Assessments Flashcards
What is a Preference Assessment?
Data-based methods for identifying highly preferred stimuli that may potentially be used as reinforcers during an ABA therapy session.
Three Ways to Conduct Preference Assessments:
1) Ask the Person
2) Observe the Person
3) Trial-Based
Why is a Preference Assessment important?
An important part of an RBT’s job is to identify highly preferred items and activities so they may potentially be used to reinforce positive behavior in their clients. If you don’t use reinforcers with your clients, you will likely see more problem behaviors and have less instructional control over your clients during therapy sessions.
What is stimuli ?
Anything that evokes a sensory or behavioral response in someone.
What is a reinforcer ?
Anything that increases the likelihood of a particular behavior occurring in the future.
What is a Trial-Based method?
A highly structured, formal way of identifying your client’s preferred choices.
What is Observe The Person?
Exactly what it sounds like. When you watch your client interact with their environment and collect data on what they gravitate to (play with), this will be their preference.
What is Ask The Person?
Exactly what it sounds like. When you inquire about your client’s preferences by asking them or their caregivers.
What is an Individualized Assessment?
An educational tool used to gather information about what abilities and skills our client has versus does not yet have, so we know what we need to teach them.
What is a Functional Assessment?
Also commonly known as a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA), it helps us analyze our client’s behavior so we can understand why challenging behaviors happen (function) and what is causing the behavior to continue to occur.
The Four Functions of Behavior:
S - E - A - T
1) Sensory/Automatic Reinforcement
2) Escape/Avoidance
3) Attention Seeking
4)Tangible
How is Direct Observation used in an FBA?
A client is observed engaging in challenging behavior. Written data is taken on what happens just prior to the behavior, during the behavior and right after the behavior
How is an Indirect Informant used in an FBA?
An interview/questionnaire is given to a person who interacts regularly with the client, so that more information can be gathered about what is causing their challenging behaviors.
How is the Experimental Method used in an FBA?
A BCBA manipulates what happens before (antecedent) and after (consequence) a behavior to understand the effects on the behavior.
