Functional behavioural assessment is generally considered to be a problem-solving process for addressing student problem behaviour.
It relies on a variety of techniques and strategies to identify the purposes of specific behaviour and to help ILP teams select interventions to directly address the problem behaviour. Functional behavioural assessment should be integrated, as appropriate, throughout the process of developing, reviewing, and, if necessary, revising a student's ILP.
A functional behavioural assessment looks beyond the behaviour itself. The focus when conducting a functional behavioural assessment is on identifying significant, pupil-specific social, affective, cognitive, and/or environmental factors associated with the occurrence (and non-occurrence) of specific behaviours. This broader perspective offers a better understanding of the function or purpose behind student behaviour. Behavioural intervention plans based on an understanding of "why" a student misbehaves are extremely useful in addressing a wide range of problem behaviours.