Functional Assessment

Question 1

Definition of functional assessment? Aka

Answer 1

a set of procedures that allow relationships between a behaviour and its antecedents and consequences to be determined (a.k.a. Functional behaviour assessment, or FBA)

Question 2

the U.S. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act…

Answer 2

requires the use of a functional behaviour assessment as the basis for a beh support plan

Question 3

What information does an FBA provide? (7)

Answer 3

• objective description of antecedents
• objective description of problem behs
• obj descr of consequences
• motivational variables (EOs, AOs)
• potential reinforcers
• potential competing behaviours
• effectiveness of previous interventions

Question 4

Functions of problem behaviours

Answer 4

Social positive reinforcement
Social negative reinforcement
Automatic positive reinforcement
Automatic negative reinforcement

Question 5

Types of positive reinforcement

Answer 5

Social: provided by another person
Automatic: beh automatically results in reinforcement

Tangible: reinforcer is physical item
Activity: reinforcement involves access to an activity

Question 6

What is an indirect method of functional assessment? AKA?

Answer 6

data on antecedents, behaviours, and consequences are collected from the target person or others who know them well (e.g., family, friends, teachers), based on their memory of what happened
AKA informant assessment

Question 7

Three types of indirect functional assessment

Answer 7

Interviews
Questionnaires
Rating scales

Question 8

Pros and cons of indirect functional assessment

Answer 8

Fast and easy to do

Less reliable; memory is fallible
Only provide correlation btw antecedents/consequences & beh

Question 9

What is the direct method of functional assessment? AKA?

Answer 9

data on antecedents, behaviours, and consequences is gathered as the behaviour occurs in its natural environment
AKA descriptive assessment

Question 10

Four types of direct observation methods of functional assessment

Answer 10

1. Unstructured
2. Structured
3. Scatterplot analysis
4. ABC observations

Question 11

What is unstructured direct observation

Answer 11

observations are made without altering events in the environment in any way (normal daily life)

Question 12

What is structured direct observation

Answer 12

specific antecedents in the environment are systematically manipulated, and results are recorded; however, consequences are not altered

Question 13

What is scatterplot analysis direct observation

Answer 13

recording period is divided into intervals; every half hour, if the behaviour has occurred, one cell of the grid is shaded in

Question 14

What is ABC observation

Answer 14

record antecedents, behaviours, and consequences under normal conditions as they occur

Question 15

Descriptive method vs checklist method ABC observation

Answer 15

Descriptive method uses ABC observation sheet (columns for date/time, antecedent(s), behaviour, consequence(s), possible function)

Checklist method uses checklist for ^^^

Question 16

Pros and cons of direct observation methods

Answer 16

More accurate

More work and time
Only provide correlation btw antecedents/consequences and beh

Question 17

What is an experimental method of functional assessment

Answer 17

an experimenter systematically manipulates antecedents and consequences to determine their effect on the target behaviour in a structured situation
(test and control groups)

Question 18

Exploratory vs hypothesis testing of the experimental method

Answer 18

Exploratory: to determine patterns of relationships that are not yet clear

Hypothesis testing: to confirm predictions from informant or descriptive assessment

Question 19

Control vs test groups in experimental method

Answer 19

test conditions: present different EO and possible reinforcer for problem behaviour in each condition
control condition: present an AO and withhold possible reinforcers for problem behaviour

Question 20

Pros and cons of experimental method

Answer 20

Establishes cause and effect

Requires more time and expertise

Question 21

Six steps of conducting a functional assessment

Answer 21

1. use indirect methods first (e.g. interview)
2. formulate a hypothesis ab possible antecedents, consequences of the beh
3. perform direct observations
4. determine if data from direct obs supports hypothesis
5. if assessments are consistent, develop beh support plan
6. if assessments are inconsistent, conduct functional analysis to confirm hypothesis

Question 22

What do you do after completing a functional assessment

Answer 22

Develop a behaviour support plan (or beh intervention plan)

Question 23

Behaviour support plans consist of…

Answer 23

Summary of data (antecedents, beh, consequences)
Hypothesis of function
Functional intervention (beh treatment program)

Question 24

Methods of functional assessment

Answer 24

Indirect methods
Direct methods
Experimental methods

Question 25

Experimental methods aka

Answer 25

Functional analysis