Functional Analysis With Intervention Planning

A functional analysis worksheet for exploring the causes and consequences of behavior and supporting the formulation of intervention strategies.

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Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.

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A copy of the worksheet in PDF format.

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A fillable version of the resource. This can be edited and saved in Adobe Acrobat, or other PDF editing software.

Editable version (PPT)

An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.

Overview

This resource provides a structured A-B-C approach to functional analysis, examining antecedents, behaviors, and consequences. It guides therapists in understanding behavior patterns and also in developing interventions to reduce unwanted behaviors.

Why Use This Resource?

Functional analysis offers a helpful means to examine and modify behavioral patterns within therapy. It emphasizes the environmental and contextual influences on behavior, enabling clinicians to derive meaningful insights and intervention strategies.

  • Analyzes the context and consequences of behavior.
  • Offers a collaborative tool for shared client-therapist understanding.
  • Provides a structured method for planning interventions.
  • Helps in identifying and modifying factors that maintain problematic behaviors.

Key Benefits

Structure

Offers a clear framework for examining and intervening in behaviors.

Clarity

Enhances understanding of contextual effects on behavior.

Collaboration

Engages clients as experts in their own experiences.

Flexibility

Allows for interventions at multiple levels of behavior analysis.

Who is this for?

Anxiety

Exploration of triggers for anxiety and avoidance behaviors which act to maintain fears.

Depression

Understanding the consequences of rumination.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Analysis of re-experiencing symptoms such as nightmares or flashbacks.

Self-Harm

Incidents involving self-hamring behaviors.

Integrating it into your practice

01

Identify

Determine a target behavior and its context within the client's daily life.

02

Analyze

Explore antecedents and consequences with the client.

03

Collaborate

Engage the client in a shared understanding of behavioral patterns.

04

Develop

Create intervention targets based on A-B-C analysis.

05

Revise

Update your formulation and intervention strategies as new information emerges.

Theoretical Background & Therapist Guidance

Functional analysis is a behavior therapy method, specifically operant conditioning as proposed by B.F. Skinner. It is based on the principle that behavior does not occur in isolation, but rather is shaped by and maintained within specific environmental contingencies—namely, its antecedents (what comes before), the behavior itself, and its consequences (what follows). This A-B-C framework allows clinicians to investigate why a behavior occurs, moving beyond surface-level description of symptoms toward a contextual and functional understanding of behavior (Haynes & O’Brien, 1999; Sturmey, 2008).

At its core, functional analysis is not simply about identifying problematic behaviors — it is a form of hypothesis generation about the factors that reinforce, trigger, or maintain behaviors across time and settings. These might include external factors (e.g., interpersonal responses, environmental triggers) and internal experiences (e.g., thoughts, physiological states, emotions), making the process inherently integrative and applicable across a wide range of therapeutic modalities, including CBT, ACT, and DBT (Hayes et al., 2012).

Functional analysis is consistent with the movement toward idiographic, person-centered care in clinical practice. Rather than imposing a diagnostic label or top-down model, therapists work collaboratively with clients to construct a working understanding of their unique behavior patterns. This can be an empowering process which reinforces to clients the idea that their behaviors are understandable and modifiable within the context of their lived experience.

Research indicates that functional analysis can significantly improve treatment outcomes by enhancing the precision and utility of clinical case formulations (Haynes, Richard, & O’Brien, 2011; Sturmey, 2008). Functional analysis has been shown to facilitate clearer identification of avoidance behaviors, emotion-driven responding, and maladaptive coping patterns—common features in anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Haynes et al., 1999; Follette, Naugle, & Callaghan, 1996). This process not only informs the design of interventions that are both context-sensitive and behaviorally grounded, but also supports client engagement by fostering shared understanding and collaborative goal setting (Persons, 2008).

What's inside

  • A detailed worksheet for A-B-C functional analysis.
  • Sections for hypothesizing interventions.
  • Guidance on exploratory and behavioral interventions.
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FAQs

Functional analysis examines the reasons behind an individual's behavior by identifying the antecedents and consequences that influence it, facilitating informed intervention strategies.
The worksheet provides sections for hypothesizing interventions at multiple points – before the behavior occurs, during the behavior, and after the behavior – making it a comprehensive tool for planning behavior modification strategies.
Yes, the framework is flexible enough to support various therapeutic models, making it a useful resource regardless of theoretical orientation.

How This Resource Improves Clinical Outcomes

By facilitating a deeper understanding of the environmental and contextual factors impacting a behavior, this resource supports therapists to devise targeted interventions that produce meaningful change. It fosters client engagement through a collaborative framework, resulting in increased treatment adherence and more effective behavioral modification.

Therapists can:

  • Understand the drivers of client behaviors.
  • Develop interventions targeting the root causes of maladaptive behaviors.
  • Foster a cooperative therapeutic environment which enhances client engagement.
  • Empower clients to recognize and adjust their own behaviors.

References And Further Reading

  • Follette, W. C., Naugle, A. E., & Callaghan, G. M. (1996). A functional analysis of clinical case formulation and treatment planning. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 3(4), 353–369. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2850.1996.tb00091.x
  • Hayes, S. C., Villatte, M., Levin, M., & Hildebrandt, M. (2012). Open, aware, and active: Contextual approaches as an emerging trend in the behavioral and cognitive therapies. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 7, 141–168. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032210-104449
  • Haynes, S. N., & O’Brien, W. H. (1999). Principles and practice of behavioral assessment. Springer.
  • Haynes, S. N., Richard, D. C. S., & O’Brien, W. H. (2011). Functional analysis in clinical psychology. Wiley.
  • Persons, J. B. (2008). The case formulation approach to cognitive-behavior therapy. Guilford Press.
  • Sturmey, P. (2008). Functional analysis in clinical treatment. Academic Press.