Book excerpt: A Practical Guide to Functional Assessment and Treatment for Severe Problem Behavior discusses how to utilize functional assessment and function-based treatment for patients with severe problem behaviors. The book begins by defining problem behavior, contrasting functional and structural definitions, and clearly reviewing the term "severe". The second section, Functional Assessment of Problem Behavior, reviews three different assessments in detail, providing sample questionnaires, methods for interviewing and brief bonus videos. The third section, Function-Based Treatments, outlines three main treatment options, including comprehensive and trauma-informed strategies and outline information on collecting, graphing, and analyzing treatment data. The final section, Promoting Sustainability and Compassionate Care will review strategies to implement these assessments and treatments in a culturally relevant and compassionate way. - Details various examples of indirect assessments methods, including interviews and questionnaires - Addresses the integration and testing of hypotheses from indirect and descriptive assessments into functional analyses - Reviews treatments based on a trauma-informed framework - Outlines common ethical issues, including strategies to use when function-based treatments do not work and the management of restrictive practices - Includes bonus brief vignettes to illustrate procedures and assessments