1. Functional Assessment of the Causes of Problem Behavior
Psy 407
Functional Assessment of the Causes of Problem Behavior

2. Functional Assessment
Functional assessment: Refers to the systematic gathering and analysis of a variety of information sources in order to form an _____________as to the relative roles of
__________ ___ _____________ variables for the occurrence of a target behavior.
hypothesis
antecedent and consequent

3. Functional Analysis
Functional Analysis: Refers to the _________ __________of specific antecedent and consequence variables in a ___________ setting over several___________, in order to determine if the occurrence of a target behavior is associated with one or more of the manipulated conditions.
experimental manipulation
controlled
sessions

4. Three levels of data on behavior
Indirect
_____________ (Third party) information gathering: Questionnaires and interviews). Gathering information as to the situations, times, conditions and typical ______________ of a given behavior as ________ __ _________familiar with the behavior and the person. E.G., the Motivational Assessment Scale; the School Refusal Assessment scale.
consequences
reported by others

5. Indirect (Third party) information gathering
Problems: All the problems associated with indirect measurement.
It is NOT the _________ in question
It is some one else’s ______ behavior
It is subject to error, bias, forgetting
There is no ____________ measure
behavior
verbal
reliability

6. Three levels of data on behavior
Descriptive assessment:
(Direct observational assessment)
ABC analyses, scatter plots, etc. The behavior is observed in the _________ environment and the results are analyzed in terms of ____________,__________ and possible ________ __________ relationships. .
natural
Antecedents consequences,
stimulus control

7. Descriptive assessment
Better than indirectly gathered data because at least they are _______ measures of the actual behavior
Problems: The data are only ___________ and not experimental.
(I.E., no empirical demonstration of a causal relationship between events)
Plus the usual problems with ____________ and ___________ of the data collected
direct
co-relational
accuracy
reliability

8. Three levels of data on behavior
(experimental)
Functional ______________analyses. Specific ____________circumstances (scenarios) are arranged (e.g., attention, escape, tangible, sensory, control) such that a ______ _______, when it occurs, is followed by specific consequences.
environmental
target behavior

9. Functional (experimental) analyses
By conducting several “__________” of equal length, in a random order, over a set time frame (multi-element design), data on the relative ________ __ _____________of the target behavior is obtained for each _________ .
scenarios
frequency of occurrence
condition

10. Functional (experimental) analyses
Ideally a clear picture, that is…… (_______________________________) emerges (IE. higher frequency of occurrence in one condition) indicating that the target behavior is maintained by that specific function.
For example: More behavior is observed in the attention condition
differentiation of function

11. Functional (experimental) analyses
With a FA we see behaviors maintained by _______ __________ reinforcement that is either ________ mediated. (IE. It gets attention, tangibles, escape, or avoidance)
or maintained by sensory (________) reinforcement).
E.G.,same _____ over all conditions, or higher in the _______ condition
positive or negative
socially
automatic
rate
alone

12. Three levels of data on behavior
Functional (experimental) analyses
It’s the best measure because it is ______ and demonstrates _____________ control.
Problem: It is difficult with low ____________ behavior; ___________ behavior; and behaviors under _________ control
Only as accurate as its representativeness of the contingencies in the_______ environment.
Expensive, sophisticated methods, requires training,and careful idiosyncratic design.
direct
experimental
frequency
dangerous
multiple
natural

13. Why Functional Assessment?
It allows for intervention with the actual __________ reinforcer that maintains the target behavior.
It avoids interventions with consequences that will in fact make the problem ______ . (e.g., using time out to treat negatively reinforced behavior or sensory maintained behaviors).
functional
worse

14. Major causes of problem behavior
Attention
_______(social positive reinforcement)
Social attention ________ behavior. The person looks at or approaches others prior to the behavior; may engage in smiling before or after the behavior.
Plausible treatments: _____ of target plus DR__, DR__, DR__, NCR, stimulus control.
follows
EXT O A I

