Quiz 8 Flashcards
Direct Assessment
- Direct observations. ABC data
- Scatterplot
- ABC Recording
- Functional Analysis Observation
Direct Observation & Functional Assessment
- Identify Triggers and Motivations for challenging behavior
- Monitor Learner Progress
- establish current level of behavior (baseline)
- evaluate any change in behavior
– during environmental manipulation
– during and after intervention is applied
- Evaluate Intervention
Ecological Assessment
- Observe how child’s behavior changes from one situation to another
- Identify settings where challenging behavior is
– likely to occur
– unlikely to occur
How do these changes in settings help?
- May help identify things to incorporate into the intervention
Direct Observation Methods [Placeholder]
.
Anecdotal
- written, impressionistic notes
- sometime after behavior has occured
Running Record
- long hand notes of behavior, situation, and time of occurrence
Systematic Observation
- Consistent method of observing & recording
Systematic Observation General Methods [Placeholder]
.
Event-based (each & every occurrence)
- Counting
- Duration
- Latency
- Trial, Task Analysis, Levels of Assistance
Estimating (Sampling)
How much or how long
- Interval Recording
- Momentary Time Sampling
Scatterplot (What did it do)
- Specifically defined behavior challenge
- Touchette and colleagues
- Partial Interval recording system
- Patterns of behavior x time/activity
Scatterplot Steps [skip and refer to PowerPoint]
Refer to slides 17 and 18 of PowerPoint
Scatterplot Pros
Pros
- Quick, relatively easy to complete
- Direct observation
- Data analysis
– relatively easy
– id time/activity/person relationship with behavior
- Suggests times for detailed observations
Scatterplot Cons
- Need minimal training
- Doesn’t distinguish situations with low rate vs high rate challenging behavior
– depends on the recording technique
- Reliability & Validity limited
– varies by person
Functional Assessment Observation Methods
- A-B-C recording
- Functional Assessment Direct Observation (FADO)
- Matrix Recording
A-B-C Recording [Placeholder]
.
Event Recording
Event recording
- Each antecedent, behavior & consequence
- in sequence, they occur
- time of occurrence
- situation (Setting Events) where the behavior occurred
ID
- triggers & motivation itself
–OR
- Select specific antecedents, consequences, & setting events for use in FADO
- Time-consuming to analyze
Environmental Manipulation (Functional Analysis)
- Changing suspected establishing operations, antecedents, or consequences
– systematically (consistently) change only 2 of these
– over several days (3-5 days)
- observe any change in challenging behavior
Procedures
- Need to have a baseline of the behavior before the change
- Confirm or disconfirm hypothesis
Establishing Operation (EO)
A motivating operation that increases the value of a reinforcer and increases the frequency of behavior that provides access to the reinforcer
Environmental Manipulation (Functional Analysis) Assessments
Functional Analysis
- “behavioral allergy test”
- added to direct observation & indirect assessment
Change suspected
- Setting events, triggers, or consequences
- observe if & how these changes influence challenging behavior
Functional Analysis
- Yields a clear demonstration of the variables that relate to the occurrence of problem behavior
- Serves as the standard to which all other forms of FBA are evaluated
- Enables the development of effective reinforcement-based treatment
Probable Functions of Behavior
- Almost 60% of behaviors appear to serve either attention or escape functions
- Only 15% of behaviors appear to serve multiple functions*
- Parsimony!
- Multiple functions appear to be rare (but are very frequently reported with indirect and descriptive analyses
Parsimony [Personal can skip]
The principle that the simplest explanation of an event or observation is the preferred explanation.
Typical Functional Analysis Conditions
- Contingent Attention
- Contingent Escape
- Alone
- Control (e.g., “free play”)
- These are presented one at a time until a pattern of problem behavior emerges
Typical Functional Analysis: Attention Condition
- Student is given access to low-moderate preferred activity
- While in the same room, ignore all non-target behavior
- When target behavior occurs, provide attention for ~5 seconds, then turn away
Typical Functional Analysis: Escape Condition
- Student is presented a non-preferred task
- Provide instruction to complete task
- If student does not complete task, prompt to complete, then present next task
- When target behavior occurs, remove task for 30 seconds, then re-present task
Typical Functional Analysis: Tangible (Control) Condition
- Student is given free access to variety of preferred activities
- The preferred activity/toy is removed
- Some toys are still available, receiving adult attention
- When target behavior occurs, the preferred activity is returned to the individual
Typical Functional Analysis: Alone
- Student is left in room alone with no materials and asked to wait
- Observe student via a 2-way mirror or video feed
- Track levels of target behavior – no response
Typical Functional Analysis: Control Condition
- Student is given free access to a variety of preferred items
- No demands are placed on student, including social (don’t ask conversational questions)
- Provide attention every 30 seconds (comment, praise, etc.)
Typical Functional Analysis Procedure
- Each session is 10 minutes
- Present one condition, track the behavior during the session
- Take a 5-minute break between sessions
- Alternate conditions (Attention, Escape, Control, Automatic)
- Randomize order of conditions presented to control for sequencing effects
- Conditions that elicit target behavior rates higher the control condition indicate the function of behavior
Environmental Manipulation Issues
Behaviors
- Not dangerous; occur at predictable times or situations; risk/benefit analysis
When
- After all other Functional Assessment methods
Other Issues
- 1 behavior, 1 environmental condition at a time
- Keep other conditions as constant as possible
When to Use Environmental Manipulation (Functional Analysis)
After other functional assessment
- Function not apparent from this information
Most useful with behaviors that
- aren’t dangerous or life-threatening
- occur frequently, at predictable times
Interventionist (teacher consultant)
- is trained; has resources to ensure safety
Pros of Environmental Manipulation (Functional Analysis)
- Clear evaluation of behavior function
- Identify specific events that trigger or maintain behavior
- Identify multiple functions
- Eliminate unimportant variables
Cons of Environmental Manipulation (Functional Analysis)
- May provoke harmful or disruptive behavior
- Time-consuming effort, attention, conflict with serving other students
- Initial manipulation may fail
