Chapter 2: Observing & Recording Behavior

Question 1

Screening/intake phase

Answer 1

Obtain client demographic information and reasons for seeking assistance

Screen for crisis condition → requiring immediate intervention

Diagnose with DSM-5

Inform Client of practitioners policies and procedures

Question 2

Preprogram assessment phase/ baseline phase

Answer 2

Define and measure official baseline level of Behavior

Question 3

Treatment phase

Answer 3

Actively apply training, intervention, or treatment program

Question 4

Follow-up phase

Answer 4

Determine effects on Behavior following termination of treatment program → prevent relapse

Question 5

Target Behaviour

Answer 5

The behaviour you are interested in changing

The “what”

Question 6

Behavioural goal

Answer 6

Level of the target behaviour that a program is designed to achieve → end goal

Objective and measurable

Question 7

Outcome goal

Answer 7

Broad, abstract result that one wishes to attain

Often recognized as important by society

The “why”

Question 8

Interobserver agreement (ioa)

Answer 8

Stastitic calculated to determine consistency in recording of target behaviour

Highly consistent (>90%)

May reveal bias of the observer

IOA may be used to evaluate definition of target behaviour

Question 9

Calculating IOA

Answer 9

Frequency: Use frequency ratio
Smaller count/larger count x 100 =IOA (%)

Duration or latency: use time ratio
Shorter time/longer time x 100 = IOA (%)

Interval or time sample recording: Use point-by-point agreement ratio
A/A+D x 100 = IOA (%)
A = number of agreements
D= number of disagreements

Question 10

6 dimensions of measuring behaviour

Answer 10

Frequency: number of responses in a given period of time

Duration: length of time of behaviour

Latency: time between an antecedent stimulus or event and the onset of behaviour

Intensity: assesses strength of behaviour, often with a rating scale

Product recording: measure tangible output of behaviour → only used if the behaviour cannot be observed or measured

Quality: often arbitrary judgement of social value; may use a rating scale

Question 11

Operational definition

Answer 11

A precise, objective definition of a term by specifying the operations the researcher or observer made to measure it → the “how”

Potential problems:
↳ definition may be vague, subjective, incomplete, or have loopholes
↳ some behaviors best captured by multiple dimensions

Question 12

Direct assessment

Answer 12

Antecedents, target behaviours, and consequences are obsessed and recorded as they occur

Question 13

Indirect assessment

Answer 13

Based on second hand or third hand, remembered information

Questionnaires /rating scales

Role playing

Intones with clients and significant others

Question 14

Indirect vs. Direct assessment

Answer 14

Indirect is generally less accurate than direct assessment → observers may not have training and memory can be fallible/distorted

Direct is more difficult than indirect assessment
- more time consuming
- observers need to be trained
- others cannot observe covert behaviours

Question 15

Analogue setting

Answer 15

Behaviour observed in a simulated location

Lab etc.

Question 16

Unstructured observation

Answer 16

Observations made without giving instructions, or alerting events or activities

Question 17

Structured observation

Answer 17

Observations made white instructions are given or specific events are planned to occur systematically

Question 18

Problems with observation (reactivity)

Answer 18

Natural setting may prevent accurate measurement

Reactivity: recording or measuring a behaviour affects occurrence of the behaviour

↳ confounds cause-and-effect conclusions, but may still be beneficial
↳ reactivity may habituate over time

Question 19

Continuous recording/event recording

Answer 19

Record every instance of clients behaviour during the entire observation period → suitable if each response has a similar duration and behaviour occurs at low rates

Pros + cons:
→ provides actual measure of behaviour
→ well suited to self monitoring
→ very labour-intensive, impractical, or impossible

Question 20

Interval recording

Answer 20

Record target behaviour within successive time intervals of equal duration→ suitable for responses with variable durations or high rates

Partial-interval and whole-interval

Pros & cons:
→ easiest/less demanding to record than continuous recording
→ less sensitive to true occurrence of behaviour

Question 21

Partial- interval recording

Answer 21

Record behaviour a maximum of once per interval, regardless of how many times it actually occurred (good for frequently occurring behaviours)

Question 22

Whole interval recording

Answer 22

Record behaviour only if it persists during the entire interval

Good for behaviours that have long durations

Question 23

Time sample recording

Answer 23

Record behaviour dung brief intervals separated from each other in time

Pros & cons:
→ more subject to sampling error
→ easiest/least demanding to record

Question 24

Clients have the following rights

Answer 24

A therapeutic environment

Services whose overriding goal is personal welfare

Treatment by a competent behaviour analyst

Programs that teach functional skills

Behavioral assessment and ongoing evaluation

The most effective treatment procedures available

Question 25

Program evaluation

Answer 25

Used to determine efficacy of treatment

Dimensions of evaluation + amount and importance of the change + cost-benefit ratio

Question 26

Dimensions of evaluation

Answer 26

Generalization: does the behaviour occur in different situations other than the training context?

Maintenance: how long does the behaviour remain altered?

Question 27

Amount and importance of the change

Answer 27

Clinical significance of change: does the individual benefit from the treatment in a meaningful way?

Social validity: does the behaviour change have a beneficial impact on daily functioning?

Social comparison: compare client to equivalent or “normal” group

Expert evaluation: subjective evaluation by experts