Behaviour Modification (OC) Flashcards
What is behaviour modification?
Field of psychology concerned
with:
- Analysing human behaviour
- Modifying human behaviour
What are the characteristics of BM (9).
• Focus on behaviour
• Emphasis on current environmental events and stimuli
• Precise description of methods and procedures
• Implemented by people in everyday life
• Measurement of behaviour change
• Use of behavioural principles
• Scientific demonstration of the efficacy of an intervention in
behaviour change
• De-emphasis on past events as causes of behaviour (current
events more helpful for change)
• Rejection of hypothetical underlying causes of behaviour
What are some applications of BM?
• Developmental disabilities • Mental illness • Education • Rehabilitation • Community psychology • Clinical psychology • Business, industry & human services • Self-management • Child behaviour management • Prevention • Sports performance • Health related behaviours • Gerontology
What is a target behaviour?
• The focus of a behaviour modification program
• Defined specifically in order to be measured and
monitored to assess change
What are the steps in BM assessment
Collect and analyse information and data
1. Identify and describe target behaviours
2. Identify possible causes of the behaviour
3. Guide the selection of an appropriate behavioural
treatment
4. Evaluate treatment outcome
What are the three branches of BM?
- Behaviourism
- Experimental behaviour analysis
- Applied behaviour analysis (ABA)
What are the six components of behaviour?
- Is what people do and say
- Has dimensions that can be measured
- Can be observed, described and recorded
- Has an impact on the environment
- Is lawful (i.e. functionally impacts environment)
- May be overt and covert
What two questions do functional assessments require?
Relies on two questions to understand cause of
problem behaviour:
• What are the antecedents?
• What are the immediate consequences?
What is Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)?
- ABA is a clinical discipline
* General principles of learning and behaviour are employed to solve or reduce social problems
What are the seven dimensions of ABA?
- Applied
- Behavioural
- Analytic
- Technological
- Conceptually systematic
- Effective
- Generalisable
What do we mean by Applied?
• Selected behaviours need to be socially acceptable • They need to be important to the individual whose behaviour is being modified • They need to be important to the individual’s family
What do we mean by Behavioural?
• If there are several target behaviours, it is important
to prioritise the behaviours in order of importance
• Control of behaviour is a key focus of ABA
• Identifying the function of a behaviour = manipulation
of environmental events + observation of changes in
behaviour
What do we mean by Analytic?
• The aim is to demonstrate a functional relation
between the treatment and any observed changes in
the target behaviour
• This may be achieved by selecting a design that is
best suited for the experimental question
What do we mean by Technological?
•When conducting experiments and implementing behavioural interventions, procedures need
to be thoroughly and accurately
described
What do we mean by Conceptually systematic?
• Interventions need to be based on basic behaviour
principles derived from empirically validated
research
• Examples include extinction and schedules of
reinforcement
What do we mean by Effective?
• Procedures are evaluated via visual inspection of the
data
• Statistical analysis to determine the significance of
behaviour change is rarely used (in individual case)
• Behaviour change needs to be socially important
What do we mean by Generalisable?
• Behaviour change needs to occur across different settings
• Behaviour change needs to occur when different
individuals/caregivers implement the intervention
How do we determine if we need to design a BM/ABA plan? (4)
• If there is a referral you need to determine whether it
requires a program:
1. Is it to primarily benefit the client?
2. Is the problem important to the client or others?
3. Can the problem and the goal be specified so that you are dealing with a specific behaviour or set of behaviours that can be measured in some way?
4. Have you eliminated the possibility that the problem involvescomplications that would necessitate referring to another specialist?
5. Is the problem one that would appear easily manageable?
• Rank order multiple problems and complex = harder
6. If the desired behaviour change is obtained, can it be
readily generalised to and maintained in the natural
environment?
7. Can you identify significant individuals in the client’s natural environment who might help record observations and manage controlling stimuli and reinforcers?
8. If there are individuals who might hinder the program, can you identify ways to minimise their potential interference?
Desribe the five steps you must undertake during the pre-assessment.
- Define the problem in precise behavioural terms
- Select an appropriate baseline procedure to:
- Monitor the behaviour
- Identify current stimulus control of behaviour (note: CC)
- Identify maintaining consequences of the behaviour
- Monitor relevant medical/health/personal variables
- Identify an alternative desirable behaviour - Design recording procedures
- Ensure observers have training to monitor
- Analyse data carefully and terminate baseline when
appropriate to commence intervention
What are token economies?
• A ‘token economy’ is when tokens are given as
reinforcers.
- The tokens can be traded for rewards later.
- Inpatient treatment facilities
- Schools
- Incarceration
- Nursing homes
- Littering campaigns
What are the seven steps of a token economy?
- Target behaviour
- Types of token
- Back up reinforcers
- reinforcement schedule
- Exchange criterion
- Time/place for exchange
- Response cost
What is a behavioural contract?
Written agreement that provides a clear statement of what behaviours of what individuals will produce what reinforcers and who will deliver those reinforcers
What is a treatment contract?
Written agreement between the client and behaviour
modifier that clearly outlines the objectives and methods of treatment, the framework of the service to be provided, and contingencies for remuneration that may be forthcoming to the behaviour modifier.
