Unit 8 Flashcards
A type of behavioral assessment used to determine functional relations between challenging behavior and environmental events.
Purpose – a well-planned and comprehensive _______ _______, should lead directly to an individual behavior intervention plan that is highly likely to be effective
Functional assessment
3 General methodologies:
- Preliminary indirect assessment
- Descriptive assessment. – Direct naturalistic observation
- Functional analysis – systematic manipulations
Functional Assessment Methods
Some abbreviations and terms
- FBA
- A.k.a. direct descriptive functional
- A.k.a. experimental analysis, abbreviated FA
- Functional assessment
- Descriptive assessment
- Functional analysis
Consist of interviews and rating scales
Broad band focus but low fidelity
Helps with decision of whether or not to continue with case
Helps in planning further assessment
Preliminary indirect assessment review
Consist of direct observation of behavior and environmental events in real life context
Medium band focus and medium fidelity
Leads to hypothesis regarding functional relations and how, where, and with whom to intervene
Descriptive assessment
Also called an A – B functional analysis
Consist of manipulation of antecedent events in natural settings.
Mid to narrow band focus and medium Fidelity
May identify antecedents that evoke the challenging target behavior
Mid to narrowband focus, medium fidelity
Structured assessment
Consist of systematic manipulations of environmental events and observation of target in a controlled setting.
NARROW band focus and HIGH fidelity
May determine actual functional relations and lead to effective treatment
Functional analysis
To generate hypothesis about functional relations
Identify idiosyncratic forms of motivating and reinforcing events
Design experimental FA conditions that more closely re presents natural conditions
Estimate natural schedules of reinforcement maintaining problem behavior
Interpret the results of experimental FA methods
Descriptive Assessment- purpose
- Scatterplot analysis.
- Narrative recording
- ABC data collection.
- Data collection of target behavior under different contexts/conditions
Descriptive assessment procedures
Touchette, MacDonald, Langer 1985
Developed this as a practical means for direct care staff to collect data across an entire day or shift
Scatterplot
A data collection form for problem behavior and the intervals of time behavior occurred
It provides a graphic display of data in a grid format
Used to identify patterns of responding in natural settings
Scatterplot
Plots occurrence of target behavior as a function of:
Time, context, activities
Scatterplot
- Break vertical axis Into time intervals corresponding with activity schedule.
- Break horizontal axis into successive days
- Decide whether to use occurrence versus nonoccurrence per given interval or to use three discrete categories, e.g., 0, low, and high
- Recording is done at the end of each interva
Using a scatterplot
Find out what differs in times when behavior occur most versus least. E.g., setting, activity, staff, EO‘s
Find out similarities in times when behavior occur about the same.
Interpreting scatterplot data
A.k.a. anecdotal observation
Observer produces a written narrative of an individual’s responses throughout a specific period of time and a description of the environmental conditions under which the responses were emitted
Narrative recording
A variation on narrative recording
Both are ways to identify topographies of target behavior
Allows one to start to identify idiosyncratic antecedents and consequences
ABC charting
A narrative recording allows the recorder to observe and record the referral behavior in context with potential maintaining variables
True or false
True
Pre-selected and defined target behaviors, antecedents and consequences
Data collection form allows for coding or checking antecedents, target behavior, and consequences.
ABC data collection
O’Neill, functional observation form
Lillian, Browder, Mace, Brown (JABA, 1993)
Behavior incident report. A.k.a. maladaptive behavior card
Examples of ABC data collection
Data collection of target behavior under different contexts and environmental conditions without systematic manipulation.
Provides data on differential probability of the occurrence of target behavior under different contexts/conditions.
Data collection across conditions
Even though the method is purely correlational, it allows one to try to identify, or at least hypothesize, the reinforcement contingency is likely to control the occurrence of the target behavior.
Remember the four term contingency.
