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Functional Behavioral Assessment of Nonverbal Behavior

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Abstract

In this chapter the authors describe how functional behavioral assessment (FBA) procedures can be used to identify the function of various behaviors and the relation between FBAs and related interventions that have successfully reduced inappropriate behaviors. Using the principles of FBA it is possible to identify natural environmental contingencies that maintain the behavior of individuals who lack the verbal skills to communicate information about the function of their behavior (e.g., nonverbal students). These data can then be used to develop interventions based on within-subject data. Although FBA procedures are based on sound theory, the development and evaluation of such procedures is in its infancy and future research is needed to improve the quality of these procedures so that educators can efficiently determine the function of target behaviors. Additionally, combining FBA and treatment effectiveness research may allow researchers to develop function-by-treatment models of linking assessment to intervention, thereby allowing educational professionals to develop more effective prevention and remediation procedures across subjects, based on the assessed function of target behaviors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology & Counseling, University of Tennessee, 520 BEC, 1126 Volunteer Blvd, Knoxville, TN, 37996-3452, USA

    Merilee McCurdy & Christopher H. Skinner

  2. University of British Columbia, 2125 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada

    Ruth A. Ervin

Authors
  1. Merilee McCurdy
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  2. Christopher H. Skinner
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  3. Ruth A. Ervin
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Correspondence to Merilee McCurdy .

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  1. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

    R. Steve McCallum

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McCurdy, M., Skinner, C.H., Ervin, R.A. (2017). Functional Behavioral Assessment of Nonverbal Behavior. In: McCallum, R. (eds) Handbook of Nonverbal Assessment. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50604-3_16

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