Chapter 13 Chapter 13

FunctionalFunctional Assessment Assessment

Treatment Process - Treatment Process - Decreasing Problem Behaviors Decreasing Problem Behaviors

1. Identify and define problem behavior(s)1. Identify and define problem behavior(s)2. Initiate data collection2. Initiate data collection3. Complete functional assessment3. Complete functional assessment

- Hypotheses about - Hypotheses about antecedentsantecedents and and consequencesconsequences

4. Treatment development and 4. Treatment development and implementationimplementation

5. Evaluation 5. Evaluation

5. Evaluation5. Evaluation (con’t)(con’t)

Was treatment effective? (Did problem behaviors Was treatment effective? (Did problem behaviors decrease/desirable behaviors increase?)decrease/desirable behaviors increase?)

YES - Promote maintenance & generalizationYES - Promote maintenance & generalization

NO - Was treatment done correctly?NO - Was treatment done correctly?

YESYES Repeat step #3 (Functional Assessment) Repeat step #3 (Functional Assessment)

NONO Do it right Do it right

Behavioral ModelBehavioral Model

Behavior is influenced by antecedents and Behavior is influenced by antecedents and consequences A consequences A B B C C

- Consequences: reinforcement, extinction, - Consequences: reinforcement, extinction, punishment punishment

- Antecedents: S- Antecedents: SDD, S-delta, EO, S-delta, EO

Behavior is influenced by competing Behavior is influenced by competing behaviors (concurrent operants)behaviors (concurrent operants)

- - Desirable behaviors vs undesirable behaviorsDesirable behaviors vs undesirable behaviors

Functional Assessment: What to Assess?Functional Assessment: What to Assess?

Antecedents: SAntecedents: SDDs Ss SΔΔs EOss EOs- When, where, with whom, what circumstances or situations does - When, where, with whom, what circumstances or situations does the behavior occur?the behavior occur?- Social and environmental antecedents- Social and environmental antecedents

Behavior: Problem behaviorBehavior: Problem behavior Alternative behaviorAlternative behavior Response effortResponse effort

Consequences: Positive or negative reinforcementConsequences: Positive or negative reinforcement- What does the person get or get out of following the behavior?- What does the person get or get out of following the behavior?- Social and environmental consequences- Social and environmental consequences

Schedule of reinforcementSchedule of reinforcementMagnitude of reinforcementMagnitude of reinforcementImmediacy of reinforcementImmediacy of reinforcement

Categories of ReinforcementCategories of Reinforcement

(Functions of Problem Behaviors) (Functions of Problem Behaviors)

Social positive reinforcementSocial positive reinforcementattention, praise, reactions, activities, things attention, praise, reactions, activities, things

(mediated by others)(mediated by others)

Social negative reinforcementSocial negative reinforcementescape from tasks, activities, interactionsescape from tasks, activities, interactions

(mediated by others)(mediated by others)

Automatic positive reinforcementAutomatic positive reinforcementsensory stimulationsensory stimulation

(not mediated by others)(not mediated by others)

Automatic negative reinforcementAutomatic negative reinforcementrelief from pain, anxiety, or other aversive stimulation relief from pain, anxiety, or other aversive stimulation

(not mediated by others)(not mediated by others)

ExamplesExamples

A 4 year old’s tantrumsA 4 year old’s tantrumsantecedents: requests during preferred activitiesantecedents: requests during preferred activitiesconsequences: escape from requested activityconsequences: escape from requested activity

A 4 year old’s tantrumsA 4 year old’s tantrumsantecedents: told he can’t have somethingantecedents: told he can’t have somethingconsequences: gets the thing he asked forconsequences: gets the thing he asked for

10 year old’s hair pulling10 year old’s hair pullingantecedents: alone, negative thoughts and emotionsantecedents: alone, negative thoughts and emotionsconsequences: relief from negative thoughts/emotionsconsequences: relief from negative thoughts/emotions

A 6 year old autisitc child’s hand wavingA 6 year old autisitc child’s hand wavingantecedents: not engaged in a task or interactionantecedents: not engaged in a task or interactionconsequences: visual stimulationconsequences: visual stimulation

ExamplesExamples

17 year old’s hair pulling/manipulation17 year old’s hair pulling/manipulationAntecedents: Alone, watching TVAntecedents: Alone, watching TVConsequences: tactile stimulationConsequences: tactile stimulation

17 year old’s hair pulling17 year old’s hair pullingAntecedents: watching TV, mom busy in the roomAntecedents: watching TV, mom busy in the roomConsequences: attentionConsequences: attention

8 year old’s wrist biting8 year old’s wrist bitingAntecedents: during tooth brushing, sore gumsAntecedents: during tooth brushing, sore gumsConsequences: escape fro tooth brushingConsequences: escape fro tooth brushing

18 year old’s binge eating 18 year old’s binge eating Antecedents: aloe, sad, negative thinkingAntecedents: aloe, sad, negative thinkingConsequences: relief from negative feeling/thoughtsConsequences: relief from negative feeling/thoughts

Functional Assessment MethodsFunctional Assessment Methods

1. Indirect (informant) assessment1. Indirect (informant) assessment- behavioral interview- behavioral interview- questionnaires and rating scales- questionnaires and rating scales

2. Direct observation assessment2. Direct observation assessment- scatter plot recording- scatter plot recording- descriptive A-B-C recording- descriptive A-B-C recording- checklist recording of A-B-Cs- checklist recording of A-B-Cs- interval recording of A-B-Cs- interval recording of A-B-Cs

3. Experimental manipulations3. Experimental manipulations(functional analysis)(functional analysis)- manipulate antecedents and/or consequences- manipulate antecedents and/or consequences

- evaluate a number of possible functions - evaluate a number of possible functions oror - test hypothesis from descriptive assessments- test hypothesis from descriptive assessments

Conducting a Functional AssessmentConducting a Functional Assessment

Begin with an interview or other indirect assessment Begin with an interview or other indirect assessment methodmethodDevelop a hypothesis about the antecedents and Develop a hypothesis about the antecedents and consequences (the function of the behavior)consequences (the function of the behavior)Conduct direct observation assessmentsConduct direct observation assessmentsConfirm or modify original hypothesis based on direct Confirm or modify original hypothesis based on direct observation assessmentobservation assessmentIf assessments are consistent, develop and implement If assessments are consistent, develop and implement treatment that addresses the function of the behaviortreatment that addresses the function of the behaviorIf indirect and direct assessments are not consistent, If indirect and direct assessments are not consistent, conduct further functional assessmentsconduct further functional assessmentsConduct Conduct functional analysisfunctional analysis to confirm hypothesis or to confirm hypothesis or resolve inconsistency between indirect and direct resolve inconsistency between indirect and direct assessmentassessment