Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Managing Challenging Behaviour Chapter Four
For a questionnaire that will assist in
determining the possible functions of
behaviours, see Durand V.M., and
Crimmins, D.B.(1988) The Motivation
Assessment Scale.
See Functional Behaviour Assessment
in Appendix G
The process of collecting the information for a functional behavioural
analysis involves:
• identifying antecedents (what happened just before the
behaviour, where the behaviour occurred, and with whom the
behaviour occurred)
• describing the behaviour
• identifying consequences (what happened after, and as a result
of, the behaviour)
When describing the student’s behaviour:
• include the frequency, intensity, and duration of the behaviour
(for example, when describing a tantrum, include how many
times a day a student has tantrums and how long the tantrums
last)
• be specific ( for example, screaming can vary in intensity and
duration, and may or may not be a behaviour to target if the
intensity is mild)
• clearly identify the situation where the behaviour does and
does not occur (for example, a behaviour may only occur in
the school cafeteria or on the bus)
• use clear and objective language
Analyze the information to identify patterns, possible reinforcers,
and anything that may be triggering the behaviour. Ensure that the
assessment includes an analysis of the relationship between the problem
behaviour and the environmental conditions in which the behaviour
occurs.
Many useful formats and forms have been developed for use when
conducting a functional assessment. See Appendix G for examples
of behaviour observation and data collection charts for determining
the functions of behaviour.
Identifying an Alternative Behaviour
A functional behaviour assessment provides a foundation for
developing a behaviour plan. The success of the behaviour plan
depends more on instructional and proactive strategies than on reactive
strategies.
Once the purpose of a behaviour has been determined or
hypothesized, it is possible to identify an alternative, more appropriate
behaviour that can serve the same function. For example, if a student
pushes materials on the floor to avoid a task that is too difficult, the
Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders 57