Unit 2 Notes Flashcards
A Brief History of a Verbal Bx Assessment
- B.F. Skinner began his work on Verbal Bx in 1934
- Skinner published the book VB in 1957
- Skinner along with his long-term colleagues Fred Keller were the primary founders of the branch of psychology known as Bx Analysis
History (contd…)
- Skinner’s analysis VB 1957
- Jack.M teacher of Skinner’s analysis of VB started (1955)
- Jack taught Bx analysis at Uni of Kansas (1955-6), Uni of Houston (1956-1958)
- Jack M. has been considered as 1 of the main Founders of the Field of ABA
History (Contd…)
Lee Meyerson
- Lee Meyerson got Jack Micheal involved in Rehabilitation and developmental disabilities at Arizona State Uni
- Meyerson & Micheal published several research papers together during the 1950s & 1960s
- Meyerson developed the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA)
History (contd..)
Montrose Wolf
-Montrose Wolf was Jack M. 2nd PH.D student @ Arizona State Uni & along with Don Baer & Todd Risley provided the foundation for Modern ABA & behavioral Autism treatment later called DTA/ABA. Montrose Wolf founded JABA & was 1sr Editor of that Journal
History (contd..)
Joseph Spradin
- Was first to Systematically apply Skinner’s analysis of VB to language Assessment (and intervention)
- “The Parsons Language Sample” (1963) by Joe Spradin
History (Contd….)
-During the 1960s & 1970s there were 100s of ppl who contributed to the development of ABA & Language assessment & intervention for the developmentally disabled (e.g. Baer, Bailey, Bijou, Engleman, Guess, Hart, Kent, Lovass, Lutzker, Risley, Sailor, Sherman, Spradlin, Terrace, Touchette, wolf)
History (Contd…)
- There was also a # of Bx Analysts focusing on Skinner’s analysis of VB (e.g. Catania, Cook, Moore)
- During the 1970s approx 50 VB research Projects were conducted @ the Kalamazoo Valley Multihandicap Center (KVMC) under the direction of Jack Michael, Mark Sundberg & Jerry shook
- Most of these projects were awmua Masters theses & Doctoral dissertations & were also Presented @ MABA & ABA conventions
The university professor who has been the primary teacher of Skinner’s analysis of Verbal BX over the past 50 yrs is:
a) Murray Sidman
b) Nate Azrin
c) Ogden Lindsey
d) Jack Michael
d) Jack Michael
The clinical researcher who was the first to apply Skinner’s analysis of VB to language assessment for the developmentally disabled was:
a) Joseph Spradlin
b) Don Baer
c) Jerry Shook
d) Montrose Wolf
a) Joseph Spradlin
During the 1970s Jack Michael was the research advisor for over 50 VB research projects conducted at:
a) Parsons State Hospital
b) Juniper Gardens
c) The New England Center for Autism
d) The Kalamazoo Valley Multihandicap Center
d) The Kalamazoo Valley Multihandicap Center
The Purpose of a Language Assessment
- Determine the Operant level of a child’s verbal (and related) skills
- Compare to typical language development data
- Identify language acquisition & learning “Barriers”
- If & where to begin intervention (placement)
- Establish IEP Goals
- Design an individualized curriculum/intervention program
- Teaching Strategies
- Is the intervention prog Working? Why/why not?
