From the Technical Assistance Center on Social and Emotional Development. They define FBA as: Functional Behavioral Assessment

FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT

IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION

Student: Jeff Jones Date of Report: February 21, 2017 Date of Birth: Chronological Age: 12 School Name: Gold School Home Address: Jack and Molly Jones Reporter: Joanna Mackin

Reason for Referral

Joanna Mackin initiated this Functional Behavior Assessment as a part of the requirements for a graduate class in Behavior Analysis. There were two reasons for selecting Jeff Jones. His, teachers Ms. Mackin and Ms. Hannah Akiyama, as well as his parents were concerned about the lack of growth over the 2015-2016 school year. The second reason involves the behaviors that are impeding that academic growth. Over the course of the 2015-2016 school year Ms. Mackin & Ms. Akiyama worked with a counselor at Gold School to create a plan that would address the behaviors that were affecting Jeff’s learning. While this plan helped some in the 2015-2016 school year, we continued to see the same behaviors at the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year. The behaviors identified for investigation include noncompliance, exaggerated response to physical discomfort, negative statements about himself or others, and difficulty beginning tasks.

Background Information

Jeff is a 12-year old boy who lives at home with his family in Honolulu. Jeff resides with his parents, Jack and Molly Jones and his younger sister, Melissa, who is 9 years old. Jeff lives with his parents and younger sister on the lower level of a two level house. His grandparents, an aunt, and cousins live upstairs. Jeff is currently enrolled in Gold School. which serves students’ with learning differences, primarily language based. This means that Jeff is in a class of students his age and grade level with similar learning challenges.

Information Sources

Record Review Assets Student Profile 2015-2016 Assets School Intake Folder: Psychologist’s Educational Diagnostic Report Interviews Jack Jones, Father, February 11, 2017 Hannah Akiyama, Classroom Teacher, January 16,17,18, 23 2017

Catherine Sharp, Music Teacher, February 3, 2017 Lilly Plat, Performing Arts Teacher, January 18, 2017 Jeff Jones, Student, February 11, 2017 Observations Classroom, From November 7th, 2016 to January 8th, 2017 Art class, Wednesday, January 25, 2017 Music Class, Friday, February 10, 2017 Record Review Assets School Student Profile 2015-2014 Jeff’s Academic Goals: Jeff’s Decoding Goal is to show improvement in decoding skills (p.4) which

would move his functional grade level from Ending 2nd to Middle to Ending 3rd (p. 3)

Jeff’s Reading Comprehension Goal is to develop critical thinking and problem

solving skills relative to reading. The second Reading Comprehension Goal is to demonstrate growth in study skills relative to reading. (p. 4)

Jeff’s Spelling Goals are: to achieve growth in spelling skills; effectively utilize

technology tools; demonstrate competency in critical thinking and problem solving skills relative to writing; showing growth in expressing himself in writing assignments; and demonstrating growth in study skills relative to expository and narrative writing such as note taking and outlining. To show growth in these areas Jeff’s functional grade level would move from Middle 2nd to Beginning to Middle 3rd. (p. 5)

Jeff’s Mathematics Goals are: showing growth in math computation;

demonstrating critical thinking and problem solving skills relative to mathematical concepts and applications; and demonstrating the ability to effectively utilize technological tools like calculators. To show growth in these areas Jeff’s functional grade level would move from Middle 3rd to Beginning to Middle 4th in computation and from beginning to middle 2nd to beginning to middle 3rd in Concepts and Applications. (p. 6)

Jeff’s Social Adaptation Goals: Jeff’s Social Adaptation Goals are: demonstrating growth in becoming a confident

and responsible lifelong learner; effectively participating and contributing in a multicultural community; showing growth in advocating for self in academic and social situations; developing appropriate organizational, time management and self-monitoring skills; and demonstrating growth in coping and problem solving skills. (p. 8)

Diagnostic information taken from Jeff’s intake folder at Assets School as reported in the Assets Student Profile (p. 7)

• Jeff’s “Exceptionalities”: Dyslexia (Assets, 05/14) • Learning Disorder; Not Otherwise Specified • Rule Out Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Primarily Inattentive Type

