Selecting & Defining Target Behaviors

Question 1

Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)

Answer 1

A problem solving process for addressing student behavioral concerns

Aims to identify the purpose of specific behaviors so that the interventions can be selected to address why problem behavior occurs

This broader perspective offers a better understanding of the cause or function behind student behavior

Question 2

Need for FBA — there is no single cause for problem behavior

Answer 2

• Throwing books*
• Bob, 12 year old who reads at a 2nd grade level, throws his primary reader across the room
• Alfredo, 7 year old who reads Harry Potter novels, throws his 2nd grade text and workbook on the floor when asked to complete assignment
• Jennie, 11 year old who can’t read the textbook assigned to her and her classmates, throws book into desk
• Samson, 9 year old who hears lawn equipment outside, throws reading book down on desk

Question 3

Need for FBA — topography tells us little about intervention

Answer 3

Only identifying what the behavior is does not provide direction for intervention

Understanding underlying causes, or functions, provides direction for teaching

Reactive procedures that simply seek to stop problem behavior rarely result in long-term behavior change

Question 4

Cause of problem behavior

Answer 4

Causes or functions of behavior

1. Biological
2. Environmental
3. Social
4. Affective factors

Functions of behavior are not usually considered inappropriate - it’s the behavior in relation to the context in which it occurs that is judged appropriate or inappropriate

Question 5

Functions of behavior

Answer 5

Positive reinforcement (access to something desirable): object, activity, attention, social engagement, sensory feedback

Negative reinforcement (escape from something undesirable): difficult task, physical discomfort, social embarrassment

Combination of functions

Question 6

Questions answered through FBA

Answer 6

What antecedent is occasioning the behavior?

What consequence is maintaining the behavior?

Can the student be taught in an alternative, appropriate behavior to accommodate the same function as the inappropriate behavior?

These answers lead to the functional definition of the target behavior

Question 7

Approaches to gathering data

Answer 7

Important information

• student, peers, teachers, parents
• interviews, scales, questionnaires
• standardized tests
• behavior checklists

Direct observation
- gather data across settings; as many observation sessions as possible

Question 8

Issues in assessment

Answer 8

What people say vs. what they do
- making bed, eating better, exercising, studying

Tolerance levels
- ignore the little things

Ecological factors
- temperature, arrangement, noise, demands

Reactivity to assessment
- behavior changes because it is being watched

Question 9

Outcomes of Informant Assessments

Answer 9

Clear description of the problem behavior

Events, times, and situations that predict when the problem behavior will and will not occur

Consequences that maintain the problem behavior

Summary of statement(s)

Collection of direct observational data

Question 10

Outcomes of Direct Observation

Answer 10

ABC recording (Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence)

Scatter plot assessment
- result in a correlation to the time of day, presence or absence of certain people, social setting, activities, reinforcement, physical environment, or combination of variables

Question 11

Develop a hypothesis

Answer 11

The final result of the problem analysis is a hypothesis concerning what is occasioning and/or maintaining the target behavior

Based on the relationships between antecedents and consequences and the target behavior observed through the assessments conducted

Interventions can be based on this hypothesis

Question 12

Function: Positive reinforcement

Answer 12

Gain access to desired objects, activities, attention:

• reinforce increased time with non-preferred object, activity, person
• teach and/or strengthen replacement behavior for gaining access to preferred object, activity, person in a socially acceptable manner at appropriate times
• hold preferred objects, activities, attention back as reinforcement for meeting behavioral expectations

Question 13

Function: Positive reinforcement (cont.)

Answer 13

Sensory feedback or self-stimulation

• reinforce time not engaged in sensory feedback or self-stimulation
• teach and/or strengthen replacement behavior for gaining sensory feedback or stimulation through socially acceptable means, at appropriate times
• reinforce specific competing behaviors

Question 14

Function: Negative reinforcement

Answer 14

Escape/avoid undesirable tasks, activities, social situations

• reinforce time engaged in undesirable tasks, activities, social situations
• teach and/or strengthen behavior for gaining permission to leave undesirable tasks, activities, social situations in socially acceptable manners, at appropriate times

Question 15

FBA leads to behavioral goals, objectives, and definition

Answer 15

Identify the problem behavior in concrete terms that are observable and measurable

Use terms that are concrete (argues, leaves assigned area without permission) rather than vague (has an attitude, hyperactive)

Define the problem behavior so that you can observe its concurrence

Question 16

FBA: Behavior intervention plans

Answer 16

BIPs are written documents, based on assessment outcomes, that identifies goals and objectives for addressing students social, emotional, and behavioral development

Components:

• goals & objectives
• targeting behaviors
• identify behavior interventions and supports
• identify roles and responsibilities of persons

Question 17

Writing behavioral goals

Answer 17

An overall, global statement about the intended change in target behavior (Sally will improve social interactions)

Not measurable

Statement that guides the formation of behavioral objectives

Question 18

Writing behavioral objectives

Answer 18

Identifies the learned

Identifies the target behavior

Identifies the conditions under which the behavior will occur

Identifies the criteria for acceptable performance

(During 15 minute play station time, Sally will offer one item to share with a peer, three times per week)

Question 19

Are these behavioral objectives?

