Topic 13

Question 1

functional assessment

Answer 1

set of procedures that allow relationships between behavior and its antecedents and consequences to be determined
- functional behavior assessment (FBA)
- first step in using b-mod procedures to decrease problem behaviors
- behavior as a function of environmental variables
- helps you determine why problem behavior is occurring

Question 2

what are the categories of info provided by FBA?

Answer 2

• objective description of antecedents
• objective description of problem behaviors
• objective description of consequences
• motivational variables
• potential reinforcers
• potential alternative/competing behaviors
• effectiveness of previous interventions

Question 3

functions of problem behaviors

Answer 3

negative reinforcement - escape
positive reinforcement - social, automatic, tangible, activity

Question 4

social positive reinforcement

Answer 4

reinforcement provided by another person
- make behavior more likely to occur

Question 5

social negative reinforcement

Answer 5

target behaviors maintained by neg reinforcement that is mediated by another person
- escape or avoid behavior or outcome

Question 6

automatic positive reinforcement

Answer 6

target behavior not mediated by another person, automatically results in reinforcement
- behavior produces positively reinforcing consequence automatically and behavior is strengthened

Question 7

automatic neg reinforcement

Answer 7

• target behavior automatically reduces or eliminates aversive stimulus as a consequence of behavior and it is strengthened

Question 8

tangible

Answer 8

reinforcer is a physical item

Question 9

activity

Answer 9

reinforcement involves access to an acitivty

Question 10

indirect methods

Answer 10

• informant assessment
• data on antecedents, behaviors and consequences are collected from target person or others who know them well based on memory of what happened
• interviews, rating scales

Question 11

interview

Answer 11

• generate info from informant that is clear and objective
• info about problem behavior, A and C should describe environmental events without inferences or interpretation
• does not provide objective info
• goal: generate info on problem b, a and c that allows to form hypothesis about controlling variables
• conduct with multiple informants to find consensus

Question 12

pros and cons of indirect methods

Answer 12

pros: fast and easy
cons: less accurate, only correlation between A/C and B

Question 13

direct observation methods

Answer 13

• descriptive assessment
• data on A, B and C is gathered as behavior occurs in natural enviro

Question 14

unstructured direct method

Answer 14

observations are made without altering events in enviro in any way

Question 15

structured direct observation

Answer 15

specific antecedents in enviro are systematically manipulated, results are recorded and consequences are not altered

Question 16

scatterplot analysis

Answer 16

recording period is divided into intervals, every 30 min, if behavior has occurred, one cell of grid is shaded in

Question 17

ABC observations

Answer 17

record ABC under normal conditions as they occur
- immediate A and C associated with problem behavior under normal conditions
- descriptive method uses an ABC sheet
- checklist method
- interval (real-time) recording method

Question 18

pros and cons of ABC

Answer 18

pro: more accurate
con: more work/time to record and summarize, only correlation between A/C and B

Question 19

experimental methods

Answer 19

• functional analysis
• experimenter systematically manipulates A and C to determine effect on target behavior in structured situation
• compare test and control conditions to determine if there’s an effect

Question 20

test conditions

Answer 20

present different EO and possible reinforcer for problem behavior in each condition

Question 21

control conditions

Answer 21

present AO for same reinforcer and withhold possible reinforcers for problem behavior

Question 22

exploratory

Answer 22

determine patterns of relationships that are not yet clear
- eval range of possible reinforcing consequences designed to identify particular function of problem behavior while ruling out other functions

Question 23

hypothesis testing

Answer 23

confirms predictions from informant or descriptive assessment
- one test and one control
test: presents hypothesized EO
control: hypothesized AO, if problem behavior occurs then does not provide hypothesized reinforcer

Question 24

interview informed synthesized contingency analysis

Answer 24

• interview to identify idiosyncratic A and C related to problem behavior followed by brief observation to confirm info from interview
• used to develop functional analysis test and control conditions that manipulate variables to demonstrate effect
• helps individualize test and control of subsequent functional analysis
• less time

Question 25

pros and cons of experimental methods

Answer 25

pro: cause and effect con: more time and expertise

Question 26

how difficult is it to learn to do functional analysis?

Answer 26

- Iwata - undergrads played role of therapist and performed functional analysis - mean- 69.9 correct - trained and took quz - below 90 got more training - 97.5% correct - Najdowski - jack with autism only ate certain foods and mother had to do functional analysis paired HPF with NPF - escape: demanded using 3-step prompting for eating NPFs along with praise

Question 27

how to conduct functional assessment?

Answer 27

- use indirect methods- interview - formulate hypothesis about A and C of B - perform direct observation - determine if data from direct supports hypothesis or needs to be modified - if all assessments are consistent then develop behavior support plan that addresses function of behavior - if assessments are inconsistent, then conduct functional analysis to confirm hypothesis

Question 28

what comes after functional assessment?

Answer 28

- develop a behavior support plan or behavior intervention plans

Question 29

what does a behavior support plan consist of?

Answer 29

- summary of data gathered (ABC) - hypothesis of function and results of assessment and analysis - functional intervention (behavior treatment program)- choose procedures for behavior change and support

Question 30

functional intervention

Answer 30

- designed to alter the A and C of the problem behavior to decrease the problem behavior and increase desirable alternative behaviors - includes extinction, differential reinforcement and antecendent interventions