Assessment & Frameworks

At Soft Landings, we believe in understanding behavior through a compassionate and holistic lens. That’s why we’ve developed tools and resources that reflect our commitment to neuroaffirming, strengths-based, and client-centered care.

Soft Landings - Meaningful Functional Assessment (SL-MFA)

The SL-MFA is our in-house, values-driven alternative to traditional Functional Behavior Assessments. It’s designed for individuals, caregivers, and educators who want a more collaborative, affirming, and supportive way to understand behavior.

The SL-MFA:

• Centers the lived experiences and autonomy of the individual

• Avoids pathologizing behavior—especially behaviors like stimming, withdrawal, or sensory-seeking

• Explores environmental fit, unmet needs, and nervous system regulation

• Is deeply aligned with trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming care

Use this tool to uncover what’s meaningful behind the behavior—not just what’s observable.

What Is a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)?

Traditional FBAs are used to identify the function or purpose of a behavior, often in school or clinical settings. They rely on direct observation, interviews, and data collection to determine how to reduce “problem behaviors” and increase desired ones.

While they can be useful in certain environments, they often:

• Focus on observable compliance withoutaddressing emotional context

• Miss underlying needs or sensory experiences

• Risk pathologizing neurodivergent behavior

That’s why we created the SL-MFA—to bridge the gap between behavior analysis and the lived realities of our clients.