Functional Behaviour Assessments (FBAs) rarely look as neat in real life as they do in textbooks or university examples. In the real world, practitioners are often juggling incomplete information, busy families, staff turnover, limited time, and environments that are constantly changing. But despite all of that, FBAs are still one of the most useful tools we have for understanding why behaviours are happening and how we can better support the person.

Build Rapport First

One of the biggest lessons for any allied health professional is that rapport is just as important as the assessment itself.

Families, participants, teachers, and support workers are far more likely to share meaningful information when they feel listened to rather than judged. By the time behaviour support becomes involved, many people are already overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, or feeling criticised by previous experiences.

Rather than trying to complete lengthy interviews in one sitting:

  • Take time to build trust first.
  • Spread interviews across multiple sessions and people if needed.
  • Focus on understanding the person, not just their behaviours.

Often, the richest information comes from genuine conversations rather than rushing through assessment questions.

Look Beyond the Individual

When conducting an FBA, it is easy to focus solely on the behaviour itself. However, some of the biggest influences are often found in the environment. Before jumping to complex explanations, practise parsimony by considering whether simple environmental factors may be contributing, such as:

  • Illness, pain, or discomfort
  • Menstrual cycle
  • Fatigue
  • Noise or sensory overload
  • Unclear routines or expectations
  • Communication barriers
  • Difficult transitions
  • Limited choice or control
  • Inconsistent responses from adults

Sometimes relatively small environmental adjustments can dramatically improve both behaviour and quality of life.

Look for Patterns Over Time

Stakeholder interviews are incredibly valuable, but they become even more powerful when combined with historical information. Whenever possible, request the previous 3–6 months of:

  • Incident reports
  • Behaviour data
  • Shift notes
  • School communication books
  • ABC data or behaviour logs

Looking across several months often reveals patterns that individual incidents cannot.

You may notice behaviours occurring more frequently:

  • During particular times of day
  • Around staffing changes
  • During transitions
  • In busy environments
  • Following certain interactions

Combining interviews, historical records, and direct observation usually provides a much clearer understanding of what is happening.

Define Behaviour Clearly

One of the simplest ways to improve an FBA is to use clear operational definitions. Avoid vague labels like:

  • Aggressive
  • Defiant
  • Manipulative
  • Controlling

Instead, describe exactly what the behaviour looks like.

Clear definitions can:

  • Improve consistency between observers.
  • Increase the reliability of data collection.
  • Reduce emotionally loaded language.
  • Help everyone talk about the same behaviour.

They also help avoid circular reasoning. For example: “He is aggressive because he has anger management issues.” This doesn’t explain why the behaviour is occurring or what should change. Instead, identify the environmental variables and consequences influencing the behaviour so intervention can target those factors.

Stay Curious About Behavioural Function

Real life is messy, and behaviour rarely fits neatly into one category. The same behaviour may serve different functions in different settings. Think: “What is this person trying to tell us?”

For example:

  • Aggression may help someone escape difficult tasks at school.
  • The very same behaviour may gain attention at home.
  • In another setting, it may provide access to preferred activities or items.

Rather than rushing to assign one function early, stay curious and allow the assessment process to guide your hypotheses.

At the end of the day, the goal of an FBA is not just to explain behaviour. It’s to improve the person’s day-to-day life. A good assessment should lead to practical strategies that make life safer, calmer, more predictable, and more enjoyable for both the person and the people supporting them. Often, the best FBAs are not the most complicated ones – they are the ones that genuinely reflect the realities and challenges of the person’s everyday environments and help guide the development of a practical, constructional behaviour support plan focused on building skills, increasing opportunities, and improving quality of life.

– By Fiona Goh, Acting Director of Clinical Services (QLD)