Strategies for Maintaining Positive Behavior Change Stemming from Functional Behavioral Assessment in Schools

Nationwide, schools are struggling to prepare IEP teams and other school personnel to conduct functional behavioral assessment and develop positive behavioral intervention plans and supports. While there is a growing evidence that functional behavioral assessment is effective in identifying the reason(s) behind student misbehavior, less is known about producing positive, long-term changes that are both functionally and socially relevant. Drawing upon the available research, we explore an emerging technology for promoting maintenance and generalization of behavior change. We discuss various strategies and procedures and offer recommendations to IEP teams regarding maintaining positive changes in student behavior that stem from functional behavioral assessment in schools. Reprinted by permission of the publisher

Toward a More Functional Analysis of Aggression

Given the substantial and oftentimes irreversible human loss resulting from aggressive acts, the need for systematic, treatment-linked assessment of aggression in school-aged children and youth cannot be overstated. Based upon recent research, the authors provide a broadly framed model for the functional analysis of aggression in school-age children and youth. Our model incorporates multi-modal data collection and data triangulation to generate credible hypotheses regarding the function(s) of aggression. Three primary data sources—record review and interviews, naturalistic observation, and analogue assessment—form the cornerstone of the model. Key features of our approach to the assessment of aggression include operational definition(s) of target behavior(s), examination of the environmental context(s) of aggression, and discovery of the function(s) of aggressive behaviors for the individual. Samples of several specific, ready-to-use data collection instruments and a basic description of the assessment procedure are presented. The assessment process assumes that a team of individuals participates in data collection, data analysis, and hypothesis generation

Cross-informant Agreement on Bullying and Victimization of Middle School Students with and without Behavioral Disorders

Cross-rater agreement on bullying, victimization, and related behaviors of middle school students with and without behavioral disorders (BD) was investigated. Students with BD (n = 11), their peers (n = 90), and general education teachers (n = 10) completed the Peer Relationship Survey (PRS), a non-anonymous measurement scale. The results of self-, peer-, and teacher-ratings each indicate that students with BD were seldom, if ever, identified as bullies (0%, 9%, and 0%, respectively) and that they are more often identified as victims (64%, 55%, and 55%, respectively) and bully/victims (23%, 12%, and 19%, respectively) than their peers. The level of agreement between self-, peer-, and teacher-ratings of bullying and related behaviors was generally significant for peers (students without BD). However, agreement between self-ratings and ratings of other informants for the behaviors of students with BD was limited or nonexistent. Use of stand-alone self-ratings may not be adequate for developing effective bullying prevention and intervention approaches. The high level of self-reports of bullying involvement by students with and without BD has implications for classroom curriculum and school policy

Can Everyone Make the Grade? Some Thoughts on Student Grading and Contemporary Classrooms

High school officials should consider alternative perspectives on grading in light of increasing student heterogeneity. Their challenge is to consider grading policies and practices that apply equally to students with and without diverse needs or disabilities. Schools should think about incorporating various combinations of percent, criterion-referenced, and norm-referenced grading into a more flexible policy on grading; ensure that student expectations are unambiguously described in writing and in sufficient detail; and subject their policies on grading to periodic review and be prepared to make any necessary modifications. Moreover, schools should collaborate with various stakeholders to develop policies on grading that guarantee objectivity and accountability for a diverse student population. Grading options that accurately and fairly reflect individual student performance are proposed

Maintaining the Integrity of FBA-Based Interventions in Schools

The best interventions and best laid plans are brought into jeopardy when they are implemented inappropriately or of insufficient duration. Six factors that affect fidelity of treatment in relationship to functional behavioral assessment (FBA) are discussed: a) understanding the function of and the contextual valuables that support target behavior, b) adult knowledge of effective interventions, c) adult acceptance of the intervention, d) selection of suitable replacement behavior, e) selection of the standard to judge behavior change, and f) utilization of procedures to enhance integrity of implementation. Examples and suggestions for improving treatment fidelity in schools are offered

Behavioral Problems in Schools: Ways to Encourage Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) of Discipline-Evoking Behavior of Students with Emotional and/or Behavioral Disorders (EBD)

Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) of aggressive and negative behaviors that lead to suspension and expulsion is mandated for students with disabilities in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997. This legal requirement is problematic for many school districts as well as teacher preparation programs in that numerous barriers to effective application of FBA exist within our educational institutions. The present article discusses some of the major challenges school districts personnel face in implementing FBAs. A school improvement initiative, Success4, is presented to illustrate an approach that the state of Iowa is taking to overcome these challenges. Finally, we present arguments for fundamental changes in educational policies and practices in order to enhance school district effectiveness and accountability in conducting functional behavioral assessments. Reprinted by permission of the publisher

A Secondary Student Instructional Support Team (ASSIST): Teachers Face the Challenge of Student Diversity

The writers discuss the challenges related to instructing a diverse secondary-level student population. Many elementary and middle school teachers are benefiting from working collaboratively toward common instructional goals. Through collaboration, general and special education teachers can better address the content area needs of the individual students, foster a greater sense of shared responsibility for educating a heterogeneous population of students, increase communication across professional disciplines, enlarge the knowledge base and teaching repertoire of participants, and establish rewarding and long-lasting professional relationships. The concept of A Secondary Student Instructional Support Team (ASSIST) provides a realistic means for implementing the “class within a class” model that can better serve a heterogeneous student population. ASSIST is generally made up of teachers of various subject areas as well as one or more specialists. Placement of special needs students happens within and across team-taught classes. This is consistent with block scheduling options and facilitates the establishment of a positive attachment to team-mediated instruction. In addition, ASSIST can give students a mix of direct and indirect instructional support

Integrating Academic and Non-Academic Instruction for Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders

Students with emotional/behavioral disorders exhibit a wide range of academic and behavioral problems. Not surprisingly, there is growing support for integrating instruction to address overlapping students\u27 needs in both areas. In this article, we discuss instructional variables that contribute to a positive classroom climate and that serve as setting events for more focused group-individual instructional programs. We draw on the accumulated research to identify common non-academic challenges that should be incorporated into those programs. We examine issues that relate to the efficacy of instruction and also the cultural and chronological age differences among students and how they relate to planning for instruction. Finally, we offer several forms that illustrate ways to combine academics and non-academics into a manageable instructional plan

Early Intervention with Children at Risk of Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: A Critical Examination of Research Methodology and Practices

Children\u27s behavior problems pose challenges to families, schools, and society. The research literature argues that early detection/intervention is the most powerful course of action in ameliorating these problems in children at risk of emotional/behavioral disorders. However, specifying precisely what constitutes a quality program of early intervention is not a simple task. Current conceptualizations suggest that successful early intervention cannot be unidimensional in nature, but must consist of a complex series of interactions and transactions that synergistically serve to nurture and enhance both the development of the child and family. In this paper, we reviewed the accumulated research to learn more about the critical elements of early intervention. Specifically, we examined three major areas addressed in the literature. First, we describe literature search procedures and criteria for study inclusion, along with methods for analyzing these early intervention studies. Second, we examine the conduct of the intervention, including characteristics of study participants, types of interventions, types of measures, age of onset and length of intervention, treatment fidelity, and social validity measures. Finally, we draw upon that review to offer recommendations for future research

Effectiveness of an Essay Writing Strategy for Post-Secondary Students with Developmental Disabilities

Abstract: This study examined the effectiveness of the ANSWER Strateg