True or False: Functional analysis provides higher certainty results than descriptive functional assessments with lower response effort.

Functional analysis is a method used in behavior analysis to identify the underlying causes of challenging behaviors by systematically manipulating environmental variables. This process provides clear information about the function or purpose of the behavior, which can lead to higher certainty in understanding and addressing the behavior effectively.

Descriptive functional assessments, on the other hand, involve observing and recording the behavior in its natural context without manipulating variables. While such assessments can yield useful insights, they often lack the controlled conditions that functional analysis employs, which can sometimes lead to ambiguity in understanding the exact antecedents and consequences of a behavior.

High certainty results are about the clarity and directness of the findings, which is a hallmark of functional analysis. It is specifically designed to provide clear functional relationships. The comparison to lower response effort suggests that while descriptive assessments may require less manipulation or effort, they do not produce the same levels of certainty regarding the functions of the behavior.

Thus, the assertion that functional analysis provides higher certainty results aligns with the fundamental differences in methodology and outcomes between the two approaches in behavior assessment.