- A tool to demonstrate learning, track Progress make changes, provide outcome measures
Traditional Language Assessment
- Cognitive and/or biological variables seen as the primary sources of Control for verbal responses
- Based on the expressive-receptive distinction, mediated by cognitive processors
- Norm referenced & Standardized assessments
- Peabody pic vocal test
- Expressive one-word vocabulary test
Behavioral Language Assessment
- The verbal operant is the functional Unit (form & function)
- Environmental variables are viewed as the relevant sources of control for verbal responses, rather than cognitive/biological variables
- Each verbal operants involves sources of control (independent variables), thus each must be Assessed
- Most verbal responses are under Multiple sources of control
- More complex VB is comprised of various Combinations of the verbal operants
- Speaker & listener as separate Repertoires
- Criterion-referenced assessment
The application of Skinner’s analysis of VB to language assessment suggests that:
a) Language should be assessed by accepted ABA procedures
b) Language should be assess by its functional properties
c) Language should be assessed in terms of its form & function
d) Language should be assessed in the natural environment
c) Language should be assessed in terms of its form & function
Skinner’s analysis of VB proposes that the Unit of analysis in the measurement of language should be:
a) The mean length of utterance
b) The phrase structure
c) The antecedent-bx-consequence relation
d) Reinforcement & punishment
c) The antecedent-bx-consequence relation
In addition to assessing the elementary verbal operants, it is also imp to analyze & assess:
a) All cognitive variables related to language development
b) The linguistic barriers that maybe preventing Verbal development
c) The intraverbal repertoire in great detail
d) The mand repertoire in great detail
b) The linguistic barriers that maybe preventing Verbal development
The problem with assessment based on the traditional distinction btw expressive & receptive language is that:
a) It takes too long to assess all the skills
b) The categories of expressive & receptive blend imp distinction btw mand, tact, intraverbal & listener skills
c) There is no distinction btw expressive & receptive language
d) Expressive & receptive language do not account for sign language & picture systems
b) The categories of expressive & receptive blend imp distinction btw mand, tact, intraverbal & listener skills
The focus of traditional language assessment is on:
a) Response form, mean-length-of utterance, & age equivalents
b) Speech only
c) Cognitive growth
d) Articulation & communication errors
a) Response form, mean-length-of utterance, & age equivalents
A standardized language assessment is:
a) Criterion referenced
b) Both norm referenced & criterion referenced
c) Norm referenced
d) Neither norm referenced or criterion referenced
c) Norm referenced
The Importance of Language and Social Behavior
- The primary focus of an intervention program for children with autism should be on the development of Effective language & Social Skills
- There clearly are several other areas in need, such self-care, visual motor skills, academics, fine & gross motor etc, but language & social skills are typically the most significant Deficits for children with autism & careful Training is the key to the most significant gains
- The failure to conduct an Appropriate assessment results in one of the biggest problems in prog that serve children with autism or other development disabilities. An appropriate Curriculum
The Behavioral Classification of Language (Skinner, 1957)
- Mand: Asking for reinforcers. Asking for “shoes” because you want your shoes
- Tact: Naming/identifying objects, actions, events etc. Saying “shoes” because you see you shoes
- Listener: Following instructions/complying with the mands of others. Touching a picture of shoes when asked “Touch the shoes”
- Echoic: Repeating what is heard. Saying “shoes” after someone else says “shoes”
The Behavioral Classification of Language
Contd….
- Imitation: Copying someone’s Motor movement (as they relate to sign language)
- Copying-a-text: Writing “shoes” cuz some1 else writes “shoes”
- Intraverbal: Answering ques or having conversations where ur Words are controlled by other words. Saying “shoes” cuz some1 else says “what do you need to put on ur feet?”
- Textual: Reading words. Saying “shoes” cuz you see the written word “shoes”
- Transcription: Writing & spelling words spoken to you. Writing “shoes” cuz you hear “shoes” spoken
Problems with the ABLLS (Partington & Sundberg, 1998)
- A significant improvement over Spradlin 1963; Sundberg, et al, 1979; Sundberg, 1983, 87, 90
- Too many Skills to assess (476, over 1500 cell with the 1-4 criteria)
- Steps on the cells were too Small for IEP goals (Milestones are better)
- Skills not developmentally Balanced out on the grids
- Much of it is out of Developmental sequence (as I see it now)
- Core sequence of verbal skills if 26 yr old (Sundberg, 1983)
- Just a listing of skills with e.g. & a scoring criteria
- Confusing progression of skills; up/out?
- No Content on wat constitutes Mands, Tacts, Intraverbals etc
- No Content on what constitutes Mands, Tacts, Intraverbals etc
- No content/text on how to Conduct a VB analysis
Problems with ABLLS
Partington & Sundberg, 1998
- Not a “curriculum” for language intervention “curriculum Guide”
- Originally, the ABLLS was designed to Accompany the “Teaching Language to Children with Autism” book (The ABLLS was not designed to serve as a stand alone product)
- Not enough info in the individual cells to explain the skill being assessed & the relevant sources of control (e.g. noun-verb tacting, mands for info, multiply controlled intraverbal bx)
- No VB analysis of language & learning barriers (a major component of assessment)
- No Placement system (e.g. when to start IV)
- No Transition assessment