Positive Approaches to Challenging Behavior

The functional behavioral assessment or FBA involves gathering information to identify and confirm the function maintaining challenging behavior. The FBA involves three different processes to gather data:

• Indirect assessment methods
• Direct observation
• Functional analysis

Indirect assessment methods can include interviews and surveys of the person and others who know that person well. Other examples of indirect assessments include academic, work, or psychological reports and record reviews. Examples of indirect assessment methods include:

• Interviews with the person and others who know them well and/or work with them or interact with them in the setting of concern
• Record reviews including psychology records, incident reports, academic or work records, and other written documents
• Surveys, checklists, and questionnaires completed by people who know the child or adult well that asks questions related to the behavior

You can find examples of surveys, interview tools, and record review templates in the Positive Behavior Support Notebook