Module 3 - Chap. 3: Selecting & Defining Target Behaviors

Question 1

Role of assessment in ABA

Answer 1

Methods to identify and define targets for behavior change

Identify relevant factors that may inform or influence intervention

Question 2

5 phases of assessment

Answer 2

1. Screening
2. Defining problem or criteria for achievement
3. Pinpointing target behaviors
4. Monitoring progress
5. Following-up

Question 3

Pre-assessment considerations

Answer 3

Ethical considerations

• authority
• permission
• resources
• social validity

Question 4

Assessment methods

Answer 4

Indirect measures - interviews, checklists

Direct measures - tests, direct observation

Question 5

Interviewing the individual

Answer 5

Identify list of potential target behaviors

• what & when
• avoid “why”

Identify primary concerns

Verified through further data collection

• direct observation
• use of questionnaires or self-monitoring

Question 6

Interviewing significant others

Answer 6

Develop behavior descriptions

• what, when, how
• avoid “why”
• move from general to specific

Determine participation

Question 7

Checklists

Answer 7

Descriptions of specific behaviors and conditions under which each should occur; alone or with interview

Typically Likert-scale assessments

Ask about antecedents & consequences

• Child Behavior Checklist
• Adaptive Behavior Scale - School
• Adaptive Behavior Scale - Residential and Community

Question 8

Standardized Tests

Answer 8

Consistent administration

• compares performance to specified criteria
• norm-referenced

Limitations

• do not specify target behaviors
• do not provide direct measure of behavior
• licensing requirements

Question 9

Direct observation

Answer 9

• direct & repeated
• natural environment
• identifies potential target behaviors
• preferred method

Question 10

Anecdotal observation

Answer 10

Features of ABC recording

• descriptive
• temporally sequenced
• description of behavior patterns (full attention, 20-30 minutes)
• observations only, no interpretations
• repeat over several days

Question 11

Ecological assessment

Answer 11

Data on individual and environment

• physical features
• home
• reinforcement history

Evaluate amount of descriptive data required to address current need

Question 12

Reactivity

Answer 12

Effects of assessment on behavior being assessed

• obtrusive assessment great impact
• self-monitoring most obtrusive

Reduce reactivity

• unobtrusive methods
• repeat observations
• take effects into account

Question 13

Assessing social significance

Answer 13

Consider whose behavior is being assessed and why
- unacceptable to change behavior primarily for benefit of others

To what extent will proposed change improve the person’s life?

Question 14

Habilitation

Answer 14

Degree to which a person’s behavior repertoire maximizes short and long term reinforcers and minimizes short and long term punishers

Use to assess meaningfulness of behavior change

Question 15

Determining habilitation

Answer 15

Relevance of behavior after intervention

Necessary prerequisite skills

Increased access

Impact on behavior of others

Behavior cusp

Pivotal behavior

Question 16

Behavior cusp

Answer 16

Behaviors that open person’s world to new contingencies
-crawling, reading

Socially valid

Generativeness

Competes with inappropriate responses

Degree that others are affected

Question 17

Pivotal Behaviors

Answer 17

Once learned produces changes in untrained behaviors
- self-initiation, joint attention

Advantages for both interventionist and client

Question 18

Age appropriateness

Answer 18

Normalization

Philosophy of achieving greatest possible integration of people with disabilities into society

Question 19

Replacement behaviors

Answer 19

Cannot eliminate or reduce a behavior without teaching a replacement

Question 20

Determining Habilitation

Answer 20

Actual target goal or indirectly related
- on task vs. work completion

Talk vs. Behavior of Interest
- primary importance is actual behavior

Focus on behavior, not end product
- weight loss or exercise and diet?

Question 21

Prioritizing target behaviors

Answer 21

1. Threat to health or safety
2. Frequency (opportunities to use new behavior, occurrence of problem)
3. Longevity
4. Potential for higher rates of reinforcement
5. Importance (skill development, independence)
6. Reduction of negative attention
7. Reinforcement for significant others (social validity, exercise caution when considering)
8. Likelihood of success (research, practitioner’s experience, environmental variables, available resources)
9. Cost benefit (costs include client’s time and effort)

Question 22

Target behavior ranking matrix

Answer 22

Numerical rating of potential target behaviors

Increase client, parent, & staff participation

• resolve conflict
• build consensus

Question 23

Role & Importance of target behavior definitions

Answer 23

Definitions required for replication

Replication required to determine usefulness of data in other situations

Necessary for research

Question 24

Importance of definitions to practitioner

Answer 24

Accurate, on-going evaluation requires explicit definition of behavior

Operational definition:
- complete information

Accurate and believable evaluation of effectiveness

Question 25

Two types of definitions

Answer 25

Function based: designated according to effect on the environment Topography based: identifies the shape or form of the behavior

Question 26

Reasons to use function based definitions

Answer 26

Includes all members of response class The function of behavior is the most important feature Simpler & more concise definitions - easier to measure accurately & reliably

Question 27

Reasons to use topography based definitions

Answer 27

Behavior analyst does not have direct, reliable, or easy access to functional outcomes because Cannot rely on the function of behavior because each occurrence does not produce relevant outcome

Question 28

Writing target behavior definitions

Answer 28

``` Accurate Complete Concise Inclusions Exclusions ```

Question 29

Characteristics of good definitions

Answer 29

Objective: refer only to the observable Clear: readable & unambiguous Complete: delineate boundaries of definition

Question 30

Purpose of good definitions

Answer 30

Precise & concise description Reliable observation Accurate recording Agreement & replication

Question 31

Testing a definition

Answer 31

Can you count the # of occurences? SHOULD ANSWER YES Will a stranger know what to look for based on definition alone? SHOULD ANSWER YES Can you break the target behavior down to smaller, more specific component? SHOULD ANSWER NO

Question 32

Setting criteria for Behavior Change

Answer 32

Selected because of importance to clients - increase, maintain, generalize, desirable behaviors - decrease undesirable behaviors Valued & meaningful behaviors have social validity

Question 33

Set criteria before modifying

Answer 33

Setting criteria is as important as defining Range of acceptability Must identify optimum range prior to modifying Must know when to terminate treatment Eliminate disagreements on effectiveness

Question 34

2 Approaches for setting criteria

Answer 34

Assess performance of highly competent people Experimentally manipulate different performance levels to determine optimal results