�� “Top 10” Problems with Behavior Plans & FBAs

Chris Borgmeier, PhD

Portland State University

Chris.Borgmeier@pdx.edu

www.BasicFBA.com

Functional Behavior Assessment & Behavior Intervention Plan

• Should the Result of an FBA/BIP be to:
• Complicate or Clarify?
• Present Generalities or Focus on Specifics?
• Overwhelm or Encourage?
• Patronize or Empower?

#10- The “Everything” FBA

The FBA is not focused on a single Routine

What is a Routine?

• A routine is the setting/context/environment (Where) the student is
• E.g. Math, Recess, Literacy, Music, Free Time

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Why is this important?

• Triggers, Behaviors, Consequence and Functions change for a student across different Routines
• Different triggers lead to student problem behavior across different Routines
• A difficult math problem v. peer teasing at Recess
• The same Behavior(s) can, and often do, serve different functions for a student across different Routines
• We need to understand Behavior within Routines

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• See Basic FBA to BIP Modules 1 & 2

How to Complicate & Overwhelm

Complicating or Clarifying?

Function/ Maintaining Consequences

• Gain control of the situation
• Avoiding work or group participation/ social interaction
• Gains access to desired activity
• Avoids showing embarrassment
• Avoiding tasks where he does not see the relevance of doing them
• Internal routine needs met to avoid anxiety
• Seeking a calming environment – internal or external

Antecedents

• When misinterpreting facial expressions or tone of voice
• When he perceives an adult is angry or frustrated with him
• When he is embarrassed
• When asked to engage in non-preferred or an activity that he perceives as being too difficult
• When over focusing on a desirable activity
• Out of routine transitions
• When he is feeling the need for perfectionism
• When he doesn’t understand the reason for having to do something
• When sick
• When hungry or does not get a snack

Behaviors

• Not following adult directions as evidenced by:
• Turning away
• Not starting or participating in activity
• Putting hands over ears & closing his eyes
• Ongoing questions
• Tantruming: tense body, physically leaving work area, growling/baring teeth, making hurtful/ violent statements, stomping, slamming doors, kicking doors, throwing chairs, hitting

This looks like an FBA by Committee

Function/ Maintaining Consequences

• Gain control of the situation
• Avoiding work or group participation/ social interaction
• Gains access to desired activity
• Avoids showing embarrassment
• Avoiding tasks where he does not see the relevance of doing them
• Internal routine needs met to avoid anxiety
• Seeking a calming environment – internal or external

Antecedents

• When misinterpreting facial expressions or tone of voice
• When he perceives an adult is angry or frustrated with him
• When he is embarrassed
• When asked to engage in non-preferred or an activity that he perceives as being too difficult
• When over focusing on a desirable activity
• Out of routine transitions
• When he is feeling the need for perfectionism
• When he doesn’t understand the reason for having to do something
• When sick
• When hungry or does not get a snack

Behaviors

• Not following adult directions as evidenced by:
• Turning away
• Not starting or participating in activity
• Putting hands over ears & closing his eyes
• Ongoing questions
• Tantruming: tense body, physically leaving work area, growling/baring teeth, making hurtful/ violent statements, stomping, slamming doors, kicking doors, throwing chairs, hitting

Math

Math

Math

Recess

Recess

Recess

English

Art

Art

English

Prioritize a Routine and Focus on It

• Danger of Team Interviews and Team Discussion and Brainstorming during FBA
• Everyone is talking about a different routine
• A trigger from Math, a behavior from literacy, a consequence/function from Social Studies

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• Go Deep – Focus on 1 Routine
• Now you know who to talk to… but make sure to keep the focus on Math
• & where to Observe

• “But, there are so many challenging times of day, the teachers want to fix them all now!”

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• What happens when we try understand them all together at once?
• or to fix them all at once?

Prioritize a Routine and Focus on It

#9 - No Details in the A-B-Cs

Why is this important?

• The goal of FBA/BIP (Tier 3) is to develop Interventions that support the student’s Individualized needs

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• In order to develop interventions tailored to the student’s individual needs, we need to start with a Detailed understand of the Triggers, Behaviors, Consequence and Functions

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• Broad statements about a students Behavior are not helpful in identifying interventions

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• See Basic FBA to BIP Modules 1 - 3

Present Generalities or Focus on Specifics?�

• Focusing on a Single Routine makes it easier to get Details

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• Ask Follow-up Questions
• Be Curious and Keep asking to understand
• Don’t rely on the form Prompts to be Sufficient (Critical Thinking required)

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• Have a plan when observing to look for additional details

#8 - Interventions don’t match Function

Why is this Important?

• The whole reason for using FBA is because research has resoundingly identified that interventions matched to the Function of the student’s behavior leads to the most effective interventions

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• A BIP matched to the Function of Behavior that addresses the ABC’s is the most Direct intervention for supporting student behaviors because it focuses on the environmental and teaching factors that we can have the most direct control over.

