PSY2606 ABA Lecture 7 Functional Assessment

Lecture 7: Functional Assessment

Page 2: Functional Assessment Overview

• Definition: A functional assessment is conducted during the baseline phase to understand the reasons behind undesirable behaviors.

• Purpose: It identifies antecedents (triggers) and consequences (outcomes) that maintain these behaviors.

• Importance: Identifying variables is essential before intervening in problem behaviors.

Page 3: Definition of Functional Assessment

• Process: Gathering information about the antecedents and consequences related to problem behaviors.

Page 4: Treatment Process for Decreasing Problem Behaviors

1. Identify and Define: Determine problem behavior(s).

2. Data Collection: Start baseline measurement.

3. Complete Functional Assessment: Generate hypotheses about antecedents and consequences.

4. Treatment Development: Create and execute treatment plans.

5. Evaluation: Assess effectiveness based on behavioral changes.

Page 5: Evaluation Continued

• Questions of Effectiveness:

  • Did the problem behaviors decrease or desirable behaviors increase?

  • If YES: Promote maintenance and generalization of the behavior.

  • If NO: Check treatment fidelity.

    • If YES: Repeat functional assessment.

    • If NO: Re-evaluate treatment implementation.

Page 6: Behavioral Model

• Influence of Behavior: Behavior is shaped by antecedents and consequences in the model A → B → C.

Page 7: Competing Behaviors

• Concurrent Operants: Assess the impact of desirable vs. undesirable behaviors (e.g., studying vs. distractions like Facebook).

Page 8: Functional Assessment: Key Areas to Assess

• Antecedents:

  • Questions to consider:

    • When, where, and with whom does the behavior occur?

    • Identify social and environmental antecedents.

• Behavior: Focus on the specific problem behavior.

• Consequences:

  • Inquiry into reinforcement:

    • What does the person gain or avoid through the behavior?

    • Consider the social and environmental consequences, reinforcement schedules, magnitude, and immediacy of the reinforcement.

Page 9: Categories of Reinforcement

• Social Positive Reinforcement: Attention, praise, reactions, or activities mediated by others.

• Social Negative Reinforcement: Escape from tasks or interactions mediated by others.

Page 10: Automatic Reinforcement

• Automatic Positive Reinforcement: Sensory stimulation not mediated by others.

• Automatic Negative Reinforcement: Relief from pain or anxiety not mediated by others.

Page 11: Examples of Problem Behaviors

• 4-Year-Old Tantrums:

  • SPR: Antecedents - denial of chocolate. Consequence - receives the candy.

  • SNR: Antecedents - requests during play. Consequence - escape from chores (tantrum).

Page 12: Further Examples

• 10-Year-Old Hair Pulling (ANR):

  • Antecedents - negative feelings. Consequences - relief from thoughts.

• 2-Year-Old Hand Waving (APR):

  • Antecedents - boredom. Consequences - visual stimulation.

Page 13: Additional Case Examples

• 17-Year-Old Hair Pulling:

  • APR: Alone, watching TV, leading to tactile stimulation.

  • SPR: Watching TV with busy mom, getting attention by upsetting her.

• 18-Year-Old Binge Eating (ANR):

  • Alone and sad, relief from negative emotions.

Page 14: Categories for Functional Assessment

• Problem Behaviors: Objective descriptions of the behavior.

• Antecedents: Objective description of preceding environmental events (time, place, people).

Page 15: Consequences and Alternative Behaviors

• Consequences: Objective descriptions of environmental events following the behavior.

• Alternative Behaviors: Identification of desirable behaviors to reinforce against problem behaviors.

Page 16: Motivational Variables and Reinforcers

• Motivational Variables: Environmental events that influence effectiveness of reinforcers/punishers.

• Potential Reinforcers: Identify possible reinforcers for treatment plans.

• Previous Interventions: Information on past interventions and their effectiveness.

Page 17: Functional Assessment Methods

• Direct Observation: Observer records behavior directly.

• Informant Methods: Interviews and questionnaires about antecedents, behaviors, and consequences.

• Functional Analysis: Manipulating antecedents/consequences to assess behavioral functions.

Page 18: Indirect (Informant) Assessment

• Format: Behavioral interviews via questionnaires and ratings.

• Advantages: Easy and quick to conduct, many tools available.

• Disadvantages: Reliant on informants' memory.

Page 19: Direct Observation Assessment Formats

• A-B-C Recording: Brief descriptions of behavior and related antecedents/consequences.

• Checklist: Records listed behaviors, antecedents, and consequences.

• Interval Recording: Specific antecedents/consequences recorded in defined intervals.

Page 20: Experimental Manipulations

• Functional Analysis: Establishing relationships by manipulating antecedents/consequences to test their effects on behaviors.

Page 21: Conducting a Functional Assessment

• Steps:

  1. Start with interviews or indirect assessment.

  2. Develop hypotheses about antecedents and consequences.

  3. Conduct direct observation assessments.

  4. Confirm or modify hypotheses based on observations.

Page 22: Confirming Assessment Consistency

• Treatment Development: If indirect and direct assessments align, create targeted interventions.

• Further Assessments: If not consistent, conduct more functional assessments or functional analysis.