ABA exam

Question 1

Fixed Schedules of Reinforcement

Answer 1

1) Fixed Interval - Ruth’s behavior plan instructs staff to give her a five minute break for every 30 minutes of on-task behavior.
2) Fixed Ratio - Ruth’s behavior plan instructs staff to give her a five minute break every time she completes five academic tasks.
3) Fixed Time - Ruth’s behavior plan instructs staff to give her a five minute break every hour.

Question 2

Variable Schedules of Reinforcement

Answer 2

Variable Interval - Ruth’s behavior plan instructs staff to give her a five minute break for an average of 30 minutes of on-task behavior.
Variable Ratio - Ruth’s behavior plan instructs staff to give her a five minute break when she completes an average of five academic tasks.
Variable Time - Ruth’s behavior plan instructs staff to give her a break approximately every hour.

Question 3

Positive Reinforcement vs Negative Reinforcement

Answer 3

Negative Reinforcement - occurs when something unpleasant is removed that increases the future frequency of the behavior.
Positive Reinforcement - occurs when smth pleasant is added that increases the future frequency of the behavior.

Question 4

Positive Punishment vs Negative Punishment

Answer 4

Positive Punishment - Presentation of an undesired stimulus following a behavior. This leads to a decrease in the future frequency of that behavior.
Negative Punishment - Removal of a desired stimulus following a behavior. This leads to a decrease in the future frequency of that behavior.

Question 5

Augmentative and Alternative Communication?

Answer 5

Forms of communication that do not require speaking.

Question 6

What are the forms of sign language? Define each.

Answer 6

1) Formal Sign Language
Includes vocabulary, grammar, and syntax.
Wholly different from their regional spoken languages.
Generally used by people who are culturally deaf (have never heard spoken words).
Examples: American Sign Language, British Sign Language, etc.
2) Pidgin Sign Languages
Blends signs from formal sign language with regional spoken language syntax.
Usually used by people who have lost their hearing (native spoken language users).
3) Idiosyncratic Signing
Usually not a fully formed language - no grammar/syntax.
Signs may or may not come from formal signing lexicons.
Most often used by people who have language disorders, may be unrelated to hearing impairment.

Question 7

Continuous vs Discontinuous Data Collection

Answer 7

Continuous Data Collection - Captures every possible behavioral occurrence by recording either every instance of behavior or the actual duration of each instance of behavior.
Discontinuous Data Collection - Captures a sample of behavior during an observation by recording whether the behavior is occurring at designated points in time.

Question 8

Continuous vs Discrete Numbers

Answer 8

Continuous Numbers - Numbers that occur in a range; used for collecting data on behaviors with unclear stop and start points.
Discrete Numbers - Whole numbers used for measuring behaviors that have an easily discernible stop and start.

Question 9

What are the Early Verbal Operants? Define each.

Answer 9

Echoic, Mand, Tact, Intraverbal

Question 10

Verbal Operant?

Answer 10

A unit of verbal behavior that responds to motivating operations and/or discriminative stimuli and functions to obtain reinforcement from the environment.

Question 11

What is exclusion time-out?

Answer 11

Contingent removal of the person from the whole reinforcing environment for a specified period of time.

Question 12

Forward Chaining?

Answer 12

A teaching process in which the learner is reinforced for completing the first step in a task analysis, then for combining the first and second steps, and so on until responsibility for the entire chain is required.
- Steps in the earlier part of the chain are easier. So if the most difficult steps are at the end of the task analysis, you may want to use forward chaining because it allows you to establish behavioral momentum.

Question 13

Backward Chaining?

Answer 13

A teaching process in which the learner is reinforced for completing the last step in a task analysis, then for combining the last two steps, and so on until responsibility for the entire chain is required.
- Steps in the later part of the chain are easier. It’s also really useful for learners for whom total task completion or the resulting final product is highly reinforcing, such as cooking.

Question 14

Total Task Chaining?

