John Umbreit

Functional Assessment and Intervention in a Regular Classroom Setting for the Disruptive Behavior of a Student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Corey, an 8-year-old boy with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), attended regular third-grade classes at his local elementary school. During various academic instruction, Corey frequently displayed disruptive behaviors that rarely occurred during the rest of the school day. Assessment and intervention involved a three-phase study. The first phase, a brief functional (analog) analysis, identified that Coreys disruptive behaviors were maintained by escape from task demands. The second phase, a curriculum-based assessment, identified that Coreys disruptive behavior occurred most frequently during specific seating and grouping arrangements. The third phase examined the effectiveness of an intervention derived from the assessments. Results showed an immediate reduction in disruptive behavior and an increase in appropriate behavior that lasted throughout the data collection period. The intervention received very high treatment acceptability ratings from the teaching staff.

Functional Assessment Research on Students with or at Risk for EBD 1990 to the Present

The present article reports information resulting from a review of 19 articles reporting studies conducted in the 1990s with a total of 62 participants who were identified as having, or being at risk for, emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Studies were included in this review only if (a) a functional assessment was conducted, (b) the participants were identified as having, or being at risk for, EBD, and (c) the study was published after 1989. Findings indicate that functional assessment research is being conducted with young children in special and general education settings with the use of single-case design methodologies. A review is made of the nine articles that reported findings from functional assessment-based intervention studies. The review suggests that antecedent-based interventions, primarily curricular modifications, are most often examined. Results indicate that present research methodology includes important components essential to making valid conclusions from outcomes, and in generalizing findings. Directions for future research are discussed.

Using Functional Assessment and Children's Preferences to Improve the Behavior of Young Children with Behavioral Disorders

Functional assessments conducted individually with four young children (ages 60–63 months) with behavioral disorders indicated that their behavior improved substantially when they engaged in preferred activities. An intervention in which these activities were imbedded within their existing curricula produced dramatic reductions in their problem behaviors. Probes conducted in nontargeted activities showed good generality with these children and with two nontargeted peers. Substantial increases in positive teacher interaction also occurred when the intervention was implemented. Treatment acceptability data indicated that the teachers strongly preferred the intervention over the instructional and behavior management procedures they had used previously. Finally, procedural reliability data indicated that the teachers could implement the intervention procedures properly even with limited training and support.

Using Active Responding to Reduce Disruptive Behavior in a General Education Classroom

Abstract: Active responding (in the form of response cards) was employed during a math lecture in a third-grade classroom to evaluate its effect on disruptive behavior. Two conditions, conventional lecture with hand raising and response cards, were alternated in a reversal (ABA) design. During baseline, the teacher used a conventional lecture with hand raising method, which consisted primarily of lecturing and then asking one child who had raised his or her hand to answer a question. During the active responding (response card) condition, all the students had to respond to the teachers question by writing an answer on individual cards. Disruptive behavior decreased dramatically when the response cards were used and increased again when the conventional hand raising method was reinstated.

Improving classroom behavior by modifying task difficulty: Effects of increasing the difficulty of too-easy tasks

This study examined the effects of increasing task difficulty when inadequately challenging tasks are assigned. Jason, a 10-year-old, typically developing Caucasian boy, attended a fourth-grade general education classroom at a public elementary school. During independent academic assignments in math and reading, Jason often talked with other students, kicked his seat or the one in front of him, or wandered around the classroom. His teacher considered these behaviors to be very disruptive. The study was conducted in two phases. In Phase 1, a functional behavioral assessment identified that Jasons problem behaviors (a) occurred when he had completed his assignment and (b) resulted in his gaining access to preferred activities. In Phase 2, a function-based intervention (providing more challenging academic assignments) resulted in improvements in Jasons behavior. Both Jason and his teacher gave the intervention very positive acceptability ratings.

Using Structural Analysis To Facilitate Treatment of Aggression and Noncompliance in a Young Child At-Risk for Behavioral Disorders.

This study examined the use of structural analysis as part of assessment-based intervention. The participant, JB, was a 4-year-old boy whose noncompliance and aggressive behavior put him at risk for behavioral disorders and expulsion from his childcare center. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 involved an assessment that included structured interviews and observations, hypothesis development, and hypothesis testing within the context of typically occurring routines and activities in the childcare. Phase 2 consisted of an assessment-based intervention that was implemented by the childcare staff. The intervention immediately reduced JBs noncompliance and aggressive behavior. These gains were maintained throughout the study and received high acceptability ratings from the staff who carried out the treatment. Implications are presented regarding the efficacy of interventions based on data gained through structural analyses of problem behavior to prevent the development of behavioral disorders.

Functional analysis of disruptive behavior in an inclusive classroom

Nate, a 5-year-old boy with mild mental retardation (I.Q. = 60), frequently displayed disruptive behavior at school. Assessment and intervention involved a brief functional (analog) analysis, a curriculum-based assessment, and an intervention implemented by teaching staff in the classroom. The intervention virtually eliminated all disruptive behavior and resulted in appropriate behavior nearly all of the time. Furthermore, the effect occurred almost immediately and lasted for at least several months. Treatment acceptability ratings completed by the teaching staff indicated that the assessment-based intervention had very high acceptability, whereas the interventions they had previously used (brief redirection and ignoring) had very low acceptability.

The Effects of Family-Centered Service Coordination: A Social Validity Study.

This study examined if a familys level of satisfaction improves when the service coordination they receive adheres to a family-centered model. The participants included three service coordinators and nine families participating in Part H of IDEA. For 1 year, families reported what services they had received and their level of satisfaction with the services. A multiple-baseline design across subjects was used and an individual assistance condition was added when, following training, none of the service coordinators adequately implemented the model. Results indicate a high degree of family satisfaction and a low degree of dissatisfaction when the model was adequately implemented. In contrast, when the model was not adequately implemented, families reported very little satisfaction and a high degree of dissatisfaction.

Promoting Inclusion and Peer Participation Through Assessment-Based Intervention

In the current investigation, the processes of functional assessment and functionbased intervention were used to resolve the severe challenging behaviors of a boy with autism and mental retardation in an inclusive kindergarten in South Korea. A multicomponent intervention was developed in collaboration with classroom personnel and was implemented entirely by the teacher and an aide in the context of a multiple-baseline-across-activities experimental design. Results were empirical validation of hypotheses derived from the functional assessment, as well as lower levels of challenging behaviors and increased rates of appropriate behaviors associated with the intervention. Positive interactions with a designated classroom peer and with the teacher also increased. The findings are discussed as contributions to the growing literature on functional assessment and function-based supports and the importance of promoting successful inclusive experiences for young children with disabilities.

Addressing the Challenging Behavior of Young Children through Systematic Function-Based Intervention.

A decision model was used to systematically construct function-based interventions for the disruptive behaviors of three young children (ages 3.75—4.75 years) receiving special education services in inclusive preschool settings. The study was conducted in three phases. In Part 1, descriptive functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) were conducted. Each FBA included structured interviews and direct observations that were used to identify the functions of target behaviors. In Part 2, function-based interventions were constructed for each participant . In Part 3, these interventions were implemented within ongoing activities in their preschool classrooms. The study covered nearly 9 weeks. Baseline and intervention were conducted for 17 sessions (nearly 6 weeks). Follow-up data were collected weekly for an additional 3 weeks. The interventions, when implemented correctly, produced dramatic improvements in the students’ behavior. Implications for future research are discussed.