Functional assessment identifies the variables that predict and maintain problem behavior, and is used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of behavioral support plans. This information can be especially important when trying to support a person whose behavior has become so intense that it has resulted in health or safety concerns. The functional assessment process assists in building behavioral support plans that are technically sound in their application of behavioral principles.
Indirect assessment includes interviews, written records, checklists, and questionnaires.
Interviews with key people who are familiar with an individual's problem behavior can help to narrow the range of variables influencing the behavior. A review of records can provide information on past history, while quality of life measures may indicate other aspects of the individual's life that can be addressed as part of a behavior support plan. Finally, checklists and rating scales are available that provide insight into the function of the individual's problem behavior or the factors that may predict it. Direct methods of assessment involve observing the individual to identify when problem behavior occurs, what happens right before problem behavior, what problem behavior looks like, and how people respond to the occurrence of problem behavior. Direct measurement methods document the frequency, duration, latency, and intensity of problem behavior.