Answer 14

A teaching process in which the learner is reinforced for completing every step in a task analysis, and prompts are faded at each step as the skill is acquired.
- when the steps are about equal in difficulty throughout the chain and if you have a learner who is likely to be compliant and to maintain attention throughout the whole task.

Question 15

Partial Interval Recording?

Answer 15

Method of discontinuous data collection in which behavior is marked as occurring or not occurring at any point during the interval, regardless of duration or frequency.
- So more specifically, when you are collecting partial interval recording, you will begin with a data sheet that has structured your observation time into subsegments.

Question 16

Whole Interval Recording

Answer 16

Method of discontinuous data collection in which the interval is marked if the behavior occurs throughout the interval.
- What is different between partial interval and whole interval is that with whole interval, you’re actually going to be giving an underestimate of how often the behavior occurs. So it will be used in situations where that is preferable than an overestimate.
- you’re more likely to use whole interval for replacement behavior or skill building goals.

Question 17

Momentary Time Sampling

Answer 17

Method of discontinuous data collection in which the interval is marked if the behavior occurs at a designated point within the interval (usually the beginning of the interval).
- if the behavior occurred one nanosecond prior to the time that you’re supposed to assess it, it doesn’t get counted.

Question 18

Types of Preference Assessments

Answer 18

1) Free Operant - we are measuring how long the child interacts with the stimulus.
2) Single Stimulus - we are also measuring how long the child interacts with the stimulus.
3) Multiple Stimulus with Replacement - we measure the frequency with which the person chooses the stimulus.
4) Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement - we measure the rank order in which the person selects the stimulus.
5) Paired Stimulus - we also assess how frequently the stimulus is selected.

Question 19

Free Operant preference assessment? Instructions?

Answer 19

In a free operant preference assessment, the individual is allowed to approach any stimulus desired and interact with it for as long as they want.
- Select 5-10 items and arrange them.
- Allow individual to familiarize self with all items prior to assessment.
To rule out novelty effects once assessment begins.
- Return the individual to the area and instruct her that she may play with one, all, or none of the toys.
Ensure she understands she is free to play as she pleases during the assessment.
- Collect Partial Interval Data.
Place a check mark in a column representing each toy the child interacted with in each time interval.
- Do not use social reinforcement as the child interacts.
This muddies the data.
- Calculate the percent of intervals each item was interacted with.
Rank the items in order of preference hierarchy.

Question 20

Single Stimulus Preference Assessment Instructions

Answer 20

1) Select 5-8 items for presentation
Based on interview/questionnaire/direct observation results.

2) Allow the child to familiarize self with all items prior to testing.
To rule out novelty effects.

** 3) Inform child he may play with the items you present for a couple of minutes, or give them back if he finishes early.
If the child is too young to follow this instruction, allow him to finish playing with an item before changing it.

4) Do not pair playing with social attention.
For very young children, you may give brief acknowledgement if sought, but adults should not play with them.

5) Collect duration data for each item.
For older children, confirm they are “done” before stopping the timer. For younger children, set an operational definition of “done.”

6) Repeat several times to ensure accurate results.
Change order of presentation with each trial.
All trials do not have to be done in one session.

7) Sum the duration across trials.
Create a rank ordering of items based on “duration of engagement”.

Question 21

Multiple Stimulus With Replacement Instructions

Answer 21

Multiple stimulus with replacement differs from multiple stimulus without replacement in one very important way. After the selection is made, it is returned to the array.
Items are reshuffled and the person has the option to pick the same item again.
- Allow the child to interact with each item for @30 seconds.
- Place the selected items in an array in front of the child.
4-8 items are recommended for this type of assessment. Ensure the area is otherwise free of distractions.
- Instruct the child to select one item to interact with. Allow the child to interact with the item for about 30 seconds.
- Return the item to the array.
- Rearrange the items.
Be sure to record if the child always chooses the item in a particular location.
- Mark the data sheet to record the choice.
Record the location of the item chosen.
- Repeat steps 3, 4, 5, and 6 until all items have been selected.
Do not provide social reinforcement for selections.
- Repeat the assessment several times.
It is better not to do this several times in a row - conduct it across several days.
- Score the results by ranking the items.
Calculate the median rank order for each item.
Highest preferred item will have the lowest rank order.