(Pamela Merez, Psy.D., 04/12) • Specific  Learning  Disability,  (Hawaii  State  D.O.E.  02/12)

Interviews

Jack Jones, Father, (Because of time constraints and scheduling difficulties Jack Jones filled out a FAIT Parent/Guardian form and returned it to me) on February 11, 2017

One of the reasons for this Functional Behavioral Assessment is Jack and Molly Jones’ concern about Jeff’s slow academic growth and the behaviors that are slowing down this growth. Mr. Jones shared these positive things about Jeff; he is friendly, helpful, sociable, liked by peers, honest, easygoing, kind to adults, and kind to other students. Jeff’s suspected preferential interests are Legos, iPad/Youtube, singing, acting, and drama. Mr. Jones feels that Jeff learns best when involved in building or constructing something; or experimenting or testing things. Mr. Jones shared that the problem behaviors he is concerned about are: Jeff going into “Imaginary Worlds” and mimicking the characters in the world; and making an excuse to go do something else, when told to do something. These behaviors occur when Jeff is told to do something non preferred or when working/playing/entertaining independently. When problem behaviors occur, Jeff responds to: verbal prompts and corrections; help getting back on task; reminders about what is and isn’t appropriate; and using the code word “Donuts” to get Jeff back on task. Mr. Jones’ best guess as to why the problem behaviors occur is that Jeff is trying to escape from doing exactly what he’s told and imagining or thinking of fictional characters.

Hannah Akiyama, Lead teacher, January 2017

Ms. Akiyma and Ms. Mackin work together and both work with Jeff. Ms. Mackin interviewed Ms. Akiyama using the Functional Assessment Interview Form. Because of time constraints, the interview took place over the course of two weeks in mid January.

Ms. Akiyama identified four main behaviors of concern. The first behavior is noncompliance. Jeff doesn’t answer when spoken to, refuses to join the class or a small group, he wanders around the classroom, or won’t work with a partner. This behavior occurs one to four times a day for between five and ten minutes. The second behavior is exaggerated responses to injury, headache, or eczema. When injured, Jeff falls to the ground and is unresponsive or he gives an exaggerated account of how his head feels, or he is visibly scratching all over. This behavior happens at least once a day for one to two minutes and requires a teacher to stop what she’s doing to write him a pass to the Nurse. The third behavior is negative statements to others, or about himself, or threats of

violence to himself or others. When Jeff makes these statements he raises his voice and gestures with his hands. This behavior occurs about once a day and lasts for a minute. The raised voice and negative statements about other students produces a reaction from the person he’s talking about, which disrupts the lesson. The fourth behavior is difficulty beginning some tasks or activities. Jeff will remove himself from the class circle during Morning Meeting, or ask to go to the bathroom or nurse, or he may wander around without responding to questions. These behaviors occur two to four times a week. They are low key as if Jeff were trying to fly under the teacher’s radar.

Behaviors that occur together: noncompliance and difficulty beginning tasks often happen together in the same type of situation (typically at the beginning of a new task or unfamiliar activity); exaggerated response and negative statements sometimes happen together and usually in response to the same type of situation (when other members of his group aren’t following directions or are noisy while a teacher is working with him or comment on something he’s done or make random noises).

Setting events that Ms. Akiyama has identified are: a rash that looks like eczema on Jeff’s ears, neck, upper torso, arms, backs of his knees, and scalp. Occasionally (not as often since the weather has cooled off) at the beginning of Language Arts or Read Naturally, Jeff will appear to be uncomfortably itchy and ask to go to Nurse. Jeff sometimes complains of difficulty sleeping on days when he exhibits more problem behaviors. The class schedule is posted and explained if it changes. Although Jeff sometimes choose not to make a choice, students have choices through out the day. The ratio of staff to students is six or seven students to one teacher so Jeff receives one to one attention sometimes. He also receives help with his homework from his grandmother.

