Unit 1: Selecting and Defining Target Behaviors PS 522: Behavioral Measures and Interpretation of Data Lisa R. Jackson, Ph.D.

Role of Assessment in Applied Behavior Analysis Methods to identify and define targets for behavior change Identify relevant factors that may inform or influence intervention Research helps determine whether these assessments actually work and helps create effective assessments

Five Phases of Assessment Screening Defining problem or criteria for achievement Pinpointing target behaviors Monitoring progress Following-up When selecting target behaviors, gathering useful information is crucial

Interviewing Interviewing the individual Identify potential list of target behaviors What and when Avoid why questions that presumes clients know why Whom does the behavior change benefit? Identify primary concerns Verified through further data collection Direct observation Use of questionnaires or self-monitoring Interviewing significant others Develop behavioral descriptions What, when, how; moving from general to specific Determine participation

Using Checklists Descriptions of specific behaviors and conditions under which each should occur Alone or with interview Typically Likert-scale assessments Ask about antecedents and consequences Child Behavior Checklist Adaptive Behavior Scale - School Adaptive Behavior Scale - Residential and Community

Anecdotal observation Features of ABC recording Descriptive Temporally sequenced Provides an overall description of behavior patterns, antecedents and consequences Observations only, no interpretations

ABC recording See also Figure 3.3

Ecological Assessments Recognizes the complex interrelationships between the environment and behavior Data on individual and environment Physical features Interactions with others Home Reinforcement history Provides a huge amount of descriptive data The key is knowing when to use this assessment

Ecological Assessments So, let’s consider the Smith and Elder article What were their conclusions about siblings and family members of people with autism? When are ecological assessments useful? When are ecological assessments inappropriate?

Reactivity Behavior change in response to being observed Effects of assessment on behavior being assessed Obtrusive assessment great impact Self-monitoring most obtrusive To reduce reactivity: Use unobtrusive methods: videotape, 2 way mirrors Repeat observations to diminish novelty Take effects into account

Assessing Social Significance Consider why behavior is being assessed Unacceptable to change behavior primarily for benefit of others To what extent will proposed change improve the person’s life? Will the change increase appropriate behaviors? Will the change facilitate more complex skills?

Habilitation The degree to which a person’s behavior repertoire maximizes short and long term reinforcers and minimizes short and long term punishers Use to assess meaningfulness of behavior change How useful or functional will a behavior change be? Any behavior targeted for change must benefit the person directly or indirectly.

Determining Habilitation Relevance of behavior after intervention Necessary prerequisite skills Increased access Impact on behavior of others A target behavior should be selected only when it can be determined that the behavior is likely to produce reinforcement in the person’s natural environment Is it a behavior cusp or a pivotal behavior?

Behavior Cusp A behavior that has consequences beyond the change itself Behaviors that open person’s world to new contingencies Crawling, reading Satisfies one of more of these criteria: Provides access to new reinforcers, social validity, generativeness, competition with inappropriate responses Degree that others are affected

Pivotal Behaviors Behaviors that, once learned, produce changes in other untrained behaviors Example: teaching children with autism to self- initiate may be pivotal because it appears to result in wide-spread positive changes in a number of areas Advantages for both interventionist and client Behaviors can be taught in relatively few sessions, but can be used in new settings; would shorten intervention and give the client new tools with which to interact in the environment

Determining Habilitation Age appropriateness Inappropriate: teaching 35 yr old to play with dolls Normalization Achieving greatest possible integration into more typical environments and expectations Least restrictive environment Replacement behaviors Cannot eliminate or reduce a behavior without teaching a replacement, adaptive behavior Constructional approach: creating, rather than eliminating repertoires

Prioritizing Target Behaviors Does the behavior pose any danger? How important will this target behavior be to future skill development? Will changing this behavior reduce negative or unwanted attention from others? How likely is success? What is the cost-benefit? Costs include client’s time and effort

Characteristics of Good Target Behavior Definitions Objective Refer only to the observable Clear Readable and unambiguous Complete Delineate boundaries of definition Operationalized Easily understood in order to discriminate from other, similar behaviors Aggression is not helpful, but kicking, hitting, biting is more specific

Testing a Definition Can you count number of occurrences? Should answer “Yes” Will a stranger know what to look for based on definition alone? Can you break the target behavior down to smaller, more specific components? Should answer “No”

Setting Criteria for Behavior Change Selected because of importance to clients Increase, maintain, generalize desirable behaviors Decrease undesirable behaviors Valued and meaningful behaviors have social validity Assess performance of highly competent people Experimentally manipulate different performance levels to determine optimal results

Questions?? I am sure you have been asking questions here in seminar!  Great job! But, if you have more, email me: Ljackson2@kaplan.edu These slides will always be posted in the Doc Sharing area for your review.