are to conduct FBA/BIP (e.g. District Specialists, School Psychologists, BCBAs)

Complex FBA :

Behaviors and Maintaining Functions Vary, and are not Easily Defined and/or Identified

Functional Analysis

District Behavior Specialist or BCBA

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#3 🡪 Waiting for a Hero

  • Challenges of the “Hero” model:
    • Hero can quickly be overwhelmed with requests triggering a “triage” approach to behavior support
    • Opportunity for early intervention is often missed while waiting for problem to reach severity to warrant a “Hero”
    • “Hero” tends to walk in to very challenging situations with teacher who is often already “burned out” with the student
    • School often lacks infrastructure, practices and processes for FBA/BIP so struggles to support the Hero’s efforts

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FBA/BIP� Hero and Host

  • Challenge: Without a Host environment to effectively support the guidance of the Behavior Specialist/ BCBA, plans often fail to be implemented effectively
    • Sometimes they fail because:
      • the “Hero” may not know/understand the context, politics and personalities in the building
      • the implementers have not been actively involved in the selection of interventions they are being asked to implement
      • the hero is not available to provide timely encouragement, support and feedback to implementers in the building, because they are not there everyday
      • the hero is not readily available to support the adaptive needs of a teacher who is already “Done” with a student we’re trying to support

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What can help? Creating Host Environments that can maximize the expertise and participation of outside specialists

  • Train a School-Based Team in Basic FBA to BIP to Build Capacity within the Building
    • Opportunity for “Hero” to build from existing plans and knowledge of the student

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  • Develop the Routines and Practices that support Function-Based Support (e.g. teaming processes & implementation supports)

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Basic FBA/BIP:

(School Based team)

Non-Dangerous Behaviors and Maintaining Functions are Easily Defined and Identified

Complex FBA:

Behaviors and Maintaining Functions Vary, and are not Easily Defined and/or Identified

Functional Analysis

District Behavior Specialist or BCBA

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Building Level Capacity for Function-Based Support� A Proactive Approach to Behavior Intervention Planning

  • Many of the problem behaviors that teams encounter do not require complex FBA-BIP

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  • Identify students early & provide support early, prior to Teacher “Burn Out” with the student
    • Using simplified FBA-BIP procedures that “match” the level and intensity of problem behavior

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Basic FBA/BIP:

(School Based team)

Non-Dangerous Behaviors and Maintaining Functions are Easily Defined and Identified

Complex FBA

TIER 3 Support

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A Continuum of Function-Based Assessment & Intervention

  • #1 🡪 “Just a little autistic.”

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    • Collecting data to understanding individual needs of student demonstrating initial behavioral challenges

Basic FBA/BIP:

Complex FBA

Tier 2: Preliminary FBA to Match Intervention:

Tier 1 Basic Behavior Training for All Staff

Function-Based Thinking

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www.BasicFBA.com

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FBA in Schools

  • Basic FBA to BIP
  • Complex FBA
  • Functional Analysis
    • FA should only be conducted by trained professionals (e.g. BCBA, Psychologist); FA are rarely completed by school-based personnel

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Basic FBA to BIP Training Series��

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Module 1 – Basics of Behavior

  • Step by Step Training in understanding and identifying the A-B-Cs and Function of Behavior

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ABC Tracker�Teacher completes in Classroom

  • Teacher data collection tool for understanding individual triggers, consequences and function of behavior

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Module 2 – FBA Interviews

  • Step by Step Training w/ video model and practice activities

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Module 3 – FBA Observations

  • Step by Step Training w/ video model and practice activities

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Modules 4 & 5 – � Function–Based Intervention

  • Training to Identify Function-Based Interventions using information from the FBA
    • Develop a Competing Behavior Pathway w/ a Replacement Behavior
    • Identify interventions to Prevent, Teach, Reinforce & Correct Behavior
    • Identify Successive Approximations to support the student to progress from the Replacement Behavior to the Desired Behavior

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Behavior Intervention Plan

  • Antecedent-based interventions
  • Differential reinforcement of alternative, incompatible or other behavior
  • Extinction
  • Functional Behavioral Assessment***
  • Functional Communication training
  • Modeling
  • Naturalistic intervention
  • Prompting
  • Reinforcement
  • Response interruption/redirection
  • Self Management
  • Social skills training
  • Visual supports

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Antecedent-based interventions

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Differential reinforcement of Replacement behavior

