Question

Define functional assessment.

List the six questions you should ask when doing a functional assessment. Give an example of each question.

Answer 1

INTRODUCTION

The functional assessment is an approach to figure out why your child is behaving in a certain way or acting in a certain way, it uses various techniques to figure out the reasons behind the behaviour because once you know the reasons behind the behaviour you can give solutions to the inappropriate behaviour. whether you are aware or not your child acts in a certain way to get the desired goal accomplished
For example - Your child is a little weak in maths because he is not able to understand it hence in the maths class he crumbles the paper being angry and is disruptive hence he is taken to the principle. the behaviour is not appropriate but served its purpose, because he managed to avoid the work he is not interested in.  

List the six questions you should ask when doing a functional assessment.
There are certain questions that should be answered;-

1. Where is this behaviour happening?
2. Where is it not happening?
3. How often is the behaviour occurring?
4. Who is around when it occurs?
5. What tends to happen right before and right after the behaviour?
6. What is a more acceptable behaviour that can be used as a replacement?