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• Without a focus on function of behavior within the Routine, we often tend toward “Admiring the Problem”, placing blame &/or focusing on things we can’t control (e.g. medications, family, diagnosis)

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• See Basic FBA to BIP Module 4 & 5

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#8 - Interventions don’t match Function

• Encourage trying to Prioritize a single Function of Behavior

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• Functionally Equivalent Replacement Behavior should match the Function of Behavior

More detail about what are preferred items and activities would be helpful

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Function-Based Interventions

• Clear relationship between Function & A-B-Cs in the Intervention Strategies
• Interventions directly ABC’s and Function:
• Task difficulty (prompting avoidance)
• Teaching replacement behavior for Break
• Removal of most common challenge (coloring supplies)
• Replacement Behavior plays prominent role in Interventions to Address Function

#7 – Doing the BIP to the Implementers, not With�

Why is this Important?

• It’s great if the intervention ideas would work for the student, but if they don’t work for the Implementer(s) the student will never experience them

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• Implementation is the most important part, why do an entire assessment and develop a plan if it’s not going to be implemented?
• No intervention has ever worked that wasn’t implemented

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• Teachers and staff are juggling many things at once, we need to ensure the interventions in the plan can work for them, we need their voice when selecting and finalizing interventions in the Plan

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• How would you feel if someone just emailed you plan or dropped it in your mailbox and essentially said, “Make this work”
• See Basic FBA to BIP Module 6

BIP Meeting: Contextual Fit & Teacher Voice

• Hold a BIP Meeting and establish norms that center supporting the student and providing teacher/staff voice in finalizing interventions for the BIP

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• We encourage using the form as a Table Tent for review at the BIP Meeting

#6 - Too many Interventions

Why is this Important?

• Overwhelming? or Encouraging?
• Implementation is critical and Less is More!
• How many things can we reasonably expect a teacher to do in addition to teaching a class?
• Center the interventions that are most direct in addressing the ABCs and Function
• How many interventions can you usually get teachers to implement?

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• See Basic FBA to BIP Module 6

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#6 - Too many Interventions!

• On page 2 of this 5 page BIP you will find 21 Antecedent Interventions, plus many more interventions for Reinforcement & Responding to Problem Behavior on the next pages

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• If everything is important, Nothing is important
• Prioritize a manageable number of the most important interventions and describe them in greater detail

Behavior Intervention Implementation Plan

Clarify not Complicate

• Total of 9 interventions
• Clearly identifying who is responsible for implementation
• With a timeframe for implementation & a Review Date

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#5 - Intervention are too General or Broad

Why is this important?

• Poorly defined interventions that are very broad are less likely to be implemented or taken seriously
• e. g. give a modified task, prompt expected behavior, provide reinforcement

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• If there is not enough detail it is not likely the interventions will be helpful in addressing the student’s individualized needs

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• If implemented, the lack of detail places substantial responsibility on a busy teacher/staff member to figure it out on their own, also leaving much room for interpretation and variability in how it is interpreted or implemented

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• See Basic FBA to BIP Module 6

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#5 - Intervention are too General or Broad

• Patronizing or Empowering?
• Many of the 21 interventions listed are redundant and overly general or broad, providing little meaningful direction
• Clear & Concise directions
• Flexible seating
• Structured access to sensory activities
• Access to sensory related activities
• Reinforce appropriate social skills
• Reinforce use of coping strategies
• Specific praise and reinforcement for appropriate behaviors

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Behavior Intervention Implementation Plan

Clarify not Complicate

• Total of 9 interventions
• Pretty specific & clearly described
• Detail of interventions demonstrates they are aligned to the needs of the student

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• Still need training & support for implementation, but much easier when there are 9 clear, prioritized interventions

#4 – Too much Technical Jargon (ABA-ese)

Why is this important?

• It’s pretty important that the person(s) being asked to implement the plan understand what they are supposed to be doing
• Technical jargon is more likely to stop people from reading or listening
• May place more responsibility on the implementer to figure it out

#4 – Too much Technical Jargon (ABA-ese)

• Patronizing or Empowering?
• Describe (in talk & writing) interventions in ways that are accessible to implementing teachers and staff who often don’t have as much behavioral training

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• Non-contingent reinforcement, Priming & PreMack Principle are probably not too accessible for many

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Behavior Intervention Implementation Plan

Clarify not Complicate

• Total of 9 interventions
• Pretty specific & clearly described
• Detail of interventions demonstrates they are aligned to the needs of the student

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• Still need training & support for implementation, but much easier when there are 9 clear, prioritized interventions

Why is this important?

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• Implementation is the most important part, why do an entire assessment and develop a plan if it’s not going to be implemented?
• Hope, prayers & providing a copy of the plan are not proven Implementation Supports

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• Change and implementing new things is difficult and we don’t like to do new things that make us feel uncomfortable or less comfortable
• If we don’t know why… we probably won’t do it
• If we don’t know how… we can’t do it
• If we aren’t sure we know how… we probably stick to the old, more comfortable way
• If we think we know how, but don’t… we do it wrong

#3 - No Focus on Implementation

Behavior Intervention Implementation Plan

• A little support in the first weeks can go a Long way to supporting Implementation
• Train staff how & why
• Provider reminders, prompts, encouragement & be available to answer questions
• Check-in to review & provide feedback – address challenges & questions that come
• Let’s make a formal plan to Support Implementation
• See Basic FBA to BIP Module 6

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#3 - No Focus on Implementation

#2 - No Data or Follow-up

Why is this important?