One setting event that hasn’t been reported previously is that Jeff’s difficulty beginning a given task, may be a result of his Attention Deficits. In January of the 2017, Jeff began to take medication for ADHD. Jeff’s teachers have noticed a change in his behavior. He is less fidgety, better able to focus, and he participates in class discussions more often. Jeff mutters less and speaks up more. After beginning to take medication, Jeff’s teachers also noticed that he wasn’t eating as much at snack. Jeff reported that he can “hear” his teachers now.

Antecedents that predict when a behavior more likely to occur are when Jeff is at Language Arts in the back of the classroom, Computer Lab during Read Naturally, Performing Arts, Music, Art; interacting with four of the seven boys in the class; activities that involve reading, are new or novel or transitions into activities Jeff hasn’t done before

Antecedents that predict when a behavior is less likely to occur are when Jeff is on the field, in the courtyard, library, or at enrichments; interacting with any of the six girls in the class; free time activities.

5 = High Efficiency, 1 = Low Efficiency

This chart indicates that when Jeff is noncompliant because he has difficulty beginning a task that he is both able to avoid beginning the task and he quickly gets teacher attention. The chart also shows that when Jeff makes negative statements about himself or others, he is able to quickly gain reassurance from his teacher. Exaggerated responses are much less efficient at gaining attention or avoiding embarrassment.

Ms. Akiyama shared that Jeff has many ways of communicating his need for attention both verbal and through gestures or facial expressions but he does not use words to communicate his confusion or unhappiness. He also does not use words to communicate that he doesn’t want to do an activity or be in a certain situation. His nonverbal means of communication are shaking his head when confused or unhappy; moving away or leaving; a fixed gaze; or head on his desk. When he is protesting a situation or activity he might use words or shake his head or throw up his hands.

Ability to Understand Other People

Jeff can follow a single direction but if there is more than one step to the directions he shuts down

Responds to signed or gestural requests or instructions: Jeff responds to gestures indicating time to stop an activity, signs for class to be silent, and gesture to leave room for restroom.

Imitates physical models for tasks or activities: Jeff is able to perform tasks that have been modeled by the teacher like putting papers in a certain place. Recently he learned the motions that accompanied a song that the class performed for their Grandparents. The music teacher demonstrated the motions and the students imitated her.

0  

1  

2  

3  

4  

5  

6  

noncompliance/difFiculty   beginning  task  

exaggerated  response   negative  statements   about  self  or  other  

Ef#iciency  of  Problem  Behavior  

EfFiciency  

Methods typically used to indicate yes or no: Jeff uses words to indicate yes or no unless the teachers ask for a thumbs up indicating a yes answer to a question or a thumbs down for no. Jeff will then use a thumbs up or down.

Ms. Akiyama who is in touch with Jeff’s fourth grade teacher reported that this teacher saw the same problem behaviors that are reported in this assessment.

Lilly Plat, Performing Arts (PA) teacher, January 18, 2017

I interviewed Ms. Plat using Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS). The MAS is a questionnaire that is designed to help identify the function of a problem behavior. Before we started the questionnaire, Ms. Plat and I talked about the problem behaviors that Jeff exhibits in PA. He shuts down when there is too much noise. He gets frustrated when it is too loud. He tries to get the class to quiet down and when the others ignore him he shuts down. When he works with an improvisation group (usually 1 or 2 other students), he will give up quickly if he has difficulty expressing his ideas. When he gives up, he will wander around the periphery of the group and be unresponsive to their attempts to get information from him. The results of the MAS checklist suggest that Jeff’s behaviors in PA are motivated by three things escape, attention, and tangibles. Jeff wants to escape from new tasks or difficulties expressing himself. When Jeff is unable to express himself or he is presented with a new task he withdraws from the group. Attention of his peers, when Ms. Plat is talking to the class and they are talking over her, Jeff tries to get the whole group to quiet down. The tangible function is reflected in Jeff’s wanting to do only what he wants.

