Internal Consistency and Inter-Rater Reliability of the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF) Rating Scale When Used by Teachers and Paraprofessionals

There has been considerable emphasis on indirect functional behavior assessments in school settings. However, little research has evaluated the reliability of these methods to identify behavioral function. One indirect measure, the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF) scale, has yet to be extensively studied in school settings, though psychometric evidence suggests it is a viable assessment of the functions of a variety of problem behaviors for persons diagnosed with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of the QABF when completed by teachers and paraprofessionals in a school setting with children diagnosed with a variety of disabilities. Overall, results suggested that when used in a school setting without support from examiners familiar with behavior analysis or the QABF, the measure demonstrated poor inter-rater reliability and internal consistency. Factors that may have contributed to this outcome are discussed, including suggestions for future research using indirect assessments in school settings.