The use of functional behavioural assessment in treating a child with adhd and weak cognitive potential

In my diploma thesis I dealt with functional behavioural assessment used on a student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and weak cognitive control. In the theoretical part I introduced the basic characteristics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and functional behavioural assessment (FBA). At the centre of my concern was the ADHD phenomenon in school-age children, as the symptoms and sway of the disorder are usually the most conspicuous at that age. Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder demonstrate numerous difficulties behaviour-wise, which in turn causes poor quality interaction of the child with their environment. Different experts in the field of mental health care have come up with various approaches to milden or replace the inappropriate behaviour with that which is socially more effective. One of such approaches is the functional behavioural assessment, an informal assessment technique intended for systematic gathering and analysis of information necessary when creating a positive behavioural intervention plan. In the empirical part of my thesis, in the form of a study, I tested the applicability and effectiveness of the functional behavioural assessment on an eighth-grader. The student had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and weak cognitive control, and had been put on an adjusted study program accordingly. The object of my concern was whether a systematic definition of (in)appropriate behaviours and environment factors, which influence the occurrence of a behaviour, offers insight into a possible cause of an inappropriate behaviour in the student observed. I was also curious to see if an inappropriate behaviour could be replaced with a more appropriate and socially preferred behaviour with the help of a behavioural intervention plan created on the basis of conclusions gathered from the functional behavioural assessment. Using the formal steps of FBA, I analysed the inappropriate behaviours and made assumptions about possible reasons for a behaviour and its function. On the basis of my conclusions I created a behavioural intervention plan for the student to be systematically carried out in the period of two weeks. After it was carried out, the short-term and long-term effectiveness of the behavioural intervention plan was evaluated. The functional behavioural assessment helped to establish a short-term effective behavioural intervention plan for the observed student, who was then able to replace his inappropriate behaviour during school lunch break with that which is more appropriate. Behaviour change was visible and positive immediately after the behavioural intervention plan was applied. Long-term effectiveness was not confirmed. In the conclusion I evaluated the performance of the behavioural intervention plan and emphasised those features that might or should be improved