This practical consists of a series of tasks.
Go to the “Practical Assignment 3: FBA Lab 1” on Moodle. This contains all of the information and videos you need to complete the practical. Remember there are two parts that need to be completed.
This practical consists of two parts:
-Part 1 looks at selected indirect assessment tools and procedures that form part of a Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) (10 marks)
-Part 2 consists of conducting a number of direct assessments using various observational tools (10 marks)
The term ‘FBA’ is commonly used as an umbrella term to describe a variety of procedures used in the process of identifying behavioral function. Typically such procedures include indirect assessment procedures, direct observations, and functional analysis (FA). Across a series of sessions, we will cover all three procedures, beginning with indirect and direct assessments.
Indirect assessments incorporate a wide range of procedure, including the review of files and records. In this Lab we will limit ourselves to some commonly used instruments though: interviews such as the protocol developed by O’Neill et al., (1997) and questionnaires or rating scales, such as the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) (Durand & Crimmins, 1988).
Indirect functional assessment interviews, and rating scales are time and cost efficient, but they are also subject to informant bias or error. Antecedents, owing to their temporal relation to the target behaviour, can be particularly difficult for informants to identify reliably. Research comparing the effectiveness of different functional assessment procedures has found that indirect functional assessments alone tend to be inadequate (Alter, et al., 2008). Nonetheless, indirect assessments can yield useful information regarding the situations and specific times that problem behaviour is most likely to occur: when; where; with whom and under what circumstances. Interview or questionnaire data can also help to develop an operational definition of the target behaviour. They are therefore useful for informing further analyses and identifying the situations to be targeted for direct observation.
1. Task details Part 1
PART 1: There are a number of tools used to assist behaviour analysts in the assessment of client behaviour. Some of these allow for self-report from the client, others rely on information provided by parents, caregivers and teachers, others require direct observation by the practitioner, and some combine these approaches. The assessments can be criterion referenced or norm referenced.
The goal of this practical is to introduce you to some of these assessment tools, and to provide you with the opportunity to engage with the assessments in a non-clinical setting. We have selected the following assessments for you to sample:
• QABF (Questions About Behavioral Function) (3 marks)
• Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) (2 marks)
• Functional Assessment Interview Form (FAI) (5 marks)
There are three tasks you need to do to complete Part 1 (details are listed in the Practical 3 Instructions and Assignment 3 document on Moodle). Practical Information
This practical consists of a series of tasks.
Go to the “Practical Assignment 3: FBA Lab 1” on Moodle. This contains all of the information and videos you need to complete the practical. Remember there are two parts that need to be completed.
This practical consists of two parts:
-Part 1 looks at selected indirect assessment tools and procedures that form part of a Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) (10 marks)
-Part 2 consists of conducting a number of direct assessments using various observational tools (10 marks)
The term ‘FBA’ is commonly used as an umbrella term to describe a variety of procedures used in the process of identifying behavioral function. Typically such procedures include indirect assessment procedures, direct observations, and functional analysis (FA). Across a series of sessions, we will cover all three procedures, beginning with indirect and direct assessments.
Indirect assessments incorporate a wide range of procedure, including the review of files and records. In this Lab we will limit ourselves to some commonly used instruments though: interviews such as the protocol developed by O’Neill et al., (1997) and questionnaires or rating scales, such as the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) (Durand & Crimmins, 1988).
Indirect functional assessment interviews, and rating scales are time and cost efficient, but they are also subject to informant bias or error. Antecedents, owing to their temporal relation to the target behaviour, can be particularly difficult for informants to identify reliably. Research comparing the effectiveness of different functional assessment procedures has found that indirect functional assessments alone tend to be inadequate (Alter, et al., 2008). Nonetheless, indirect assessments can yield useful information regarding the situations and specific times that problem behaviour is most likely to occur: when; where; with whom and under what circumstances. Interview or questionnaire data can also help to develop an operational definition of the target behaviour. They are therefore useful for informing further analyses and identifying the situations to be targeted for direct observation.
The second step in FBA procedures is usually to conduct some kind of direct observation. In this practical we will collect ABC data in a number of ways, as well as collect baseline data and conduct more open ended observations:
1. Baseline observations: observing the amount (time or incidences) of the behaviour of concern
2. ABC Continuous Recording (running records): recording occurrences of targeted problem behaviours and selected environmental event within the natural routine during a specified period of time.
3. ABC Narrative Recording: collecting data only when behavior(s) of interest are observed, and where recording is open-ended.
Task 1. The first video to watch is a natural functional analysis conducted by a mother of her toddler and his tantrum behaviour. Use this to familiarise yourselves with the process. Watch the video once to define the behaviour of concern. Now watch it again and record ABC data on this toddler’s tantrum behaviour:
Cry-baby: https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/mcontent/behavior-abc-video/
Use the ABC Narrative Recording chart provided to note down occurrences of the behaviour of concern, along with its antecedents and consequences. Then answer the following questions:
i. What is the function of this behaviour?
ii. How helpful was the ABC analysis to come to this conclusion?
Task 2. Conduct a running record of this next video clip – exclude the student’s initial explanation of the situation; treat that as your indirect assessment. Be sure to classify / describe the teacher’s behaviour as well as the student’s behaviour.
Then answer the following questions:
i. What is the function of this student’s behaviour of concern?
ii. Is there anything this teacher could do to prevent the behaviours of concern?
Task 3. Conduct a direct observation of the child’s behaviour in this video:
ask 3. Conduct a direct observation of the child’s behaviour in this video:
Play Video
First, watch the first 1:16 minutes of this video once and define the behaviour (operational definition or pinpoint). Then choosing one of the above ABC recording methods that you consider is best, conduct the direct observation.
Then answer the following questions:
i. What is the function of this behaviour?
ii. How helpful was the ABC analysis you used.
Task 4. This is the final task. Watch this video:
Play
Mute
Remaining Time -5:05
1x
Playback Rate
Picture-in-Picture
Fullscreen
and then:
i. Count and describe all the appropriate and inappropriate behaviours of both: the student and the teacher.
ii. Select one of the students exhibiting inappropriate behaviour for your observation.
iii. Provide an operational definition of the target behaviour.
iv. Decide on an appropriate observational method to take baseline data on this behaviour.
v. Conduct baseline observations of the chosen behaviour.
vi. Now conduct a running record of the teacher’s inappropriate behaviour. Describe at least 2 examples of how the teacher’s behaviour supports a student’s inappropriate behaviour.
Submit all of your work by merging all of the various charts and documents that you used to complete this practical into one WORD document and submitting this in the assignment box.
https://1drv.ms/w/s!Ajnp1TzEO1HEgYsPvfeZmmtQxUM4Ew?e=jryECe – The assignment task is on here to complete.
https://1drv.ms/p/s!Ajnp1TzEO1HEgYsSPqqKtXFrl0N0rg?e=0QKrZp – View this link too
https://1drv.ms/w/s!Ajnp1TzEO1HEgYsU1iKI7MI4kQ8bfw?e=NcbnyU – And this too just save all of these and send back to me