Catherine Sharp, Music Teacher, February 3, 2017

I interviewed Ms. Sharp using the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS). I started the interview with some general questions about the problem behaviors Ms. Sharp saw in the Music Class. Ms. Sharp shared that Jeff would avoid participating in Music activities by saying he had a headache or going to point out and staying there. Ms. Sharp said that when the noise level bothered Jeff, she gave him the option of going to class 41, but he didn’t want to use this option. Ms. Sharp observed that Jeff likes to see how others experience things before he tries the activity. The results of the MAS checklist suggest that Jeff’s problem behaviors in Music are motivated primarily by escape and sensory needs. Jeff’s problem behaviors occur when he is asked to perform a difficult task or any request is made of him and the behavior stops after the demand is withdrawn. Ms. Sharp said that would stay withdrawn from the activities for a long period of time if left alone. When Jeff has withdrawn he seems calm but aware of what is going on around him, this indicates some sort of sensory need.

Jeff Jones, Student, February 13, 2017

I interviewed Jeff using the Student-Directed Functional Assessment Interview Form. Based on the information I got from Jeff’s thoughts about his daily school activities, the least difficult times of the day are Morning & Lunch Recess, Snack, Science and Social Studies, P.E. with both coach and Ms. Akiyama. The most difficult times of the day were Music followed by Art and Performing Arts. When asked why he thought these were the

most difficult times of the day, Jeff said that he doesn’t like to sing in public and is not comfortable with Ms. Sharp. He wasn’t really sure what made Art and Performing Arts difficult. He did share that he comes from a family that dances specifically his cousins (I have heard him compare his ability to do things with his cousins). He has some difficulty with Language Arts with Ms. Mackin. Again, he wasn’t sure what made it difficult. We do know from his Student Profile that he has a difficult time with both reading and spelling words. Jeff shared that he doesn’t know what makes him happy. He did think that he likes going to the pool where he takes lessons on Saturdays.

Jeff Jones, Student, February 21,2017

While the class was engaged in a cooking activity in the kitchen, I was able to have a casual interview with Jeff. The class had been divided into three groups. His group was made up of himself and three other people he’s worked successfully with before. This school year Jeff has had to go to Class 41, the quiet room, when we did a cooking activity. Jeff was reluctant to sit with his group and was hanging around the stove when I approached him. He shared that he felt more comfortable by the stove. I asked him why he thought that was and he said that from there he could see everyone and it wasn’t as “noisy”. Both Ms. Akiyama and I encouraged him to join his group. He continued to be reluctant to do so. I then asked Ms. Akiyama if Jeff could be her helper and she said yes. As Ms. A. got the other students started on the vegetable chopping, I asked Jeff if he liked to cook and he said that he did and that he came from a family who cooks. Ms. Akiyama asked Brenden to sauté the vegetables, and he did an excellent job. When asked what he liked to cook, he couldn’t think of anything, but later I commented that I liked fried rice and wondered if he could make some for our class party. He said he could cook fried rice, but he didn’t know if he’d be able to do it for the class party.

List of Preferences Based on Teacher, Parent, and Student Interviews

1. Building with Legos 2. iPad/Youtube 3. Singing, Acting, Drama 4. Snack 5. Recess 6. Lunch 7. Enrichments 8. Playing with his cousins 9. Diamond Head Theater Classes 10. Earning Class Money 11. Going to Swim Lessons on The Weekend

I did not do a preference assessment that asked specifically if Jeff liked certain things, activities or people. During the Student Functional Assessment, Jeff was unable to talk about what he enjoys doing. The only thing he could think of was swim lessons on the weekend.

Observations

Art Classroom, Wednesday, January 25, 2017

This observation was conducted from 12:05-12:24 pm on January 25, 2017, during a special craft activity.

12:05 pm: Jeff wanders around the room as the Art Teacher gives directions. The rest of the class is seated

12:10 pm: Jeff still wandering from table to table talking to people and looking into the containers holding the materials for the craft project. He winds yarn around his fingers as he wanders. (One craft project is making a pompom out of yarn.)

12:11 pm: Jeff goes over to another male student, who is sitting by himself with a box of beads. Jeff looks into the box and rakes through the beads when the other student does. Jeff tells a “story with the yarn on his fingers.

12:13 pm: Jeff offers the yarn to the male student he is sitting with.

