| The use of functional analysis as a systematic method of analyzing behavior and learning problems is considered best practice. In this study, 110 school psychologists participated by providing responses to their use of functional analysis and functional behavior assessments within the school setting. These respondents, who averaged 15 years experience in the school psychology field, reported using functional behavior analysis/assessments twice monthly with an average of 50% effectiveness rate. Functional analyses processes were used to address academic and learning problems an average of four times monthly with a 49% effectiveness rate. These professionals rated the importance of five reasons for academic failure: motivation, time, support, newness of task and task difficulty on a scale from 1--5 from less to extremely important. Each of the five primary reasons (dependent variables) had a set of nine instructional components (independent variables). Ninety school psychologists participated by endorsing both the primary function and each of the instructional components. Five multiple regression analyses were calculated for those responding to both endorsements. Participants identified three statistically significant predictors for the Support function, where teacher uses response cards to check for accuracy (predictor 1), teacher shows what not to do when mistakes occur (predictor 7), and teacher uses a variety of feedback in class (predictor 9). Participants identified two statistically significant predictors for the Task Difficulty function, where teacher modifies instructional goals (predictor 2), and teacher checks for understanding with corrective feedback (predictor 6). |
