Unit 4 Flashcards
Identify functional relations & guide tx
development
purpose of Functional Assessment
4 types of Functional Assessments
Indirect assessment
Descriptive assessment
Structured descriptive assessment
Functional analysis
Assessment of bx that is removed from time
& place from actual occurrence of bx
Indirect
Method of obtaining hypothesis not clear Limited on idiosyncratic variables Reliance on recollection Poor inter-rater agreement Poor convergent validity
Limitation of Indirect
Use as part of direct observation
Include open-ended questions
Use multiple informants
Recommendations for Indirect
Observing individuals in natural environment
by noting events before & after bx
Descriptive Assessment
Narrative recording Open-ended ABC Coded ABC Scatterplot Structured descriptive assessment
Types of DA
Correlational nature of data
Reactivity
Sample of bx may be inadequate
Poor convergent validity
Limitations of DA
Methodology for arranging environmental
variables to compare levels of bx in test &
control conditions
Functional Analysis
Determines true functional relations
May reveal tx effects
Benefits of FA
May not include relevant test conditions May not identify situational features occasioning problem bx Potential for iatrogenic effects Complex, time and labor intensive
4 limitation of FA
No clear difference between test & control
conditions
Undifferentiated FA
Multiple control
Automatic SR+
Discrimination issues
Relevant variables not tested
Causes of Undifferentiated FA
Rule out biological/medical events
Limit pre-session access to reinforcers
FA Best Practices BEFORE analysis
Used fixed sequences Use different SDs for each condition Wait for problem bx to end before next session No or low-preference toys in attn & alone conditions Use intrinsic items
FA Best Practices DURING analysis
Graph topographies separately
Graph responding during relevant MO only
Structured criteria
FA Best Practices for interpretation of data
Location
Divided attention
Difficulty of demands
Conditioned correlated stimuli
Antecedent modifications to clarify FA results
Type of attn delivered
Which bx’s receive consequences
Consequence modifications to clarify FA results
Pairwise
Session duration
Extended alone
Design modifications to clarify FA
Antecedents
Consequences
MO effects
Person variables
Categories of idiosyncratic FA
Diverted attention
Attention, but only from certain individuals
2 antecedent idiosyncratic variables
Unrelated to typically tested behavioral
functions
consequence idiosyncratic variables
Problem bx high in a condition when certain
MOs are in effect
MO effects
Person-specific relations between
environment and bx
Person variable