12:14 pm: Jeff moves to another table and then goes to the front table and picks out a purple pompom from a box on the front table. He also picks up a blank bookmark.

12:15 pm: Jeff moves to the table I am sitting close to and announces his intention to decorate the bookmark for his sister, which he does with a simple line drawing. He attaches the pompom.

12:17 pm: The Art Teacher offers to make Jeff a keychain if he’ll make a pompom for her.

12:18 pm: Jeff does a bit of wandering and then brings the Art Teacher the box of pompoms.

12:24 pm: Jeff asks the Art Teacher to tie something for him (at this point I get distracted by a request from another student in the class.)

Music Class, Friday, February 3, 2017

This observation was conducted from 12:05-12:42 pm on February 3, 2017, during a regular music lesson.

12:05 pm: Jeff comes into Music at a snails pace after everyone else has entered and joins the circle of other students.

12:10 pm: Participating in the rhythm activity and interacting with the same male student he interacted with in Art on January 25th

12:12 pm: Teacher announces a transition to the next activity. Jeff turns to the same male student and begins to talk to him.

12:13 pm: Jeff eyes are closed as he beats out the xylophone rhythm, that Ms. Sharp has demonstrated. He opens his eyes and looks at Ms. Sharp.

12:15 pm: Jeff raises his hand to be the person to give an answer and teases another student as he picks a girl per Ms. Sharps request. (The lesson distracted me.)

12:25 pm: Transition from playing the xylophone. Jeff wanders around and looks at the male students he talked to at the beginning of the lesson. He makes a circuit of the class and asks me if I’m taking notes. I give him a noncommittal answer.

12:28 pm: Jeff returns to his designated seat on the floor.

12:32 pm: (There has been a transition in here that I didn’t put into my notes. The students are now playing ukulele.) Jeff is playing his ukulele with full concentration.

12:40 pm: In the instant that I began to record this Jeff was focused on playing the ukulele. When he stops playing, he is talking and pointing behind himself. (This was an unclear note.)

12:42 pm: Ms. Akiyama came into the class, joining me at the back of the room. Ms. Sharp told the students to put away their ukulele. Jeff put his ukulele away and then walked over to where I was sitting and Ms. Akiyama was standing and lay down on his back on the floor. I left the class to Ms. Akiyama.

Summary of Antecedent Behavior Consequence (ABC) Data

ABC data was collected from November 11th – December 16th, 2016 and then from January 6th – 18th, 2017. During the time frame November 11th – December 16th, 2016 there is a missing recording sheet that covered the period between November 9th and November 23rd. The recording sheets I have data from cover approximately sixteen days. During those sixteen days there was a single incident of a problem behavior on seven of the sixteen days and one day with five incidents of problem behaviors. This means that on average one problem behavior occurred per day.

Sometime, either right before or right after the winter break, Jeff reported to Ms. Akiyama that he was taking medication to help him focus. Between January 3rd and January 18th there were nine school days of ABC data collected. Problem behaviors were recorded on one day at the beginning of the period and one day at the end of the period. What this evidence suggests to me is that Jeff’s problem behaviors are happening less frequently. Ms. Akiyama and I have noticed a significant decline in problem behaviors since the beginning of the calendar year, when Jeff began taking medication to address the issue of attention. Jeff commented to us that he can now

“hear” the teachers.

Patterns seen in the ABC data:

Setting events that occasion problem behaviors are: changes in routine, tired (reported sleeping badly), or not feeling well (novel task was not one of the setting events that was recorded but it could have been)

Places where behaviors are more likely to occur: in the back of Class 52 (a small confined space); in the Art, Music, and Performing Arts classrooms (all fairly open spaces); the Computer Lab; and the Kitchen (another open space)

Places where behaviors are less likely to occur: Hallways, lunch/gathering place, and play areas

Times behaviors are more likely to occur: from the beginning of the school day up until 11:10, which is the beginning of lunch recess and then between 12:05 and 12:50 pm

Times behaviors are less likely to occur: after 12:50 pm. to occur during breaks, free time

