Functional Assessment

The independent variable could be responsible for the maintenance of behavior targeted
for reduction. The independent variable, in this case, would be putative reinforcers that would
help decrease the challenging behavior as the target behavior is reinforced and maintained. The
independent variable depends on the dependent variable and other confounding variables and
how well they interact to reduce the problem behavior and maintain the newly learned target
behavior (Hanley, 2012). According to Iwata et al. (1994), functional assessment is conducted to
help reduce challenging behavior and maintain a target behavior. I would design test and control
conditions so that putative reinforcers are introduced and encourage and strengthen the target
behavior.
For example, when dealing with a child that shouts in the classroom. Every time they
shout, the teacher demands that she keeps quiet and maintains eye contact. Eye contact and the
demand for silence are putative reinforcers. If the challenging behavior, in this case shouting in
class, reduces as the teacher continues to instruct and maintain eye contact, then the putative
reinforcers would have successfully reduced the challenging behavior and consequently help
maintain the target behavior, which in this case is being silent during instruction. The teacher’s
proximity to the student and oral caution are the antecedents. The behavior is shouting in class.
The teacher praises the student for maintaining silence for longer periods and listening to their
warning, and the consequence is that the student is silent and shouts lesser times.
One of the challenges that I may encounter in conducting this functional analysis is that
the selected putative reinforcers may fail to maintain the target behavior. The child only refrains
from shouting when the teacher asks them to be quiet and maintains eye contact. However, the
teacher cannot spend the entire instructional prod looking at one student as others need to study.

As such, I would also include other positive reinforcers such as praises. Every time the student
remains quiet for more than five minutes, the teacher praises him for the cooperation. Also, every
time a lesson is over and the student does not shout; then the teacher offers a reward. That way,
the target behavior will be reinforced. Additional reinforcement will help in reducing the
challenging behavior and strengthening the target behavior.

References

Hanley, G. P. (2012). Functional assessment of problem behavior: Dispelling myths, overcoming
implementation obstacles, and developing new lore. Behavior Analysis in Practice,
5, 54–72.
Iwata, B. A., Dorsey, M. F., Slifer, K. J., Bauman, K. E., & Richman, G. S. (1994). Toward a
functional analysis of self-injury. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27, 197–209.
(Reprinted from Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 1982, 2, 3–20).