A functional behavioral assessment ensures that the student's behavioral intervention plan is designed to meet that child's unique needs. In fact, research also has shown that when PBS strategies are implemented schoolwide, children with and without disabilities benefit. They learn more about their own behaviors, learn to work together, and support each other as a community of learners. Challenging behaviors included self-injury, aggression, property destruction, and tantrums. Research in PBS is growing, particularly in our knowledge of how to use the results of assessments and how to correct environmental deficiencies.
Success rates are higher when intervention is based on functional assessment.
According to Ann Turnbull, researcher at the University of Kansas who assisted Carr on the synthesis, the study showed a need for research on outcome measures beyond the reduction of challenging behaviors. The importance of studying the effects of behavior change was confirmed in a series of focus groups with families and consumers that Turnbull led as part of an OSEP-funded project. Services and programs should be responsive to the preferences, strengths, and needs of individuals with challenging behavior. If something in the individual's environment influences the challenging behavior, it is important to organize the environment for success. For example, clearly defined work spaces and quiet work areas may assist a child who is noise-sensitive.