Presentation

Quality Functional Assessment in Community Settings: Addressing Systemic Barriers and Clinical Decision-Making

Friday, March 13 | 10:40AM to 11:40AM | 60 MINUTES | LIVE

Despite widespread agreement that functional analysis (FA) represents the gold standard for assessing problem behavior, research indicates that many practicing BCBAs rely primarily on indirect and descriptive methods. Not only do such approaches have limited efficacy, but they are also often implemented inappropriately. This gap between evidence-based practice and real-world application is not simply a training problem; recent surveys demonstrate that organizational contingencies such as productivity models, resource limitations, and staffing constraints also create powerful barriers that prevent even well-trained behavior analysts from conducting rigorous functional assessments. This presentation takes a dual approach, providing both clinical guidance and system-level solutions to improve functional assessment practices in applied settings. First, attendees will learn how to determine when different assessment methods are most appropriate, including when to move beyond descriptive methods to experimental analysis. Second, common errors in descriptive FBA implementation will be identified, and variants of FA designed for feasibility in typical practice settings (e.g., brief FA, trial-based FA) will be reviewed. Finally, system-level strategies to promote better functional assessment practices will be discussed. For frontline BCBAs, this presentation provides actionable strategies for advocating for change, documenting the need for quality assessment, and identifying specific areas where additional training or supervision is needed. For clinical directors and operations leaders, this presentation offers concrete recommendations for modifying organizational policies and building infrastructure that supports evidence-based assessment practices.