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December 29, 2004
Functional Behavior Assessment
Our Five Basic Needs: Application for Understanding the Function of Behavior
Adapted from an article in Intervention in School and Clinic , Jan. 2005, Volume 40, Number 3 (pp. 156-160)
Laura M. Frey and Kathi Wilhite
Our Five Basic Needs
SURVIVAL
In the school setting, we need to consider the students’ home environment, the adequacy of their food, sleep, clothing, and health needs. Does the student feel secure and safe at home? Parental involvement, as well as neighborhood and home safety should be considered. Academic success leads to feeling secure with teachers and peers.
BELONGING
It’s important that students connect with peers and teachers in order to feel they belong. The student needs to feel accepted by others and to feel they are making a worthwhile contribution and that their presence is valuable to people who are important to them. They need to have a relevant role in the classroom.
POWER / SELF-WORTH
“For students to feel self-worth, they need a sense of empowerment, worthiness, self-efficacy, and achievement. Power here is not defined by the exertion or exploitation of our dominance over another person; instead, it is defined by the need to be able, to be capable. It is an inner sense of achievement, accomplishment, pride, importance, and self-esteem and an outer sense of being heard and respected and feeling competent and attaining recognition. Power in a school setting may be defined by the student’s ability to make choices and be an equal contributor in learning because students want to be involved in activities they have a say in and they want those activities to be relevant and to bring them competence and pride. As a result, students feel confident.” (p.157)
FREEDOM
“Students need independence, options, choices, autonomy, and liberty in both physical and psychological aspects…At times of physical, emotional, and intellectual development in which freedom of body and thought are important, school settings can be an environment of control through structured schedules, crowded conditions, and adherence to school expectations. Students who chronically or consistently feel “trapped” physically or creatively may feel cast into a role of misfit, leading to counterproductive freedom behaviors.” (p. 157)
FUN
Learning and working with peers can be fun!
Common Student Behavior Challenges and Examples of Unmet Needs
Behavior Challenge: Refusal to Work
Relation to basic human needs to be met:
Lack of sleep (survival) due to home challenges and unable to work.
Best friend is refusing to work; wants to maintain alliance (belonging).
Academic difficulty (power) and doesn’t want to feel like a failure.
Wants choice of current academic task versus teacher choice (freedom).
Bored by current academic task and just not interested (fun).
Behavior Challenge: Frequently Out of Seat
Relation to basic human needs to be met:
Failing in class, already will have to repeat (survival), no desire to focus.
Wants to talk with friends and feel valued in class (belonging).
Finishes work early as it was easy, looking for more challenge (power).
Not defiant, just doesn’t like being restricted in desk seat (freedom).
Is a hands-on kinesthetic learner in order to enjoy learning (fun).
Behavior Challenge: Argumentative Communication
Relation to basic human needs to be met:
Home environment has anger and confrontative behavior (survival).
Perception that peers are not accepting and fear of rejection (belonging).
Seeking to feel capable in the eyes of teacher and is challenged (power).
Values freedom of speech and voice for youth development (freedom).
Finds the school rules punitive and uninterested in school routines (fun).
Posted by Kristie at December 29, 2004 09:25 AM