Classroom application of a trial-based functional analysis

Abstract

We evaluated a trial-based approach to conducting functional analyses in classroom settings. Ten students referred for problem behavior were exposed to a series of assessment trials, which were interspersed among classroom activities throughout the day. Results of these trial-based functional analyses were compared to those of more traditional functional analyses. Outcomes of both assessments showed correspondence in 6 of the 10 cases and partial correspondence in a 7th case. Results of the standard functional analysis suggested reasons for obtained differences in 2 cases of noncorrespondence, which were verified when portions of the trial-based functional analyses were modified and repeated. These results indicate that a trial-based functional analysis may be a viable assessment method when resources needed to conduct a standard functional analysis are unavailable. Implications for classroom-based assessment methodologies and future directions for research are discussed.

Keywords: classroom; functional analysis; trial-based assessment.

Figure 1

Results of trial-based (left) and standard (right) functional analyses for subjects whose assessment results showed correspondence.

Figure 2

Results of trial-based and standard functional analyses for subjects whose assessment results showed partial correspondence, a lack of correspondence, or an initial lack of correspondence followed by a modified trial-based analysis that showed correspondence. The top two panels show the trial-based and standard functional analyses on the right and left, respectively. The bottom two panels show results for those subjects for whom a second trial-based analysis was conducted (the left panel shows the results of the first trial-based analysis, the center panel shows the results of the standard analysis, and the right panel shows the results of the modified trial-based analysis).