Why an FBA Should Be About Solving Problems, Not Controlling Behavior
If your child has challenging behaviors at school, you may have heard the term Functional Behavioral Assessment or been told your child “needs an FBA.” For many parents, that can sound intimidating or even scary.
But an FBA, when done the right way, is not about labeling your child or finding ways to punish behavior. It is about understanding why your child is struggling and using that information to create real, meaningful support.
What Is a Functional Behavioral Assessment, in Plain Language?
A Functional Behavioral Assessment, or FBA, is a process schools use to figure out why a behavior is happening. Instead of focusing only on what the behavior looks like, an FBA asks important questions such as:
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What is happening right before the behavior occurs?
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What is the child being asked to do at that moment?
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What happens after the behavior?
The purpose is to understand what the behavior is communicating. Is your child overwhelmed by transitions? Struggling with frustration? Avoiding tasks that feel too hard? An FBA should help answer those questions.
When done well, an FBA leads to support plans that teach skills, adjust expectations, and remove barriers so your child can be successful.
Behavior Is a Signal, Not a Character Flaw
Lives in the Balance, founded by Dr. Ross Greene, offers a powerful and compassionate way to understand behavior. The core idea is simple: kids do well if they can.
When a child is having difficulty meeting expectations, it is not because they do not care or are choosing to misbehave. It is because there are skills they have not yet developed and problems that have not yet been solved.
This might include challenges with:
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Flexibility and handling change
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Emotional regulation and frustration tolerance
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Problem solving
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Organization or executive functioning
From this perspective, behavior is communication. It tells us that something is not working and that support is needed.
Why Problem Solving Should Be Part of Every FBA
A strong FBA does more than identify triggers. It leads to problem solving.
This means adults take the time to:
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Clearly identify the expectations your child is struggling with
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Understand your child’s perspective and experience
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Collaborate on solutions instead of forcing compliance
When schools include your child in problem solving conversations, even in small and developmentally appropriate ways, the solutions are more likely to work. Children are more invested when they feel heard and respected.
This approach shifts the focus from “How do we stop this behavior?” to “What skills or supports does this child need to meet expectations successfully?”
How This Should Show Up in Your Child’s IEP or Behavior Plan
For parents, an FBA should not be a document that sits on a shelf. It should directly inform your child’s IEP, 504 plan, or behavior intervention plan.
You should see:
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Supports tied to the reasons the behavior occurs
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Skill building goals, not just compliance based goals
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Accommodations that reduce frustration and overwhelm
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Proactive strategies that prevent behavior instead of reacting to it
If a plan focuses only on consequences and rewards, it is missing the heart of the FBA. I like to think of the Behavior Intervention Plan as a plan for the adults that is about the student. A well written BIP will outline specifically HOW an adult supporting the child responds in what way, it should NEVER just be focused on the replacement behavior.
Why This Matters for Your Child
When FBAs are grounded in problem solving:
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Behavior becomes more predictable and less intense
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Children feel understood rather than blamed
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School becomes a safer and more supportive place
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Long term skills are built, not just short-term compliance
Most importantly, your child learns that adults are there to help them succeed, not control them.
Final Thoughts for Parents
An FBA should never feel like a judgment of your parenting or your child. At its best, it is a tool for understanding, collaboration, and growth. When schools use FBAs through a problem-solving lens, they stop asking what is wrong with a child and start asking what support is missing. And that shift can change everything. It’s important to note that this is NOT a quick fix plan. It takes time to build trust and rapport, and sometimes, schools don’t like that. It’s worth the wait. When students know they will be heard and emotionally validated (even when they are wrong), they end up coming to you with the problem pro-actively. If you need help implementing a plan like this for your child, let’s chat. Consultations are always free.