Best Practices and Functional Assessment

I have been commenting on the article posted on this site titled "Alternative Education Programs for At Risk Youth: Issues, Best Practices, and Recommendations". In the last article I highlighted the article's list of best practices. One of the best practices is to perform a functional assessment. The authors state that evidence has shown some success with this behavioral tool. It is stated that the main idea is to replace the problematic behavior as demonstrated in the educational setting and replace said behavior with prosocial behavior. "...replace the problem behavior with an alternate behavior that meets the same function for the student as the problem behavior but is more socially accepted." This process involves the student, teachers, parents, and community members.

The article does not really elaborate on functional assessment. In theory the idea seems valid and I do not doubt that research shows positive results from this process. However, this is not a simple plan that can be implemented easily. At my school the students only attend each day for a total of 3 hours. It is my professional opinion that it is very difficult to change or replace someone's behavior when you only see that person 15 hours a week. The school will certainly not be successful if the family and community are not engaged in the behavior or support plan as well.

Moreover, it seems a bit pretentious for individuals who are not psychologists and even those who are to assume that they can pinpoint the function of a behavior by filling out a few forms and then observing the student for a couple hours in the classroom. No doubt this process will yield some obvious clues as to the function of a behavior but behavior is often more complicated than the obvious short term "benefits" one receives from it. One example is that the brain may have a chemical imbalance thereby complicating any rational form of exchange theory. In other words, the student may derive no benefits from the antisocial behavior.

The idea assumes that every person is engaged in rational forms of thought. It is assumed that behavior is merely the result of actions that satisfy an individual. The person has to be rational if they can clearly derive a function from their behavior. I guess it could be counter argued that behavior serves a function whether the person is rational or not. In the end, the support team must micro manage the student and provide situations where the problem behavior can be managed and or replaced.

However, this is my main point; are the professionals changing the behavior or manipulating the environment to elicit different responses? Thus, you are essentially not changing behavior you're changing the environment and or circumstances where the behavior occurs. When the student moves into another environment outside of the school will these techniques transfer? I say no unless every component of the student's life is receiving the same intervention.

I have never seen these interventions work at my school for a variety of reasons. The most important one is the amount of time that the student spends in the school. The second is the micro management part. It is very difficult to get every team member to carry out the support plan in the same way. Again, let me reiterate that the environment is being manipulated not the student.

Am I way off in my assessment or am I merely deriving some satisfaction from critiquing another form of behaviorism?