Chap 3 Target behaviors

Question 1

Behavior assessment

Answer 1

Identifies behaviors to change, resources, assets, reinforcers, punishers etc. that may inform or be included in intervention plans to change the target behavior

Question 2

Target behavior

Answer 2

The specific behavior selected for change; must be functional

Question 3

Indirect assessment

Answer 3

Data derived from recollections, reconstructions, or subjective ratings of events (e.g. interviews and checklists)

Question 4

Direct assessment

Answer 4

Provide information about a person’s behavior as it occurs (provide objective data on actual performance)

Question 5

Characteristic of behavioral interview

Answer 5

Use what and when questions that focus on the environment instead of why

Question 6

Behavior checklist

Answer 6

Provides descriptions of specific behaviors and the conditions under which each behavior should occur

Question 7

ABC recording is also known as

Answer 7

anecdotal observation; observer records a descriptive, temporally sequenced account of all behaviors of interest and the antecedent conditions and consequences for those behaviors as those events occur in the client’s natural environment.

Question 8

Mentalistic explanations

Answer 8

Evoked by why questions; assumes clients know the answer to why they do something

Question 9

Methods for obtaining assessment information

Answer 9

Interviews, checklists, tests, direct observation

Question 10

Ecological assessment

Answer 10

Information is gathered about the person and the environments that the person lives and works in

Question 11

Reactivity

Answer 11

Effects of an assessment procedure on the behavior being assessed

Question 12

Habilitation

Answer 12

The degree to which the person’s repertoire maximizes short and long-term reinforcers for that individual and for others, and minimizes short and long term punishers

Question 13

Relevance of behavior rule

Answer 13

A target behavior should only be selected when it can be determined that it will be naturally reinforcing for the person to perform the behavior in his/her environment. Teaching skills that will help in the current environment takes precedence over those that may help in the future

Question 14

Behavioral cusp

Answer 14

A behavior that has consequences beyond the change itself. It exposes the individual’s repertoire to new environments, expanding an individual’s repertoire

Question 15

Criteria of a behavior cusp

Answer 15

1. Access to new reinforcers
2. Social validity
3. Generativeness
4. Competition with inappropriate responses
5. Number and relative importance of people affected

Question 16

Pivotal behavior

Answer 16

A behavior that produces corresponding modifications or covariation in other adaptive untrained behaviors

Question 17

Normalization

Answer 17

Use of more typical environments, expectations, and procedures for the goal of integrating people with disabilities into mainstream

Question 18

Considerations for choosing target behavior

Answer 18

1. Probability of the behavior producing reinforcement in the client’s natural environment
2. Necessary prerequisite for a useful skill?
3. Will the behavior increase the client’s access to environments where other important behaviors can be learned and used?
4. Will changing this behavior increase the chance of others having more appropriate and supportive interactions with the client?
5. Is it a behavioral cusp or pivotal behavior?
6. Age appropriate?
7. If reducing/ eliminating behavior, what adaptive behavior will replace it?
8. Is the behavior the actual problem or goal, or is it indirectly related?
9. Is it just talk or the real behavior of interest
10. If the goal is not a specific behavior (e.g. losing weight), will this behavior help achieve it?

Question 19

Prioritization criteria for target behaviors

Answer 19

1. Danger to person or others?
2. Opportunities to use the skill in the natural environment/ how often the problem behavior occurs
3. Long-standing problem/ skill deficit?
4. Will it produce higher rates of reinforcement?
5. Relative importance of target behavior to future skill development and independent functioning
6. Reduce negative or unwanted attention from others?
7. Reinforcement for significant others?
8. Likely success in changing this behavior
9. Cost to change this behavior (e.g. time, money etc.)

Question 20

Function-based definition of target behavior

Answer 20

Designates responses as members of the targeted response class solely by their common effect on the environment. The function of the behavior is most important

Question 21

Topography-based definition of target behavior

Answer 21

Define instances of the targeted response class behavior by the shape or form of the behavior

Question 22

Characteristics of a good definition of target behavior

Answer 22

1. Objective (refer only to observable characteristics)
2. Clear (readable and unambiguous)
3. Complete (delineate boundaries of what to include and exclude)

Question 23

Social validity

Answer 23

The extent that a person’s life is changed in a positive and meaningful way by changing a target behavior

Question 24

Response

Answer 24

A specific instance of behavior

Question 25

Descriptive functional behavior assessment

Answer 25

Direction observation of behavior under naturally occurring conditions. Involve observation of the behavior in relation to events that are not arranged systematically