Behavioral Assessments and Interventions- Week 10

Dr. Nuse

Hi everyone! Welcome to this week's lecture where we will review Chapter 4 from our text...

Dr. Nuse

Functional Behavioral Assessment, or FBA, is really the backbone of any meaningful approach to behavioral challenges. It’s a systematic process that allows us to identify why a particular behavior occurs by digging deeply into its function. Now, using Cipani’s framework, we focus not just on the surface-level behaviors but on the underlying factors driving them—and these are pivotal in educational and mental health settings.

Dr. Nuse

So, let’s start with the basics—the function of a behavior. Behavior doesn’t occur in a vacuum. It happens because of something, and that 'something' is often an establishing operation, or EO. Think of an EO as a condition or event that temporarily alters the effectiveness of a reinforcer or punishment. For instance, let’s say a client starts hitting others on the shoulder during TV time. That might not seem logical at first, but when we take a closer look, it could be a way to escape a social distraction, like someone talking too loudly and interrupting the program they’re watching.

Dr. Nuse

This is why the first step in an FBA is so important—it’s about recognizing these triggers or antecedents, like the conversational noise in our example, to clarify the function of the behavior. Without understanding the EO, we might assign an ineffective intervention, perhaps one that overlooks the client's motivation entirely.

Dr. Nuse

And what Cipani’s framework does exceptionally well is emphasize the necessity of comprehensive assessments. These assessments act as a roadmap to uncover the deeper variables at play. By taking the time to explore these nuances, we equip ourselves with a more robust strategy for behavior intervention. Essentially, understanding the EO means we’re not just treating symptoms but addressing the root cause.

Dr. Nuse

When we talk about replacing unwanted behaviors, we’re not just looking to stop them cold. Instead, what we aim for is to introduce behaviors that meet the same need, or function, but in a more constructive or acceptable way. And for that, the replacement behavior has to check three key boxes: it must be efficient, contextually appropriate, and aligned with the function of the problem behavior.

Dr. Nuse

Let’s unpack that a bit. An efficient behavior is one that’s just as easy—or easier—for the individual to engage in compared to the problem behavior. If it takes too much effort or doesn’t consistently lead to the desired result, it’s not going to work. Contextual appropriateness is another layer—it means the behavior makes sense within the individual’s environment. For example, a child asking for attention by raising their hand in a classroom is appropriate, while the same action during recess might not be as impactful. Finally, and most importantly, replacement behaviors have to serve the same function as the problematic behavior. If someone is acting out to escape a difficult task, the new behavior has to achieve that escape—but in a more acceptable way.

Dr. Nuse

This brings us to Cipani’s Replacement Function Classification System, which he divides into three categories: misdirected contingencies, inept repertoire, and faulty discriminated behavior. Misdirected contingencies occur when the replacement behavior cannot compete—essentially, the individual finds the problem behavior more rewarding because it’s reinforced at a higher rate. Imagine a child who can ask politely for a toy but finds tantruming gets them the toy faster; the reinforcement setup is skewed, leading to these misdirected contingencies.

Dr. Nuse

Inept repertoire, on the other hand, happens when the new, desired behavior simply isn’t in the individual’s skill set. Take the example of a child required to form complete sentences to request a snack, but they’re only capable of single-word expressions. This isn’t a motivational issue—it’s a skill deficit. Finally, faulty discrimination refers to cases where the learned replacement behavior only works in a few specific contexts and fails in others. Picture a teenager who’s taught to ask for help in math class but doesn’t transfer that skill to ask for help at home with homework.

Dr. Nuse

Now, how do we address these challenges? One example is using chain interruption, a strategy requiring us to interrupt the sequence of the problem behavior and redirect it into the replacement behavior. Say you’ve got a client who pushes others to gain access to a preferred item. Interrupting the sequence and reinforcing a verbal request for the item would be far more functional and, over time, more efficient for them, too.

Dr. Nuse

Once we’ve identified the function behind a behavior, the next step is designing interventions truly tailored to that function. This is where strategies like chain interruption, extinction, and tolerance training really come into play. Each of these approaches targets specific behavioral functions—Direct Access, Direct Escape, Socially Mediated Access, and Socially Mediated Escape. And the goal, ultimately, is to disable the unwanted behavior while enabling a more appropriate alternative to meet the same need.

Dr. Nuse

To illustrate this, think about a scenario where a student frequently escapes lengthy assignments by engaging in disruptive behavior. That would fall under a Direct Escape function. Instead of punishing the disruption, we might use shaping and a Premack contingency by gradually increasing task duration while rewarding the student with a preferred break afterward. This kind of structured approach promotes not only the replacement behavior—asking for breaks—but also the general tolerance of doing work for longer periods.

Dr. Nuse

Now, consistency in applying these interventions is critical, but so is planning for generalization. This means tailoring the intervention so that appropriate behaviors don’t just show up during sessions with the practitioner—they become viable across various contexts, whether at home, in school, or within the community. Generalization strategies might include practicing the replacement behavior in different settings or under slightly altered conditions to ensure the individual builds fluency and confidence in applying the skill anywhere.

Dr. Nuse

Let’s consider a particularly compelling case study from Cipani’s framework. A parent referred their child for hitting during shared TV time, which the child used to stop others from talking. The initial intervention proposed was having the child place their hands in their pockets when annoyed. On the surface, it sounds practical, but this approach failed entirely. Why? Because the intervention didn’t address the behavior’s function—escaping loud conversations. Instead, a functional intervention would aim to teach the child to request quiet or perhaps move to a quieter spot, directly meeting the same need in a more socially acceptable way.

Dr. Nuse

This case underscores why systematic diagnosis is so essential. Without a clear understanding of the behavior’s function and the environmental contingencies, even well-meaning interventions can fall short. It’s through this kind of meticulous planning, where we reconstruct behavioral contingencies, that we see meaningful and sustainable changes in behavior.

Dr. Nuse

And so, as we wrap up today, remember this: effective behavioral interventions aren’t about quick fixes or one-size-fits-all solutions. It’s about understanding the nuances—why the behavior happens, how it reinforces itself, and what we can do to re-engineer the environment for growth. With Cipani’s framework as our guide, we can tackle even the most complex cases. On that note, I'll see you next time. Thanks for listening!