Function based thinking is a behavioral science concept that is an integral component of an effective Multi-Tiered System of Behavior Support. It empowers all educators to provide behavior support more efficiently to all students by considering the purpose(s) challenging behavior(s) serve and what is reinforcing them. Research has consistently shown that traditional “discipline” practices that are solely punitive such as verbal reprimands, timeout, suspension, and expulsion are not effective and often make challenging behavior worse. Rather than staying stuck in the cycle of problem-punish-problem-punish with little to no success, educational staff need to understand the behavior science behind this phenomenon and use this knowledge to guide more effective and consistent instructional responses to challenging behavior.