• Tier 3 students are often facing Life-course altering decisions to be moved to more Restrictive placements (School to Prison pipeline), such critical decisions warrant a high level of review based on good data to guide decision making

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• Implementation is hard! Data and formal follow-up meetings set an expectation and create a routine for accountability
• We rarely have perfect Behavior Plans on the first try, and behavior is dynamic… Data and follow-up are required to be responsive to needs
• Students Behavior is highly susceptible to Bias… as we are naturally prone to remembering the student’s ‘last worst incident’
• Behavior change usually progresses through a reducing frequency of ‘incidents’ or ‘bad days’, rather than immediate elimination
• Visual Display of Data is critical to recognizing and appreciating this progression

• Focusing on a Prioritized Routine can make Data collection more feasible (it’s not all day)
• Make sure to focus on what important:
• Reducing the most concerning behaviors identified by the teacher
• Interventions to implement

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• Point cards aren’t perfect, but they are feasible & flexible

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#2 - No Data or Follow-up

See Basic FBA to BIP Modules 5 - 7

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• Set up a BIP Review meeting for 2 weeks after starting implementation
• Use data to guide the meeting and decision making
• Review:
• Fidelity of Data Collection
• Implementation
• Student Outcomes

#2 - No Data or Follow-up

#1 - It’s a Compliance Report, not a Behavior Plan

Why is this important?

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• What is the bottom line?
• Implementing a Behavior Plan to support student behavior and improve their school outcomes?
• A professional looking report that passes the eye test for legal compliance?

“Top 10” �Problems with Behavior Plans and FBA’s

10. The “Everything” FBA

9. No Details in A-B-Cs

8. Interventions don’t match the Function

7. Doing the BIP to the Implementers, not With

6. Too many Interventions!

5. Interventions are too General or Broad

4. Too much Technical Jargon (ABA-ese)

3. No Focus on Implementation

2. No Data or Follow-up

1. It’s a Compliance Report, not a Behavior Plan

Pair & Share

• Did any of the ‘Top 10’ Problems stand out to you?

10. The “Everything” FBA

9. No Details in A-B-Cs

8. Interventions don’t match the Function

7. Doing the BIP to the Implementers, not With

6. Too many Interventions!

5. Interventions are too General or Broad

4. Too much Technical Jargon (ABA-ese)

3. No Focus on Implementation

2. No Data or Follow-up

1. It’s a Compliance Report, not a Behavior Plan

Functional Behavior Assessment & Behavior Intervention Plan

• Should the Result of an FBA/BIP be to:
• Complicate or Clarify?
• Present Generalities or Focus on Specifics?
• Overwhelm or Encourage?
• Patronize or Empower?

How to Address the ‘Top 10’ problems?

• Check out the Basic FBA to BIP training series at www.BasicFBA.com

www.BasicFBA.com

Video Overview to Basic FBA to BIP �e-learning modules

Training Modules: Big Ideas

• Skills taught in manageable chunks
• 60-90 minute modules
• Intended delivery: 1 module every 1-2 weeks

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• Interactive Training Activities – Learn through demonstration & practice application activities

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• Built-in Assessment Activities – included at end of each module

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• Homework Tasks with each module for real-world practice that culminate in implementation of a BSP developed from an FBA

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Online Module Features

• Pre and Post Assessment for Each Module
• Participant Guide and Materials to Follow Along and Practice Using Forms/Tools
• Interactive Activities with built in Checks for Understanding
• Embedded video to model interviewing
• Embedded video for practicing observations
• Links to data collection and graphing resources specific to Basic FBA to BSP
• Email follow-up with Homework Reminders
• Free!

Basic FBA to BIP Training Series�New interactive on-line e-modules ��

Users, Feedback & Data

Completers who filled out the Google Survey Evaluation

• Behavior Specialist
• Mod 1 – 6723
• Mod 2 - 5074
• Mod 3 – 4071
• Mod 4 – 5203
• Mod 5 – 7382
• Mod 6 – 435 *(no data since 3/19/20)
• Mod 7 – 373 *(no data since 2/4/20)

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• School Wide Training
• Mod 1 – 5265
• Mod 4 - 3204

Data as of April 17^th 2025

Basic FBA to BIP e-Learning Module 1 User Evaluation Data

Data as of Nov. 4^th 2022

Data as of Mar. 2^nd 2023

Data as of Apr 17^th 2025

New Tool! Basic FBA to BIP + Coaching

• Google Sheets
• All documents for a student in a single document
• Fill forward fields to increase efficiency
• Coaching & Feedback rubrics side by side w/ forms

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Basic FBA to BIP Forms Page

https://basicfba.com/forms-resources/

New Tool! Basic FBA to BIP + Coaching

• Coaching Summary
• Coaching & Feedback rubrics side by side w/ forms

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New Tool! Basic FBA to BIP + Coaching

• Coaching Summary
• Coaching & Feedback rubrics side by side w/ forms

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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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