Functional Assessment (Chapter 13)

Flashcards covering functional assessment concepts, methods, FA types, ABCs, functions of behavior, and example cases from the notes.

What is the first step when using behavior modification procedures to decrease a problem behavior?

Conduct a functional assessment to identify the causes and maintainers of the behavior.

What does a Functional Assessment tell you?

It reveals antecedent events that evoke the behavior, consequences that reinforce it, and the dimensions of the behavior.

ABCs of Self-Change

Antecedents (Before), Behavior (During), Consequences (After); identify triggers, modify actions, reinforce desired behaviors, and substitute unwanted behaviors.

Antecedents

Events that trigger the behavior (Before).

Behavior (During)

The actions, thoughts, or feelings that occur during the target behavior.

Consequences

Events after the behavior that reinforce or punish the behavior and influence future occurrences.

Functional assessment purpose

To inform treatment by identifying what causes and maintains problem behavior.

Functional Assessment Methods

Direct Observation, Informant Methods (interviews/questionnaires), and Functional Analysis; plus A-B-C recording.

Direct Observation Assessment

An observer records behavior and antecedents/consequences in the client’s natural environment.

Descriptive ABC Recording

Describe the behavior and what happened before and after; describe events objectively.

Interval ABC Recording

Record A-B-C across predefined time intervals to identify patterns.

Functional Analysis (FA)

A brief experiment that manipulates antecedents and consequences to identify the function of the behavior.

Exploratory FA

Tests a range of possible functions to determine what maintains the behavior.

Hypothesis-testing FA

Tests a specific function hypothesis derived from descriptive data.

FA Test Condition

Deliver reinforcement for the problem behavior to test the function.

FA Control Condition

Do not deliver reinforcement for the problem behavior to test the function.

Functions of Problem Behaviors

Social positive reinforcement, Social negative reinforcement, Automatic positive reinforcement, Automatic negative reinforcement.

Social Positive Reinforcement

Attention, praise, or access to preferred activities provided by others.

Social Negative Reinforcement

Escape or avoidance of tasks or interactions, reinforced by others.

Automatic Positive Reinforcement

Sensory stimulation or internal reinforcement not mediated by others.

Automatic Negative Reinforcement

Relief from pain, anxiety, or aversive stimulation, not mediated by others.

Interpreting FA results (test vs control)

Separation of data between test and control indicates function(s); elevated data in multiple conditions suggests multiple functions or automatic reinforcement.

Functional Assessment Categories

Problem Behavior, Antecedents, Consequences, Alternative Behaviors, Motivational Variables, Potential Reinforcers, Previous Interventions.

Andrew case summary

Problem behavior: noncompliance; Mom’s inconsistent follow-through; context involves task requests when playing a Game Boy.

Functional Assessment Process

Start with indirect assessment, form hypotheses about function, use direct observation to confirm, implement treatment, and conduct FA if inconsistent.

What to record in a descriptive ABC recording

Describe the target behavior, what happened before, and what happened after, in objective terms.