What assessment helps determine the cause or function of problem behaviors?

What assessment helps determine the cause or function of problem behaviors?

• A. Norm-Referenced Test
• B. Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
• C. Curriculum-Based Measurement
• D. Diagnostic Interview

Answer: (B)

Understanding why a behavior happens is essential for choosing effective supports. A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is the tool designed to determine the cause or function of problem behaviors. It gathers information about what happens before a behavior (the trigger or setting events), the behavior itself, and what happens after (the consequences). Through data collection, direct observation, and interviews, an FBA helps build a hypothesis about the function the behavior serves for the student—such as obtaining attention, escaping a demand, or fulfilling a sensory need. That understanding then informs a behavior intervention plan with strategies that address the function, teaching the student a more appropriate way to get the same outcome and reducing the problem behavior. Norm-referenced tests compare a student’s abilities to peers and aren’t designed to uncover why a behavior occurs. Curriculum-Based Measurement tracks progress in academic skills, not the causes or functions of behavior. A diagnostic interview gathers information for diagnosing conditions, not specifically to identify the function of a particular behavior.

Understanding why a behavior happens is essential for choosing effective supports. A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is the tool designed to determine the cause or function of problem behaviors. It gathers information about what happens before a behavior (the trigger or setting events), the behavior itself, and what happens after (the consequences). Through data collection, direct observation, and interviews, an FBA helps build a hypothesis about the function the behavior serves for the student—such as obtaining attention, escaping a demand, or fulfilling a sensory need. That understanding then informs a behavior intervention plan with strategies that address the function, teaching the student a more appropriate way to get the same outcome and reducing the problem behavior.

Norm-referenced tests compare a student’s abilities to peers and aren’t designed to uncover why a behavior occurs. Curriculum-Based Measurement tracks progress in academic skills, not the causes or functions of behavior. A diagnostic interview gathers information for diagnosing conditions, not specifically to identify the function of a particular behavior.