Antecedents that are more likely to occasion problem behaviors: small or large group work; Language Arts; Morning Meeting; and Art, Music, and Performing Arts

Antecedents that are less likely to occasion problem behaviors: student selected activities (breaks or silent time); & independent work

Behaviors seen more often: when Jeff is upset he stops working and or puts his head down on desk or refuses to respond to any questions; making negative statements about himself or others refusing to leave the classroom for counseling when upset

Behaviors seen less often: leaving class without permission (during the 2015-2016 school year this occurred fairly often)

Consequences occurring more often: repeated direction/provided choice, one on one work with teacher, cued to Cl 41 or counseling

Consequences occurring less often: sent to Point Out, met with a counselor, peer attention, peers ignored

Behavior/Outcome: when given a choice Jeff often returned to the activity without disruption, occasionally, when given a choice or cued to 41 Jeff attempted to return to the activity

Target Behaviors to reduce

• Noncompliance: After Jeff has had an interaction with a student or teacher that upsets him, Jeff will stop working and won’t respond to questions. Often, he withdraws from a group and may wander around or try to leave the classroom.

• Exaggerating physical discomforts: During outdoor organized game times, if Jeff is tagged by another student or accidentally hit by a ball, he might fall to the ground and act dead, not responding to students or teacher queries about how he is. There have also been times when he falls to the ground for no apparent reason.

• Negative Statements about Self and Others: While trying to listen to directions, corrections, or collect his thoughts in a noisy classroom, Jeff will make negative statements about the noise of the other students and then he will make negative statements about himself and ultimately withdraw from an activity.

• Difficulty Beginning Challenging or Novel Tasks : At the beginning of Language Arts, Art, Music, Performing Arts, or any novel activity like cooking, instead of preparing to begin the lesson, Jeff will ask to go to the nurse for either a headache or extreme itchiness.

Replacement Behaviors to increase

• Asking for help when feeling confused about how to proceed with at task.

• Asking for a break

• Asking for permission to see how the other students do something before trying it.

• Appropriately seeking attention from peers

Strengths

Jeff’s good memory for background information supports his ability to understand what he reads or hears. When feeling comfortable, he is willing to take risks in Performing Arts class, demonstrating an ability to act, or in Music singing while accompanying himself with gestures illustrating the song. He has a good memory of the details of movies he’s seen, which I think reflects his general interest in the Performing Arts. Jeff’s ability to remember what he hears supports his reading comprehension. Jeff is an auditory learner.

Summary Statements

The setting events for Jeff’s noncompliant behaviors/difficulty beginning tasks or activities are: the subjects Language Arts, Art, Music, and Performing Arts; lack of sleep, and, noise/distractions. The things that set off the behaviors are class demands that may be too hard (unfamiliar multistep activities), and unheard directions. When Jeff is

noncompliant, he will be unresponsive to teacher or peers questions or he will wander around the class. Essentially he has shut down. When Jeff is being noncompliant, his teachers give him attention in the form of offering him choices. Gaining teacher attention while avoiding teacher demands and peer contact seem to be what is maintaining these behaviors.

The setting events for Jeff’s negative statements about others and or himself appear to be when he is in a noisy/distracting group, as well as a lack of sleep. The thing that appears to set of this behavior is working in a smaller group on a task that is difficult for him or requires careful thought and the class is noisy. When Jeff makes negative statements he raises his voice a bit, gestures with his hands and then he wanders away mentally or physically. When Jeff makes negative statements he is reassured by a teacher so receiving attention from a teacher appears to be what is maintaining this behavior.

The setting events for Jeff’s exaggerated response to physical discomfort appears to be the anticipated difficulty of a lesson in LA or subject like Art or Music, a need for peer attention, and sometimes a lack of sleep. The things that appear to set off this behavior are the anticipated difficulty of the coming lesson along with a lack of sleep. Before Language Arts begins, Jeff may be scratching himself all over or tell his teachers that he has for instance a really bad headache so needs to go see the nurse. When the class is playing a game together with his classroom teachers present, he will sometimes just fall to the ground for no apparent reason. Other students will report that …