The Functional Analysis worksheet supports therapists in understanding the causes and consequences of behavior, aiming to contextualize and modify client behavior patterns.
Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
A copy of the worksheet in PDF format.
A fillable version of the resource. This can be edited and saved in Adobe Acrobat, or other PDF editing software.
An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.
Functional analysis is a cornerstone in behavioral therapy, focusing on the contextual nature of behavior by examining its antecedents, behaviors, and consequences (A-B-C). This approach provides mental health professionals with a structured method for understanding and modifying client behaviors within a therapeutic setting. This worksheet can support a process of collaborative case formulation, helping clients to understand factors which influence, and are influenced-by, their behaviors.
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.
Exploration of triggers for anxiety and avoidance behaviors which act to maintain fears.
Understanding the consequences of rumination.
Analysis of re-experiencing symptoms such as nightmares or flashbacks.
Investigation into actions like self-harming or social withdrawal.
Determine a target behavior and its context within the client's daily life.
Explore antecedents and consequences with the client.
Engage the client in a shared understanding of behavioral patterns.
Create intervention targets based on A-B-C analysis.
Update your formulation and intervention strategies as new information emerges.
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).
