Assessment of Problematic Behavior - Applying Extinction

Question 1

What is the functional assessment process

Answer 1

1. Identify and define target behavior that needs to be increased or decreased
   a. Indirect assessments (e.g., interviews)
2. Initiate Baseline data
3. Complete functional assessment
   a. Hypothesize about antecedents and consequences
4. Develop and implement treatment
5. Evaluate
   a. Effectiveness of treatment itself
   b. Effectiveness of its implementation

Question 2

Was your treatment effective? Yes

Answer 2

• begin promoting maintenance and generalization
  - reinforce intermittently
  - apply strategies to foster generalization

Question 3

Was your treatment effective? No

Answer 3

• First check treatment fidelity
  
  • was treatment implemented correctly
    
    • If NO: retrain staff, adjust components and/or procedures
  • if yes, return to step 3 of assessment

Question 4

Assessing antecedents (A)

Answer 4

• when, where, with whom and in what circumstances or situation does the behavior occur
  
  • look for S^D, S^delta, MOs
  • contextual stimuli, preceding behaviors and circumstances, time of day etc.

Question 5

Assessing behaviors

Answer 5

• Problem behaviors
• Alternative behaviors
• Relevant variables (intensity, latency, topography)

Question 6

Assessing consequences

Answer 6

• For both problem and alternative behavior
• assess social and environmental (automatic) consequences
• Consider the
  
  • schedule of reinforcement
  • magnitude of reinforcement
  • immediacy of reinforcement

Question 7

Consider what for reinforcement ?

Answer 7

• schedule of reinforcement
• magnitude of reinforcement
• immediacy of reinforcement

Question 8

Reinforcer for Problematic Behaviors

-Social Positive Reinforcement

Answer 8

• Attention, praise, reactions, activities, things

- mediated by others

Question 9

-Social negative reinforcement

Answer 9

• escape from tasks, activities, interactions

- Mediated by others

Question 10

-Automatic Positive reinforcement

Answer 10

• sensory stimulation, environmental stimuli, and events

- not mediated by others

Question 11

-Automatic Negative Reinforcement

Answer 11

• relief from pain, anxiety, or other aversive stimulation, escape from aversive environmental stimuli
• Not mediated by others

Question 12

Indirect assessment

Answer 12

a. Behavioral interview
b. Questionnaires

c. Low reliability, may be biased, inaccurate and/or incomplete
d. Useful as a starting point

Question 13

Direct Observation Assessment

Answer 13

a. Descriptive A-B-C recording
b. Checklist recording of A-B-C
c. Interval recording of A-B-C

Question 14

What do you need to consider when deciding upon assessment method

Answer 14

• reactivity
  
  • practical and ethical feasibility
  • recruiting informants

Question 15

Consider how you will record

Answer 15

• ABC diaries
• Checklist recording
• Interval recording

Question 16

A functional analysis

Answer 16

a. This type a of assessment/hypothesis testing (not treatment)
b. Manipulate variables to demonstrate a functional relationship (causal)
c. Replication is key (i.e., ABAB logic when possible)

Question 17

You are not assessing the individual, you are

Answer 17

• you are not assessing an individual, you are assessing an individual’s behavior
  
  • assess behavior, not people

Question 18

Important considerations for applying extinction

Answer 18

1. Have you identified the reinforcer?
   a. Note: there may be more than one
2. Is it even possible to remove the reinforcer?
   a. Reinforcer may be intrinsic to behavior
3. Is it safe to use extinction?
   a. Emotional responses
   b. Extinction bursts
   c. Behavioral variability
4. Can you apply extinction consistently?
   a. Can you prevent reinforcement every time the behavior occurs?
   b. If not, you may accidentally put the behavior on an intermittent schedule
5. Do you have procedures to promote long-term maintenance?
   a. Are there alternative/acceptable ways of getting the reinforce?
   b. Have you promoted generalization of the extinguished behavior?