A functional assessment activity during which the antecedents and consequences in the client’s natural environment are arranged and systematically manipulated so that their individual effects on challenging behavior can be observed and measured.

5th Edition Task List

F-8  Conduct a functional analysis of problem behavior.

6th Edition TCO

F.6 Design and evaluate functional analyses.

Related Content

Trial-based FA

A variation of the functional analysis that uses a trial-based format to evaluate the occurrence and nonoccurrence of challenging behaviors given the presentation of an opportunity (trial) to emit the…

Tandem schedules of reinforcement

A compound schedule of reinforcement in which two or more un-signaled (No SD) basic schedules of reinforcement are in effect and must be met successively for the response to contact…

Synthesized FA

A variation of the functional analysis that uses an Interview Informed Synthesized Contingency Analysis (IISCA) to hypothesize the contingencies that may maintain challenging behavior and then testing those hypothesized contingencies.

Tangible condition

A test condition in a functional analysis that assesses for the socially mediated positive reinforcement (access to tangibles) function. In this condition, the assessor presents the client access to individualized…

Precursor FA

A variation of the functional analysis that analyzes the precursors to challenging behavior (i.e., responses that reliably occur close in time before the challenging behavior). Each trial is terminated as…

Natural settings FA

A variation of the functional analysis conducted in natural settings to explore the relevant stimuli present in natural settings that can impact challenging behavior.

Latency-based FA

A variation of the functional analysis that measures the time between the presence of an EO to the onset of the challenging behavior. Each trial is terminated as soon as…

FA alone condition (aka: No interaction)

A test condition in a functional analysis that assesses for the automatic reinforcement function. In this condition, the client is placed alone in a room, or if there is an…

FA contingent attention condition

A test condition in a functional analysis that assesses for a socially mediated positive reinforcement function. In this condition the client is initially deprived of attention and attention is delivered…

FA contingent escape condition

A test condition in a functional analysis that assesses for the socially mediated negative reinforcement (escape) function. In this condition, a non-preferred demand is presented and removed for a predetermined…

FA control condition

The non-test condition of a functional analysis, against which behavior in the test conditions is compared. In this condition, free time and leisure materials are freely available to the client…

Brief FA

A variation of the functional analysis conducted over a shorter period of time by decreasing the duration of each analyzed condition.

Let's Break Down a BCBA® Mock Exam Question: Play Along & Identify the Demand Condition in this FA Scenario

Test your behavior assessment skills. Let's break down a BCBA® mock exam question about functional analysis (FA) including its role in testing for the escape function of behavior. Refer to BCBA® Task List (5th ed.) Section F-8: Conduct a functional analysis of problem behavior.

Attention, Please... Master Your Understanding of This Original FA Condition

PTB co-founder Dana Meller breaks down the original condition of functional analysis (FA) and the initial withholding of attention. Refer to BCBA® Task List (5th ed.) Section F-8: Conduct a functional analysis of problem behavior.