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Reinforcement

Response Interruption/ Redirection

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Extinction

Prompting

Visual Supports

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Modeling

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Social Skills Training

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Self Management

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Module 6 – Implementation Plan

  • Implementation Planning

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    • How to facilitate an Implementation Planning meeting
    • Contextual Fit
    • Supporting Implementation

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Implementation Plan form

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Module 7 – Evaluation Plan & BIP Review Meeting

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Daily Point Card w/ Implementation Checks

Research suggests Daily Self-Monitoring by the implementer is an effective and feasible strategy for supporting implementation & collecting implementation data to inform feedback

Front

Back

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Data-Based Decision Making

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BIP Review Meeting Form

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School-wide Training in Function-Based Thinking

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Individualizing Intervention Across the Spectrum (Tier 1 to Tier 3)

Problematic tendencies w/ Behavioral intervention for students with autism:

    • “You’re only a little autistic” 🡪 All or none autism

​

What can help?

  • Better equip All teachers (Tier 1) in the Basics of Behavior, Function and Individualizing Support

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Create a Continuum of Function-Based Assessment & Intervention in your School

  • Collecting data to understanding individual needs of student demonstrating initial behavioral challenges
    • Can support individual teacher understanding & decision making
    • Can provide add’l information for Tier 2 decision making

Basic FBA/BIP:

Complex FBA

Tier 2: Preliminary FBA to Match Intervention:

Tier 1 Basic Behavior Training for All Staff

Function-Based Thinking

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www.BasicFBA.com

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Basic FBA to BIP Training Series �Loman, Strickland-Cohen, Borgmeier, & Horner (2014) �In-Person Modules �

  • Module 1- Defining & Understanding Behavior*
  • Module 2- FBA: Interviewing Stakeholders
  • Module 3- FBA: Observing Behavior
  • Module 4- BIP: Critical Features of Function-based Interventions*
  • Module 5- Selecting Function-based Interventions
  • Module 6- Planning for Implementation
  • Module 7- Evaluation Planning

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*Designed as training for all school staff

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Module 1 – Basics of Behavior

  • Step by Step Training in understanding and identifying the A-B-Cs and Function of Behavior

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Individualizing x Function� Student 1

Antecedent

Loud and Crowded Spaces

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Behavior

Begins talking to self and saying swear words

Consequence

People tend to walk away and moves to quiet space

Function

Escape Loud and Crowded Space causing anxiety

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Strengths

Good at Conversation w/ others

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I am good at making conversation (language). But I get sensory overload in loud and crowded spaces, which then makes conversation very hard for me.

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Individualizing x Function� Student 2

I am happy in large crowds, but I find it difficult to stay focused on what people are saying and that trying to keep up with back and forth conversation is overwhelming

Antecedent

Back & Forth Conversation with others (indiv or group)

Behavior

Begins talking to self and saying swear words

Consequence

People tend to walk away and leave student alone

Function

Escape back & forth conversation causing anxiety

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Strengths

Enjoys large crowds

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ABC Tracker�Teacher completes in Classroom

  • Teacher data collection tool for understanding individual triggers, consequences and function of behavior

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Function-Based Thinking…. � On the Fly��Sometimes the function of behavior is crystal clear…�� through training we can support staff to identify the obvious triggers & functions?

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Module 4: Behavior Intervention Plan

  • Antecedent-based interventions
  • Differential reinforcement of alternative, incompatible or other behavior
  • Extinction
  • Functional Behavioral Assessment***
  • Functional Communication training
  • Modeling
  • Naturalistic intervention
  • Prompting
  • Reinforcement
  • Response interruption/redirection
  • Self Management
  • Social skills training
  • Visual supports

​

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Antecedent-based interventions

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Differential reinforcement of Replacement behavior

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Reinforcement

Response Interruption/ Redirection

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Extinction

Prompting

Visual Supports

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Modeling

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Social Skills Training

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Self Management

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Planning for Effective Use

School-wide Plan

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Thank You!

  • All Basic FBA to BIP materials can be found at:
  • www.BasicFBA.com

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  • For more information please email:

chris.borgmeier@pdx.edu

@BasicFBA

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References

  • Hume, K., Steinbrenner, J. R., Odom, S. L., Morin, K. L., Nowell, S. W., Tomaszewski, B., Szendrey, S., McIntyre, N. S., Yücesoy-Özkan, S., & Savage, M. N. (2021). Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism: Third Generation Review. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 51(11), 4013–4032. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04844-2