Functional Behavioral Assessment: Principles, Procedures, and Future Directions

Abstract

Through amendments to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), federal law mandated the use of functional behavioral assessments (FBA) and positive behavioral support plans to address challenging behaviors presented by students in school settings. Although these have long been considered “best practice” in the field of applied behavior analysis, their use by school psychologists has a much briefer history. To assist school psychologists in becoming better acquainted with FBA, we present in this article overviews of the conceptual foundations and underlying principles of FBA and the methods and procedures associated with conducting FBAs in school settings.