Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)

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Severe and chronic problem behaviors often cause immeasurable stress and hardship to the child and their family. NYBAPS believes that the best approach to assessing and treating behavioral disorders is the approach that has scientifically proven to work: a function-based approach.

When children and adolescents with (and without) developmental disabilities engage in severe problem behaviors such as aggression, self-injury, elopement, and other disruptive behaviors, it is necessary to conduct a functional behavior assessment (FBA) to determine why the person is engaging in these behaviors. Often due to difficulties with communication, these individuals cannot tell you why they are engaging in concerning behaviors and therefore the only way to know is by recording detailed information about the events that occur prior and subsequent to the problem behavior as well as other details regarding the behavior, such as time of day, location, duration, frequency, and any activities that were occurring at the time of the behavior. This process is known as a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA).

In addition, a preference assessment is conducted to identify items and activities your child likes and would be motivated to earn as rewards for engaging in the appropriate/replacement behavior.

​With the findings from these assessments, an intervention can be developed to reduce the need for the individual to engage in the problem behavior. A description of how to implement the intervention is included in a report called a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP). A behavior intervention plan clearly outlines the steps of an intervention so that anyone who reads the plan could understand how to address the target behavior when it occurs.
NYBAPS works with each individual’s family, school staff, and any service providers throughout treatment to provide structured, intensive training on how to implement the BIP. This training helps us ensure successful outcome and long-term maintenance of the individual’s progress.

​Common behavioral problems we treat include:

• Self-injurious behavior (head banging, hitting self, biting self)
• Aggression (hitting/kicking others, biting/scratching others)
• Property destruction (throwing or destroying objects)
• Tantrums
• Transition difficulties (changing from one activity to another
• Disruptive behaviors
• Noncompliance (refusing to respond or refusing requests)
• Pica (object mouthing and ingesting inedible items)
• Elopement (getting up and leaving the designated area, running away)
• Compulsive and repetitive behaviors

If you feel that a Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plan may be needed for your child, please contact us for additional information and to schedule an appointment.