Questions About Functional Behavior

(Matson & Vollmer, 1995) 

What does it assess?

• Functions of behaviours of concern -  includes attention, sensory/ non-social, tangible, escape, and  physical health conditions. 

Who is it suitable for?

• Designed for children or adults with developmental disabilities.
• May be useful for adults with ABI.  

How is it administered?

• Carers complete the scale and provide a rating for each item. 

How is it scored/ interpreted?

• A speech pathologist, psychologist or other professional scores the items to determine the functions of each behaviour identified as a BOC.
• Any ambiguities or unclear patterns can be resolved by direct observation of the person in situations thought to initiate the behaviour (i.e., hypothesis testing).  

What is its availability?

• Purchased directly from the author Dr. Johnny Matson (JohnMatson@AOL.com) or http://www.disabilityconsultants.org/.
• Cost is $US250 for complete kit and 50 score sheets. Score sheets can be purchased separately. Contact Dr. Matson for pricing.
• Copyright protected, should not be copied. 

How does it contribute to a communication assessment for someone with behaviours of concern?

• Identifying the functions of behaviours of concern.
• Must be used after the behaviours of concern have been clearly identified – for people with ABI, this can be done using the Overt Behaviour Scale (see Fact sheet for a complementary assessment for ABI).
• Behaviours with attention, tangible and escape functions can be replaced by teaching appropriate communication (determined from a communication assessment).
• Behaviours found to have a physical function may require investigation by a medical practitioner.
• Behaviours with sensory/ non-social functions may need to be further explored using an environmental assessment.  

References

Matson, J. L., Bamburg, J. W., Cherry, K. E., & Paclawskyj, T. R. (1999). A validity study on the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF) scale: Predicting treatment success for self-injury, aggression, and stereotypies. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 20(2), 163-175.

Matson, J. L., & Vollmer, T. (1995). Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF). Baton Rouge, LA: Disability Consultants.

Paclawskyj, T. R., Matson, J. L., Rush, K. S., Smalls, Y., & Vollmer, T. R. (2000). Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF): A behavioral checklist for functional assessment of aberrant behavior. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 21(3), 223-229.

Paclawskyj, T. R., Matson, J. L., Rush, K. S., Smalls, Y., & Vollmer, T. R. (2001). Assessment of the convergent validity of the Questions About Behavioral Function scale with analogue functional analysis and the Motivation Assessment Scale. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 45(6), 484-494.