The Effects of Conducting a Functional Analysis on Problem Behavior in Other Settings: A Descriptive Study on Potential Interaction Effects.
Running an FA can unpredictably raise or lower problem behavior in other settings—monitor baseline data outside the FA room.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Bao et al. (2017) watched six clients while they ran a standard functional analysis.
The team tracked each client’s problem behavior in the FA room and also in places like the classroom, lunch table, and playground.
They wanted to know if simply doing the FA made behavior better or worse outside the test setting.
What they found
Behavior away from the FA room went up for some kids, down for others, and stayed flat for the rest.
No pattern showed up; the side effects were one-of-a-kind.
Because you cannot guess the direction, you must watch baseline data outside the FA space.
How this fits with other research
Storch et al. (2012) asked the same question five years earlier and saw the same mixed bag, so the finding is holding up.
Lang et al. (2008) showed that FA results themselves can flip between clinic and classroom; the 2017 paper adds that even the act of testing can nudge behavior elsewhere.
O'Reilly et al. (1999) proved that what happens right before an FA can skew the numbers; Bao et al. (2017) widen the lens to show the whole day can wobble.
Why it matters
Before you start an FA, pick one or two real-life routines and take quick baseline data. Keep watching those spots during the FA week. If behavior spikes outside the test room, you will spot it early and can adjust sessions or add support. If it drops, you have evidence the FA is not harming the client. Either way, you avoid surprises and keep caregivers confident in the assessment plan.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Pick one classroom or home routine, take five-minute probe data for three days, then keep the probe running while you conduct the FA.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
It has been suggested that reinforcing problem behavior during functional analyses (FAs) may raise ethical questions, such as resulting in an increase in problem behavior outside of FA sessions. The current translational study assessed whether conducting an FA resulted in increases in problem behavior outside of the FA setting for six participants using a nonconcurrent multiple baseline across participants design. The rate of problem behavior was measured outside the FA setting prior to and during an FA. Idiosyncratic results suggest that problem behavior outside of the FA setting may increase, decrease, or be unaffected by conducting an FA.
Behavior modification, 2017 · doi:10.1177/0145445517696052