Answer 19

All students in my class will appreciate poetry.
NO

Given an array of 3 objects in the environment and verbal cue “Give me the…..” Aaron will hand the teacher the named object 9 out of 10 times.
YES

Bailey will decrease out of seat behavior.
NO

On each occasion, Taylor will name the day of the week correctly when asked.
YES

Question 20

Uses of behavioral objectives

Answer 20

Facilitate communication between people involved in the behavior change program

Describe an expected level of performance

Statements that communicate the proposed changes in behavior

Facilitate effective programming

Serve as a basis for evaluating progress towards goals

Question 21

Choosing behaviors to strengthen

Answer 21

Behaviors to be targeted are those socially acceptable behaviors that will serve the same function as the undesirable behavior

Consider the following when determining the appropriateness of the target behavior:

Will addressing the behavior result in higher levels of reinforcement for the student?

Will addressing the behavior positively impact the student’s skill development and independence?

Will addressing the behavior reduce the negative attention the student receives?

Question 22

Consideration of behaviors

Answer 22

Is the problem behavior a result of a skill deficit?

Does the student understand the behavioral expectations for the situation?

Does the student realize that he/she is engaging in unacceptable behavior or is it a “habit?”

Is it within the student’s power to control the behavior or does he/she need support?

Does the student have the skills necessary to perform expected, new behaviors?

Question 23

Consideration of behaviors (cont.)

Answer 23

Does the student have the skill, but, for some reason, does not perform it in an acceptable manner or at appropriate times?

Is it possible that the student is uncertain about the appropriateness of the behavior?

Does the student find value in engaging in the appropriate behavior?

Is the behavior problem associated with certain social or environmental conditions?

• avoiding low interest or demanding tasks
• considering rules, routines, expectations irrelevant

Question 24

Evaluating the Social Significance of Potential Target Behaviors

Answer 24

Will changing this behavior lead to reinforcement for the student?

• Habilitation
• Relevance of behavior rule

Is changing this behavior necessary before the student can learn more advanced skills?

• Behavioral cusp
• Pivotal behavior

Will changing this behavior gain the student access to other environments?

Will changing this behavior be age appropriate?

Question 25

Defining the target behavior

Answer 25

List concerns - Generate a list of behaviors that are either:

• too disruptive (tantrums, talking out)
• not frequent enough (functional, communication)

Include specific examples of behaviors (interrupts during class vs. being inappropriate)

Focus on behaviors that are going to help the child experience the most success across a variety of settings/people/social circumstances

Question 26

Defining the target behavior (cont.)

Answer 26

Place behaviors in categories/domains
- this can help narrow down to a class of behaviors

Prioritize

• always start with dangerous behaviors
• considering focusing on social behaviors
• target behaviors that occur in multiple settings, with a variety of individuals

Question 27

Defining the target behavior (cont.)

Answer 27

Operationalize/Define (topography-based)

• use clear concrete observable terms
• stranger test (can someone else see it?)
• dead man’s test (does it involve action?)
• must lend to data collection
• does it make sense to operationalize both the target behavior and a replacement behavior?
• doing so may aid in data collection, goal setting, and outcome analysis

Question 28

Defining the target behavior (cont.)

Answer 28

Final definition (topography-based definition)

• objective
• observable
• clear
• concise
• complete
• inclusionary criteria
• exclusionary criteria

Question 29

Questions to test the behavioral definition

Answer 29

Can you count the # of times the behavior happened in a given time frame?

Have you described the behavior so that someone who is unfamiliar with what you are doing will know exactly what to look for?

Have you broken the behavior down into its smallest component parts?

Question 30

From generality to specificity

Answer 30

The big idea: GOAL

The path to get to the goal: OBJECTIVE

The tiny parts that make up the objective: BEHAVIOR

Question 31

Teaching behavior

Answer 31

Analyze why behavior occurs (the function of behavior)

Approach the behavior as you would an academic task
- is it a skill deficit?
(break it down into small pieces; recognize successive approximations of the behavior)

• is it a performance deficit?
  (provide opportunity for the behavior to happen; recognize the behavior)

Question 32

Task analysis

Answer 32

Break the skill down into its smallest components

• provides a series of sequentially ordered steps (this helps define the behavior and the objectives)
• provides teachable steps (this creates the teaching plan)

Not everyone has to always go through the same steps (or in the same order) to arrive at the final behavior - individualize according to skill being taught and person’s needs

Question 33

Validating a task analysis

Answer 33

Methods of validating
- develop task analysis after watching others do the behavior; then use those steps to teach the behavior

• consult with experts/persons who are skilled at performing the behavior
• perform the behavior yourself

Edit task analysis according to results

Question 34

Assessing Mastery Level

Answer 34

Where to start teaching with a task analysis? What does the person know how to do?

Single opportunity method:
- check off steps of the analysis in the sequential order that the person completes independently - stop recording when an error occurs

Multiple opportunity method:

• check off all steps that can be completed independently (even if an error occurs)
• teacher performs tasks that are not independently completed to see if next step can be completed)