Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA): Evolution, History, and Ethical Considerations

Unit 3 Assignment: Screening and Assessment
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Unit 3 Assignment: Screening and Assessment
History of Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
Functional behavior assessment’s (FBA) main goal is to collect data to identify environmental factors/variables that influence a target behavior or problem. Throughout history, the purpose of FBA remains to aid and prove the effectiveness of treatments or treatments for eliminating problematic behaviors. The history of this procedure can be attributed to the earliest days when professionals relied on processes of applied behavior analysis. At the time, specific behavior analysis procedures based on research informed the foundation of practice. Topography-based interventions informed analyzing behavior as the FBA progressed through historical times. Following this approach, a practitioner should choose solutions based on their effectiveness to learners who portray similar problem behaviors (Weston, 2020). However, a literature review is crucial to ensure the interventions are evidence-based. Research informs an educator regarding appropriate interventions for a given group of learners. On the other hand, case-based interventions form a part of the historical development of FBA. These treatments have worked for students facing similar challenges in the past. For example, when working with a student who portrays learning difficulties, an instructor can reflect on past solutions to the frustrations of such students in the past. The educator could apply interventions that worked as a part of FBA. Finally, individual/team preference-based interventions influenced the evolution of FBA to modern practice. Today, educators can choose an approach that fits their students' needs. Involving learners in selecting the most appropriate intervention may yield sustainable results because students choose a solution that is appealing to them. However, teachers should take the lead in the process. Their professional opinion and expertise should inform the judgment of selecting the preferred intervention for a group. The three classes of interventions are the ‘old school’ approaches to FBA. Today, FBA relies on analytical identification and collecting relevant information to emotional, social, or economic behavior (Cortino, 2020). The practice has evolved beyond the three classes of interventions into a complex process of collecting and utilizing data regarding human behaviors regarding emotional, social, and academic status. The historical emphasis on education alone no longer prevails in applying FBA. 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act and FBA
An FBA is resourceful for people portraying a disability ...