Glossary

Acceptable alternative to the problem behavior:

a more appropriate behavior that serves the same purpose (function) as the problem behavior. This behavior is taught to the student before the student learns the desired behavior.

Antecedent:

something in the environment that happens immediately before the behavior. A trigger for the behavior.

Aversive:

an event that increases behavior through negative reinforcement or decreases it using punishment. More generally, an aversive is an “unwanted” event that has an effect on behavior.

Behavior intervention plan:

a plan that addresses each component of the problem behavior.

Behavior of focus:

the behavior that has been selected for change.

Behavior support plan:

a plan that addresses each component of the problem behavior.

Competing behavior pathway:

this flowchart provides links between the FBA and the behavior intervention plan. It contains the problem behavior, the antecedent, the consequence, and the setting events. It also identifies replacement behaviors and desired behaviors for the student.

Central pathway:

part of the competing behavior pathway that describes the current problem in context.

Consequence:

something that happens immediately after the behavior. Can be positive or negative.

Desired alternative:

the ideal behavior, taking into consideration the specific event for the behavior and the antecedent. The desired alternative is the goaI behavior.

Environmental events:

including teacher and peer actions, can shape and maintain behavior.

Extinction:

the reinforcement that was maintaining the behavior is withheld.

Function (the function of a behavior):

the purpose, or reason, why the behavior occurs. There are two main functions: to obtain something, or to avoid or escape something.

Functional behavior assessment (FBA):

gathers systematic information, or data, about the setting events of the problem behavior, the antecedents that trigger the behavior, and the consequences that maintain and continue the behavior.

Functional equivalence:

an alternative or replacement behavior that serves a similar function as the problem behavior.

Hypothesis statement:

includes the problem behavior, antecedent, consequence, and setting events. It should also include the function of the behavior, obtained from an FBA.

Intervention:

a behavioral strategy that is implemented to help decrease the problem behavior and increase the desired or replacement behavior.

Operational definition:

a description of a behavior that is measurable, clear, and complete.

Reinforcer:

something that occurs after a behavior, and increases the likelihood that a behavior will happen again.

Reinforcer value:

a setting event impacts the value, or motivation, for the consequence.

Replacement behavior:

an acceptable alternative for the problem behavior. It must have the same function as the problem behavior.

Setting event:

the event that makes the problem behavior more likely to occur.

Summary statement (also known as the hypothesis statement, hypothesis of function, and hypothesis of behavior):

provides a summary of the reasons why a student engages in a problem behavior.

Tangible:

an item or activity that is perceived through touch.

Target behavior:

the behavior that has been selected for change.

Tertiary supports:

intensive, individualized student behavior supports. Students who do not respond to Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports may require the most intense level of assessment and intervention.

Tertiary team:

positive behavior support team that consists of multidisciplinary members who provide assistance to the teachers of students struggling with chronic behavior problems.

Three term contingency:

also referred to as the “ABCs of behavior” (antecedent, behavior, consequence). A relation between a behavior (B), the events that reliably predict the behavior (A), and the events that consistently follow the behavior (C). Analysis of three-term contingencies can help determine the reason, or function, of a behavior.

Tier 1 support:

universal supports that are designed for all students, delivered by all staff.

Tier 2 support:

targeted supports provided to students who do not respond to Tier 1 supports. These interventions have similar implementation across students, are accessed quickly, and are continuously available to students.

Tier 3 support:

intensive, individualized interventions for students who are exhibiting severe or persistent behavioral challenges, and who have not responded to prior supports at the Tier 1 or 2 levels.

Trigger:

something in the classroom environment that happens before the behavior. Sometimes an antecedent is also called the “trigger” for the behavior.