Behavioural Assessment and Ethics Study Notes

Observing and Recording Behaviour & Ethics

Learning Outcomes

• Overview of the Experimental Analysis of Behaviour (EAB)

  • General method of conducting EAB.

• Behavior Modification (b-mod) Program Components

  • Definition and components of a b-mod program.

Behavioural Assessment

• Who, What, When, Where, and How of Behavioural Assessment

  • Who is being assessed?

  • Target person or client; emphasis on person-first language (e.g., "person who has autism") vs. identity-first language (e.g., "I am an autistic person").

  • Who is the observer?

  • May be professionals like licensed behaviour analysts or psychologists, certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).

  • Levels of certification:

    • Registered Behavior Technician™ (RBT®) - high school level.

    • Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst® (BCaBA®) - bachelor level.

    • Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) - master level.

    • Board Certified Behavior Analyst - Doctoral™ (BCBA-D™) - doctoral level.

  • Others like teachers or coaches may observe.

  • Issues can arise if the observer is poorly trained, unmotivated, or biased.

  • What is the behaviour?

  • Target behaviour: the specific behaviour of interest (i.e., increasing or decreasing frequency).

  • Behavioural goal: desired level of target behaviour the program aims to achieve.

  • Outcome goal: broader, abstract result acknowledged as important by society; refers to the "why" behind the behaviour change.

  • Example Definitions:

    • Target behaviour: "Drinking water."

    • Behavioural goal: "I want to drink 1 litre of water per day, five days a week."

    • Outcome goal: "To be healthy."

  • How is the behaviour measured?

  • Must be defined and quantified:

    • Poor definition: "To eat healthily."

    • Better definition: “To eliminate dessert from the dinnertime meal and replace it with one vegetable serving.”

  • Guidelines for Measurement:

    • Describe objectively, avoiding labels (e.g., "depressed").

    • Use active verbs (e.g., "X dropped the keys").

    • Avoid inference about internal states (e.g., hunger).

    • Encourage definitions that yield interobserver agreement (IOA).

  • Where does the behaviour occur?

  • Natural Setting: clients observed in their typical environment.

  • Analogue Setting: behaviours observed in a controlled, simulated environment (like a classroom lab).

  • When are the observations made?

  • Describe methods:

    • Continuous recording: All instances during the observation period – best for low frequency behaviours.

    • Interval recording: Record during specified intervals (either partial or whole).

  • Pros and cons of methods compared.

Common Dimensions of Target Behaviours

• Common Dimensions

  • Frequency: Count of behaviours within a specific time period.

  • Duration: Length of time behaviour occurs.

  • Latency: Time from stimulus to onset of behaviour.

  • Intensity: Strength of behaviour, often rated on a scale.

  • Quality: Subjective judgment of social value, often rated.

Methods of Behaviour Recording

• Types of Recording

  • Direct Assessment: Observing and recording behaviours as they occur – immediate and current data.

  • Indirect Assessment: Based on recalled information – questionnaires or interviews, potentially less accurate.

• Potential Problems:

  • Observer training and biases.

  • Direct assessment can be more resource-intensive.

Interobserver Agreement (IOA)

• Definition: Calculated measure for consistency among observers in recording target behaviour.

• Importance: High consistency (>90%) is preferred for assessment reliability.

• Calculation Methods:

  • Frequency:
    $IOA ext{(frequency)} = rac{ ext{smaller count}}{ ext{larger count}} imes 100$

  • Duration/Latency:
    $IOA ext{(duration)} = rac{ ext{shorter time}}{ ext{longer time}} imes 100$

  • Interval Recording:
    $IOA ext{(interval)} = rac{A}{A+D} imes 100$ (where A = agreements, D = disagreements)

Ethical Considerations

• Rights of Clients (Van Houten et al., 1988):

  1. A humane environment.

  2. Services aimed at personal welfare.

  3. Competent behaviour analyst treatment.

  4. Functional skill teaching programs.

  5. Ongoing assessment and evaluation of behaviours.

  6. Most effective treatment procedures available.

Program Evaluation

• Used to determine efficacy and dimensions including:

  • Generalization: Does behaviour occur in different contexts?

  • Maintenance: Duration of behaviour modification.

  • Clinical significance: Does treatment return the individual to normal functioning?

  • Social validity: Impact of behaviour change on everyday life.

  • Cost-benefit analysis: Are the treatment benefits greater than the costs?

Potential Problems in Evaluation

• Generalization Maintenance vs. Cost vs. Benefit

  • Secondary effects: unanticipated consequences following behaviour modification.

  • Revenge effects: treatments leading to the opposite of intended consequences (e.g., increased risk of injury due to heightened activity).