Question 22

Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement Instructions

Answer 22

• Place all of the selected items in an array in front of the child.
  4-8 items are recommended for this type of assessment. Ensure the area is otherwise free of distractions.
• Allow the child to interact with each item for @30 seconds.
• Instruct the child to select one item to interact with.
  Allow the child to interact with the item for about 30 seconds.
• Remove the item from the array.
  Place the item out of sight if possible to minimize distractions with the remainder of the assessment.
• Rearrange the remaining items.
  Be sure to record if the child always chooses the item in a particular location.
• Record the order in which the item was selected.
  Using the MSWO data sheet.
• Repeat steps 3, 4, 5, and 6 until all items have been selected.
  Do not provide social reinforcement for selections.
• Repeat the assessment several times.
  It is better not to do this several times in a row - conduct it across several days.
• Score the results by ranking the items.
  Calculate the median rank order for each item.
  Highest preferred item will have the lowest rank order.

Question 23

Paired Stimulus Preference Assessment Instructions

Answer 23

• Prior to beginning, allow the child to sample all of the stimuli
  5-10 seconds of interaction with each item.
• Remove stimuli from sight.
• Present a randomly selected pair of stimuli
  The stimuli should be equidistant from the person and from each other. If the person is likely to grab both items, keep them in your hands to present.
• Allow @30 seconds of interaction with the selected item
  Block attempts to choose both. If neither item is selected, remove briefly and then re-present. If still no choice is made, move on to the next pairing.
• Mark the data sheet
  Use codes for selected, avoided, and refused to choose. (Avoided means problem behavior occurred when the item was presented).
• Repeat steps 3-5 until all possible pairs have been presented.
  It is allowable to have breaks or to administer across several sessions.
• Calculate the percent of trials each item was selected.
  Formula is: [# of times selected/(n-1)] x 100,
  where n = the total number of items included in the assessment.

Question 24

Functional Behavior Assessment?

Answer 24

A process for determining the environmental events that elicit problem behavior.

Question 25

Differential Reinforcement function?

Answer 25

It allows us to manipulate consequences by adding reinforcement to build replacement behaviors and decreasing reinforcement to rid ourselves of problem behaviors.

Question 26

What’s Differential Reinforcement?

Answer 26

a process of behavior change in which one behavior is reinforced while others are placed on extinction

Question 27

Differential Reinforcement of other behavior?

Answer 27

We do not reinforce the identified target behavior, but we reinforce any other response.

Question 28

Differential Reinforcement of alternative behavior?

Answer 28

We do not reinforce the identified target behavior, but we reinforce a specified replacement behavior.

Question 29

Differential Reinforcement of incompatible behavior?

Answer 29

We can use instead of DRA.
We do not reinforce the identified target behavior, but we reinforce a specific replacement behavior that cannot physically occur at the same time as the target behavior

Question 30

Differential Reinforcement of high rates behavior (DRH)?

Answer 30

• We don’t reinforce replacement behaviors or skill acquisition targets that occur below a specified rate.
• We reinforce replacement behaviors or skill acquisition targets that occur above a specified rate.

Question 31

Establishing operations?

Answer 31

Establishing operations means that we’re more likely to want the reinforcer and therefore more likely to engage in the behavior, whereas abolishing operations do the opposite.

Question 32

Frequency vs Rate

Answer 32

In summary, both frequency and rate measure the number of times a behavior occurs. Rate is time based and frequency is not. Rate is more accurate and frequency is easier to calculate.
- Frequency is counting the number of times a behavior occurs. Example 1: John got out of his seat 7 times during class.
These are all examples of frequency because no time interval was specified.
- Rate is frequency per unit of time. It calculates the number of times a behavior occurs in a specific time inveral. A rate will always be expressed as an occurrence per hour. To determine the rate of behavior you divide the frequency by the time measure. Example 1: Kyle said thirty words per hour.