ABA Lesson 20, 21 Flashcards
RBT roles in Behavior Analytic Assessment
There are three major ways in which behavior analytic assessment takes place: structured observations, the functional behavior assessment (FBA) process, and standardized testing.
In each of these processes, the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) leads the assessment, and the Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) can assist with specific tasks.
RBTs may help administer specific items on the test, score them, or perform both tasks.
S-red observations VS Direct Testing
During a structured observation, the goal is to observe the child in a natural setting while keeping specific questions in mind and collecting relevant data.
(e.g. You may be asked to record the child’s engagement with stimulus materials at various stations or the latency between the teacher’s instruction and the child’s compliance. Challenging behaviors may also be a focus, and you will collect ABC (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence) data to understand the function of those behaviors.)
In direct testing scenarios, you can present specific stimulus items and record the child’s responses. Alternatively, you may use task analysis chains to assess the child’s performance by administering probe sessions and recording which parts of the chain they can successfully complete.
Data Management Tools
- Spreadsheets
- Electronic Assessments
- Data Tracking Software
Entering data into electronic versions of these written assessment tools
Standardized Assessment
Tests that are developed using psychometric science and are administered and scored in accordance with prescribed procedures.
These instruments have been designed to look at a very specific set of behaviors, sometimes in a very specific sequence. They come with a set of scoring instructions, which may include converting a raw score into what’s called a standard score or other type of scoring
Component Skills?
Basic skills that serve as building blocks to larger skills known as component skills.
We are choosing component skills to work on that allow growth in other component skills or larger skill sets without direct treatment.
Repeated Measures
A method of tracking progress by repeating the same assessments across time.
What are the Assessment Domains?
- The developmental part of adaptive skills is looking at infants and toddlers through preschool age. Adaptive skills are looking at children and adults of all ages to compare their skill development in lots of subdomains with people of the same age. So adaptive skills have a lot to do with your ability to be independently functioning in the world in which you live.
- There’s the language and communication skills domain in which we are looking at oral speech development, but also other things.
- We also assess in the social and emotional domain, looking at a child’s social skills, their ability to not only identify but respond and express emotions in socially acceptable manner.
- We also look at pre-academic and academic skills using different types of instruments than what are used by teachers in schools. When you think about things like matching to sample, and so many of our language skills are tied to academic development.
What is the most widely used instrument in communication skills assessment? Function?
verbal behavior milestones assessment and program plan (VB-MAPP). And with the VB-MAPP, as it is called, there are certain items that you just hang out and watch what the child does naturally and then certain items where you’re directly testing by asking them questions like what is this?
What is the widely common instrument in social-emotional skills assessment?
the social skills improvement system (SSIS), which breaks down a large number of social skills across an age range.
e.g. So the initial referral may be that the child does not engage in appropriate peer interactions.
What is the instrument that helps with the behavioral aspects of academic assessment
The Inventory of Good Learner Repertoires (IGLR).
It does look at how students learn, but also how students learn academic things such as do they respond well to information that is presented visually or orally and so on
Preference Assessment
A set of procedures used to identify stimuli that might function as reinforcers. So it’s really important to keep in mind that just because something is a preference does not necessarily mean it will be a reinforcer. But preferences are more likely than non preferences to be reinforcers.
- it’s the first step in determining what you could use to reinforce participation in therapy sessions or in natural settings
Types of Preference Assessments
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.
Free Operant preference assessment?
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.
Free Operant Preference Assessment Instructions
- Select 5-10 items and arrange them.
All of the items should be accessible to the individual. - 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.
Single Stimulus Preference Assessment Instructions
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”.
Preferences vs Reinforcers
