Functional Assessments (FBAs, FAAs)
Autism Functional Behavior Assessment for Educators
The autism behavior therapists at Trumpet Behavioral Health use functional assessment methods to help educators find a reason or function for the student’s challenging behavior. There are several common reasons such an individual will use certain behaviors:
- To escape or avoid something
- Gain attention
- Gain access to preferred activities or items
- Alter sensory stimulation, automatic reinforcement
The goal of the functional assessment is to:
- Identify and define challenging behaviors
- Identify the times, events, and situations that predict when a behavior will and will not occur
- Determine what results occur and how these results may be maintaining the problem behavior
- Identify appropriate alternative and adaptive behaviors
- Establish a hypothesis that will be used to create goals and develop a positive behavior plan
Trumpet Behavioral Health’s Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) use assessments that have been empirically-validated for use in the development of behavior plans and programming. The consultant will first complete a descriptive assessment, which typically forms the basis for a hypothesis, then determine goals and write a positive behavior plan (PBSP, PBIP). The consultant may also conduct a functional analysis.
Descriptive Assessment
A descriptive assessment allows the consultant to establish a hypothesis, determine goals, and write a positive behavior plan. Both direct and indirect methods of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for autism treatment are included in the descriptive assessment.
Direct methods include:
- Direct observation
- Narrative recording
- Pattern analysis (scatter plot recording)
- Sequence analysis (ABC recording)
- Conditional probability analysis
Indirect methods include:
- Records review
- Questionnaires
- Functional behavioral interviews
Functional Analysis
A functional analysis is conducted by systematically manipulating environmental variables in order to determine the cause of the problem behavior.

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