(positive reinforcement contingency)
EO for SR plus – RSD for SR plus – R1 – SR+.etc
(See handout For a diagram of contingencies)
Data collection across conditions
The story of Danica:
High : Bathroom/self-care demands
Low: dining room/eating demands
The story of Bobby:
High: fluorescent lights
Low: natural light and dark room
Examples of data collection across conditions
Collect data in a variety of naturally occurring contexts/conditions
No systematic manipulations
Analyze under what conditions behavior tends to occur
-ID potential EO‘s, S D’s
-ID potential maintaining consequences
Look at similarities/differences in contexts/conditions dependent on differential rates are responding
Data collection across conditions recap
A systematic presentation and or examination of information or data regarding the target behavior and it’s conditions
Facilitates the identification of specific types of variations in the occurrence of the target behavior within relevant time frames and potential stimulus conditions.
Scatterplot dad at may be summarized by way of this
Pattern Analysis
After looking at the scatterplot data you describe… Face slapping is most likely to occur early in the morning at home, right before lunch at school, right before school is out, and right before bedtime
Example of pattern analysis
A systematic presentation and examination of information or data regarding target behavior and it’s stimulus conditions in in ABC format
Done after doing narrative recording and/or ABC data collection
Sequence analysis
After collecting and analyzing narrative dad are you describe… When Aaron is asked to do nonpreferred tasks at work, she will begin dropping and breaking objects. She typically escapes task demands when she engages in these behaviors.
Example of sequence analysis
After collecting and analyzing ABC data you describe… When Peter is not receiving attention or interaction, he will bite his wrist and hit his face. He typically obtains attention from staff or social interaction
Example of a sequence analysis
Each functional assessment methodology has strengths and limitations.
It is important to recognize the strengths and limitations of each
A combination of methodologies may provide the most valid assessment
Comparing and contrasting
Establish that problem behavior is a function of specific motivating and maintaining events.
Internal validity and FBA
Events that can cooccur with the independent variable that could account for the findings
Threats to internal validity
Do the findings whole true across variations in motivating and reinforcement conditions? Do the findings whole true across time?
External validity and FBA
Differences between the conditions of assessment and the clients natural environment. These differences may alter the functional properties of motivating and reinforcing events compromise external validity of
Threats to external validity
Methodology. Likely degree of IV
Preliminary indirect assessment – very low
Descriptive assessment- LOW
Structured descriptive assessment, antecedent manipulation only - low to medium, depending on possible alternative accounts
Functional analysis, antecedent and consequent manipulation – medium to high, if differential responding obtained
Internal validity comparisons
Internal Validity is LOW
External validity is MEDIUM to HIGH.
If done correctly, takes into account actual motivating operations and the context under which behavior occurs.
Validity may be strengthened by doing an A-B analysis
Descriptive assessment validity
INTERNAL VALIDITY for direct, experimental methods is GOOD (MED TO HIGH If differential responding obtained.
EXTERNAL VALIDITY: MEDIUM TO HIGH
is dependent on differences between the assessment and natural conditions
Functional analysis
Even though functional analysis has greater internal Validity then descriptive assessment, and research evidence demonstrating it’s effectiveness in assessment, it may lack______. ________. End it may fail to take into account the contacts under which behavior occurs
External Validity
Do both descriptive assessment and functional analysis is at all feasible.
Do not rely on one method.
Look For convergence
Note the types of problems and populations for which there is strong we switch evidence about the effectiveness of FA
What to do about internal validity and external validity with descriptive assessment and functional analysis
To Design experimental FA conditions that more closely represents natural conditions
Descriptive Assessment - Purpose
To Identify idiosyncratic forms of motivating and reinforcing events
Descriptive Assessment - Purpose
Even though it Has greater internal validity and research evidence demonstrating it’s effectiveness in assessment, it may lack external validity and may fail to take into account the context under which behavior occurs
Functional analysis. (FA)
Allows one to start to identify idiosyncratic antecedents and consequences
ABC charting
Medium band focus and medium Fidelity
Descriptive assessments
Purpose: should leave directly to an individual behavior intervention plan that is highly likely to be effective
Functional assessment
