Ch. 13 - Functional Assessment

Question 1

What is functional assessment?

Answer 1

the process of identifying these variables before treating a problem behaviour

Question 2

Regardless of whether the behaviour is undesirable or desirable, its occurrence is controlled by…

Answer 2

environmental variables

Question 3

What are the categories of information from a functional assessment?

Answer 3

Problem behaviours, Antecedents, Consequences, Alternative behaviours, Potential reinforcers, Previous interventions

Question 4

Describe problem behaviours

Answer 4

an objective description of the behaviours that make up the problem

Question 5

Describe antecedents

Answer 5

an objective description of environmental events preceding the problem behaviour, including aspects of the physical environment and the behaviour of other people

Question 6

Describe consequences

Answer 6

an objective description of environmental events that follow the problem behaviour, including aspects of the physical environment and the behaviour of people

Question 7

Describe alternative behaviours

Answer 7

information on desirable behaviours in the person’s repertoire that may be reinforced to compete with the problem behaviour

Question 8

Describe potential reinforcers

Answer 8

information on environmental events - including physical stimuli and the behaviour of other people - that may function as reinforcers and be used in a treatment program

Question 9

Describe previous interventions

Answer 9

information on the interventions that have been used in the past and their effects on the problem behaviours

Question 10

What are the functions of problem behaviours

Answer 10

Social positive and negative reinforcement and automatic positive reinforcement

Question 11

What is social positive reinforcement?

Answer 11

positive reinforcement mediated by another person

Question 12

What is social negative reinforcement?

Answer 12

target behaviours may be maintained by negative reinforcement that is mediated by another person

Question 13

What is automative positive reinforcement?

Answer 13

the reinforcing consequence of a target behaviour may not be mediated by another person, but rather as an automatic consequence automatically, and the behaviour itself

Question 14

What is automative negative reinforcement?

Answer 14

automatic negative reinforcement occurs when the target behaviour automatically reduces eliminates an aversive stimulus as a consequence of the behaviour and the behaviour is strengthened

Question 15

What are the two types of functional analysis?

Answer 15

Exploratory and hypothesis testing

Question 16

Describe exploratory functional analysis

Answer 16

a number of possible reinforcers are evaluated in the functional analysis along with a control condition in which no EOs or reinforcers for the problem behaviour are present

Question 17

Describe hypothesis testing functional analysis

Answer 17

one test condition and one control condition are used to test the hypothesis that a particular reinforcing consequence is maintaining the problem behaviour

Question 18

What are the steps in conducting a functional assessment?

Answer 18

behavioural interview, hypothesis about the ABCs of the problem behaviour, direct observation assessment of the ABCs in the natural context, confirm your initial hypothesis about the ABCs of the problem behaviour, with a firm hypothesis you can develop functional treatments that address the antecedents and consequences identified in the functional assessment, conduct further assessments if needed

Question 19

Behaviours exist because they have…

Answer 19

functions

Question 20

If you can change the antecedent in order to change the consequence, then…

Answer 20

you don’t have to directly affect consequences or the behaviour

Question 21

Assessing is…

Answer 21

defining the target behaviour and assessing its antecedents and consequences

Question 22

Behaviour is influenced by…

Answer 22

antecedents and consequences (ABC)

Question 23

What are the categories of reinforcement given in lecture?

Answer 23

Social Attention, Escape or Avoidance, Automatic Reinforcement, Tangible Reinforcement

Question 24

Direct observation is ideal but has issues with…

Answer 24

reactivity, feasibility and recruiting informants

Question 25

What are the steps of functional assessment as given in lecture?

Answer 25

1. Indirect Assessment
2. Generate Behaviour Hypotheses
3. Direct Assessment
4. Modify Behaviour Hypotheses
5. Functional Analysis
6. Consistent: Develop Treatment
7. Not Consistent: Back to 4