Why is assessment a critical component of applied behavior?
- identifies and defines socially significant target behaviors
- Discoveries the function of behavior
- Guides intervention.
Why is it important to use observable and measurable terms to describe behavior and intervention outcome?
Clarity and precision - ensure that everyone involved has a clear and precise understanding of the behavior being targeted
Objectivity - reduces subjective bias.
Consistency - defined in a specific observable, and measurable terms, different practitioners can consistently identify and measure the same behavior.
Effective communication - clear operational definitions facilitate effective communication among team members, including therapists, caregivers, and other professionals.
Replication and Evaluation - precise definitions allow for the replication of interventions.
Goal setting and Progress Monitoring - make it easier to set specific achievable goals and to monitor progress overtime.
Explain the role of assessment in ABA.
Four cornerstones of professional assessment.
- Recognize professional limitations - Secure authority to assess the problem or suggest an intervention.
- do not test beyond professional training or license capability.
- Decline to assess under poor conditions (e.g., the learner is ill, the environment is distracting, the analyst is rushed for time. - Assume responsibility for your work.
- Be careful, be thorough be conservative w/ interpretations.
- Recognize the assumptions for referral and testing (i.e., change of placement, generate intervention strategies.) - Maintain confidentiality
- Hold assessment information in confidence. Obtain a signed and dated release of information (ROI)
-Ensure that assessment results are shared only with those who are eligible to receive them.
- Seek guidance in situations where confidentiality is in question (e.g., life-threatening situations).
Describe two pre-assessment considerations.
- Who has the authority to assess and treat the behavior?
a. If it’s not you, don’t assess - What relevant records already exist?
a. Records of medical problems, educational records, prior data from other practitioners, etc.
b. Review everything prior to assessment
Describe the direct assessment methods.
–> behavior is measured directly includes standardized tests, criterion-referenced assessments, curriculum-based assessments, Ecological, Direct observation.
What is the assessment standardized test consisting of?
- consistent administration
- Norm-referenced
-Limitations:
— some do not specify target behaviors.
—- Licensing requirements
ex: Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale
What is the criterion-referenced assessment?
- measures a child’s skill level in comparison to an age-related criterion.
- ‘developmental milestones’
- EX: verbal behavior - milestones assessment and placement program (VB-MAPP)
- Assessment of basic language and learning skills – revised (ABLLS-R)
What is the curriculum-based assessment?
compares the learners’ progress to a lesson plan (curriculum)
– ex: New Brunswick’s Grade 1 mathematics curriculum.
What is the Ecological Assessment?
-Data on individual and environment
- physical features
- interactions with others
- home
- reinforcement history
-evaluate the amount of descriptive data needed.
What is direct observation?
- Natural environment
- identifies potential target behaviors
- limitations: skewed information if not done correctly
- requires full attention for 30 mins.
- reactivity
Describe the indirect assessment methods.
adhere to professional administration and ethical standards.
- use technically reliable and valid measures and procedures to assess.
- follow appropriate protocols.
- examine and analyze all relevant medical, educational, and historical data.
- recommend the strongest, but least intrusive interventions.
Describe the close-ended indirect assessments
strengths - assures information about common controlling variables with some populations.
- quick and easy to administer.
- few particular skills are required to administer and interpret.
- limitations - only asks questions about pre-determined variables.
- many suggest a non-function (i.e., false-positives)
- may be misused by individuals without training in ABA.
- little opportunity to develop rapport with informants.
Describe open-ended indirect assessments.
Strengths - information about a wide range of contextual variables may be obtained.
opportunity to develop rapport with the informant and to listen to his or her experiences.
- limitations - takes longer than closed-ended indirect assessments.
- may include information that is not relevant to the function.
interpretation requires behavior analytic skills
- requires clinical interviewing skills to obtain information and develop rapport.
Explain the importance of social validity in regard to selecting target behavior.
the extent to which target behaviors are appropriate intervention procedures are acceptable and important and significant changes in target behaviors are produced.
Describe procedures for assessing the meaningfulness of potential target behaviors.
We need to consider:
1. Relevance of behavior after intervention
2. prerequisite skill
3. increased access
4. impact of behavior on others.
5. behavior cusp
6. pivotal behavior
7. age-appropriateness
8. replacement behavior
9. outcome vs. behavior
Discuss criteria for prioritizing target behaviors.
- Prioritizing Target Behavior - risk to health or safety.
a. Prioritize behaviors that harm the client or others. - Frequency
a. Prioritize appropriate behavior that will be used frequently vs. infrequency.
b. Prioritize challenging behavior that occur too frequently. - Longevity
a. Prioritize chronic problems over sporadic or new behaviors. - Potential for reinforcement for client
a. Prioritize behaviors with the highest rates of reinforcement. - Relative importance for the future
a. Prioritize behaviors that will contribute to independence and future skills. - Reduction of negative attention
a. Prioritize behaviors that receive unwanted attention from others. - Potential for reinforcement for significant others
a. Reinforcement for others improve social validity, but exercise caution. - Likelihood of success
a. Prioritize behaviors that are easier to change, based on: research outcomes, the practitioners experience, ability to control variables, and resources. - Cost
a. Consider the monetary cost of intervention and clients time required.
Explain the process for setting criteria for behavior change.
- helps prioritize target behaviors.
–> Numerical rating of potential target behaviors. - increases client, parent, and staff involvement in goal setting.
- resolves conflicts
-builds consensus - definitions required for replication (in research)
- ensures consistency across time and people.
- allows for accurate evaluation of the target behavior.
Behavior definitions must be: - objective: refer only to observable characteristics.
- clear: readable and unambiguous
- complete: include examples and non-examples.
How can you determine if a treatment goal is socially valid?
Ensure social validity –>confirm that the behavior change goals are meaningful and socially significant to the individual and their community. This helps ensure that the intervention will have a positive impact on the individual’s quality of life.
Describe function-based definitions and provide a novel example.
Describes the behavior’s effect or outcome on the environment.
preferred type of definition
–>behavior - Elopement - (running away)
–> any instance in which the individual leaves a designated area without permission, resulting in the termination of a demand or task.
Novel Example: Imagine a student named Alex who frequently leaves the classroom without permission during math lessons.
The function-based definitions for Alex’s elopement behavior would be: ‘Any instances in which Alex exits the classroom during math instruction, resulting in the avoidance of the math task.’
–> This definition focuses on the outcome (avoiding the math task) rather than the specific actions Alex takes to leave the classroom. By understanding the function, interventions can be designed to address the underlying reason for the behavior, such as providing additional support during math lessons or teaching alternative ways to request breaks.
Describe topography-based definitions and provide a novel example.
- identifies the shape or form of the behavior
- describes the forms of the response(s)
- what does the behavior look like? used when:
- No direct, reliable, or easy access to functional outcomes
- cannot rely on function of behavior because each occurrence does not produce relevant outcome.
EX: ‘positive statements’
–> audible statements by the teacher that referred to one or more student’s behavior or work products as desirable or commendable (e.g., ‘I am proud of you.’)
