Chapter 2: Observing & Recording Behavior Flashcards
Screening/intake phase
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
Preprogram assessment phase/ baseline phase
Define and measure official baseline level of Behavior
Treatment phase
Actively apply training, intervention, or treatment program
Follow-up phase
Determine effects on Behavior following termination of treatment program → prevent relapse
Target Behaviour
The behaviour you are interested in changing
The “what”
Behavioural goal
Level of the target behaviour that a program is designed to achieve → end goal
Objective and measurable
Outcome goal
Broad, abstract result that one wishes to attain
Often recognized as important by society
The “why”
Interobserver agreement (ioa)
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
Calculating IOA
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
6 dimensions of measuring behaviour
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
Operational definition
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
Direct assessment
Antecedents, target behaviours, and consequences are obsessed and recorded as they occur
Indirect assessment
Based on second hand or third hand, remembered information
Questionnaires /rating scales
Role playing
Intones with clients and significant others
Indirect vs. Direct assessment
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
Analogue setting
Behaviour observed in a simulated location
Lab etc.
Unstructured observation
Observations made without giving instructions, or alerting events or activities
Structured observation
Observations made white instructions are given or specific events are planned to occur systematically
Problems with observation (reactivity)
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
Continuous recording/event recording
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
Interval recording
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
Partial- interval recording
Record behaviour a maximum of once per interval, regardless of how many times it actually occurred (good for frequently occurring behaviours)
Whole interval recording
Record behaviour only if it persists during the entire interval
Good for behaviours that have long durations
Time sample recording
Record behaviour dung brief intervals separated from each other in time
Pros & cons:
→ more subject to sampling error
→ easiest/least demanding to record
Clients have the following rights
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
Program evaluation
Used to determine efficacy of treatment
Dimensions of evaluation + amount and importance of the change + cost-benefit ratio
Dimensions of evaluation
Generalization: does the behaviour occur in different situations other than the training context?
Maintenance: how long does the behaviour remain altered?
Amount and importance of the change
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