15. Major causes of problem behavior
Escape
_________ from Demand (Social negative reinforcement)
Behavior observed only when certain _______ _ _________are presented. (requests, instructions, teaching materials etc.)
(OR a change from desirable to undesirable events, termination of reinforcement, etc.) (E.G., “time for bed now”)
Plausible treatments: ____________ (Persist with demands), provide an ___________ response for escape (DRA, FCT- sign, gesture) and then provide escape on a more delayed or ___________ basis. Behavioral ___________ , (low probability requests interspersed with compliance to high probability requests).
Also signal activity changes _______ and reinforce compliance. Provide ________ of activities, alter curriculum to reduce difficulty.
requests or situations
EXTINCTION
alternative
intermittent
momentum
earlier
choice

16. Major causes of problem behavior
sensory
Environmental stimulation (external _________ positive reinforcement).
Behavior continues irrelevant of ________ consequences. Followed by environmental sights and sounds (stimulation)
Plausible treatments: DRA, DRI, DRO, altering environmental consequences
(EXT), Provide similar saturating environment with sensory events(NCR).
social

17. Major causes of problem behavior
Self-stimulatory (internal sensory positive reinforcement)
Behavior continues at a steady rate without observable effect of _______ or the _____________. Maintains when alone.
Plausible treatments:
Enrichment of environment with sensory Sr+, altering sensory consequences, EXT of identified stimulatory consequence when feasible
others
environment

18. Major causes of problem behavior
 Elicited
__________ problem behaviors (respondents)
Behavior appears typically only in the presence of a specific stimulus, never followed by ____________ ; seems involuntary
________ causes: always rule these out!!
Escape or termination of ________ discomfort.
Emerges suddenly, unrelated to ____________ changes or lack of these (infections, headaches, rashes, sensory impairment, other pain or discomfort)
reinforcement
Medical
internal
environmental

19. Analog Functional Analysis
10 minutes
All sessions are typically __ _______in length and are usually conducted in a session room. We collect data with Palm Pilots using __ ______ intervals and specific FA templates that are programmed onto the palm. There are different category boxes on the screen that the observer “taps” every time that event happens. The Palm “beeps” every 10 seconds and the program stops after 60 intervals
10 second

20. Analog Functional Analysis
Four conditions of the standard FA: 1.No interaction (or alone), 2.Attention, 3.Toy Play (or the control condition), and 4. Demand. Conditions are run in random order over several days in a Multi-element or _________ __________ design
No interaction ( sometimes alone)
Therapist does not _______ whatsoever with the
client.This includes eye contact. The session is conducted in a barren room (in some cases a chair and table may be present). The reason for this condition is to see if the client engages in the behavior for ________(automatic) reinforcement.The client can have low-preferred items in this condition.
Alternating treatments
interact
sensory

21. Analog Functional Analysis
In the Attention condition the therapist will give the client attention for approximately 10 seconds whenever the client engages in the ______ ________. Examples include “I don’t like it when you do that.”, “I wish you wouldn’t do that, you might hurt yourself”. The client can have low-preferred items during this condition. The reason for this condition is to see if the client is engaging in the target behavior in order to receive __________. Data is usually collected on attention and the target behavior.
target behavior
attention

22. Analog Functional Analysis
The Demand condition consists of 3-4 demands that the client has mastered. These demands are given throughout the session by the therapist. The three-step prompting hierarchy is used (Sd, model, full physical) for all demands. If the full physical prompt is used, do not reinforce the response. All other appropriate responses should be verbally reinforced. If the client engages in the target behavior after the therapist has began the demand the therapist should say, “Okay, you don’t have to” and allow the client to escape for __ ________. The therapist then continues to place demands on the client. The function of this condition is to determine if the client engages in the target behavior to _______ from demands. Data is usually collected on the target behavior, escape and demand (only counting the Sd, not counting prompts).
30 seconds
escape

23. Analog Functional Analysis
Toy Play (or control condition) consists of giving the client all high-preferred items for the entire session. The therapist will give ________ _________ every 30 seconds ex) “I like how you are sitting so nicely!”. “I like how you are playing with your toys so well!” as well as providing light physical contact (like a pat on the back). If the client engages in the target behavior when it is time to give the social praise wait 5 seconds after the behavior and then provide the social praise. The target behavior usually does not occur during this condition unless the behavior is automatically reinforced. So, the reason for this condition is to serve as a _______ condition and to determine if the behavior is _____________ maintained. Data is usually collected on toy play (interval) the target behavior, and attention.
positive attention
control
automatically