Strangely, perhaps the most important section of functional analysis is going to be the shortest section that I write. Using the above tools in combination with a lot of time, patience and effort it should be possible to begin to establish patterns to behaviour and the triggers for/functions of behaviour. In an LD population it could be that this assists you to better meet a child’s basic care needs, if applied to others this process could help to identify unconscious decision making, reasons for complex behaviours and much more.
The big question then is how that information aids us in making a positive change. Well the answer is quite straightforward, once we have identified the function for a particular behaviour; we can find new ways of meeting the need currently met by the target behaviour. If a child bangs their head against the wall because they don’t like the loud noise of your food blender, I’m sure you could all come up with a reasonable solution? Do not expose the child to the food blender. Naturally not all circumstances are this simple (although many are) and functional analysis often identifies complex behaviour patterns which need to be broken down into manageable steps in order to change.
There is no set format for this ‘change’ and if it is a simple one to make then make it! However everyone will have their own training and knowledge around FA and the possible integration of different interventions in order to make real change.
This feels like a slightly rambling ending so I’m going to stop! I hope you’ve found this a useful (if slightly wordy) introduction to Functional Analysis.