Behavior modification 3 rd Class Functional assessment Todays

Behavior modification 3 rd Class Functional assessment

Today‘s task • Carry out the first steps of Behavioral Assessment of PROCRASTINATION (counterproductive postponing of tasks to later time) ▫ Define the current and target behavior (how you know it) ▫ Perform Functional analysis Stick to ABC format - generate as much as possible As and Cs

Behavioral assessment – typical steps 1 2 3 • Define the behaviors • (problem and target behavior) • Functional assessment • Identify functional relation between the problem behavior and it’s Antecedents & Consequences • Perform an intervention

Functional assessment - steps 1. Gather information via indirect and descriptive assessment 2. Interpret information from indirect and descriptive assessment 3. Test hypothesis using functional analysis 4. Develop intervention options based on the function of problem behavior

4 Assessment Methods • Goal: Enable to formulate hypotheses • INDIRECT ▫ Interviews ▫ Checklist • DIRECT ▫ Standardized tests ▫ Direct observation

Interview • Do not ask WHY but WHAT and WHEN • Focus on environmental conditions before, during and after a behavioral episode

Example • Case: Teacher you yells at disruptive students ▫ In your own words, can you define the problem behaviors that prompted your request? ▫ When you engage in negative attention, what happens usually immediately BEFORE that behavior occurs? ▫ What usually happens AFTER you yell at the students? ▫ What are the students reactions when you yell?

Behavior checklist and rating scales • Provides descriptions of specific behaviors and the conditions under which each behavior should occur. • You can use: ▫ Published checklists ▫ Create specific situation or skills checklist.

Example: Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach) • • • Acts too young for his/her age. Afraid to try new things. Avoids others to look in the eye. Can´t concentrate, can´t pay attention for long. Gets too upset when separated from parents. 0= Not True 1= Somewhat or Sometimes True 2=Very True or Often True

Standardized tests • Officially published • Performance and personality tests • Same administration procedure, same questions, same scoring. • Population norms • Main problem: Results cannot be directly translated into target behavior - not situation specific results

Examples Raven´s matrices Torrance Creativity test

Direct observation • Anecdotal or ABC observation • We record descriptive, temporally sequenced account of all behavior of interest, antecedents and consequences of behavior as it occurs in natural environment. • Usually 20 -30 minutes, repeating periods

Example: ABC anecdotal form Time Antecedents Behavior Consequences 18. 40 Teacher asks students for their examples Student is quiet Teacher is showing surprise and waits. 18: 41 Teachers verbally encourages Student is quiet the students Teacher starts to move nervously ad look at the colleague. 18: 42 Teacher holds the eye contact A student and tries to smile responds Teacher is happy, listens and praises the student for sharing his example.

4 Assessment Methods • Goal: Enable to formulate hypotheses • INDIRECT ▫ Interviews ▫ Checklist • DIRECT ▫ Standardized tests ▫ Direct observation

Exercise Procrastination Part 1 - Interview

Exercise • Form pairs • Carry out the interview with you partner, in which you should: ▫ Identify the problematic & target behaviors in observable and measurable terms ▫ Identify the antecedents and consequences • Use when & what questions! • Do not help each other! • You have 8+8 minutes

Functional assessment - steps 1. Gather information via indirect and descriptive assessment 2. Interpret information from indirect and descriptive assessment 3. Test hypothesis using functional analysis 4. Develop intervention options based on the function of problem behavior

Now we have hypotheses. Now what? • We need to plan next steps: ▫ Select hypotheses to be tested ▫ Design testing approach to each hypothesis

Selecting hypotheses to be tested • Perform scoring on ALL hypothesis • Higher the score = higher the impact of a given factor • Sort the hypotheses • Select first few and proceed with the next step

Design testing approach to each hypothesis • Group design can not be used : ( • Single case design ▫ Baseline period ▫ Intervention period ▫ ABAB design • Multiple baseline design • Alternating treatments design

Exercise Procrastination Part 2: Scoring & testing

Exercise • In pairs: ▫ Perform scoring of your hypothesis and design testing approach for first 2 of them • You have 10 minutes

Functional assessment - steps 1. Gather information via indirect and descriptive assessment 2. Interpret information from indirect and descriptive assessment 3. Test hypothesis using functional analysis 4. Develop intervention options based on the function of problem behavior

Homework Assignment Field observation Deadline: 28 th March Maximum range: 2 pages

Homework assignment • Select one person in his/her natural environment • Perform at least 30 minutes non-intrusive observation of his/her interaction • Record the data according to methodology explained today ▫ Use ABC recording form – download at dl. cuni. cz ▫ Follow Instructions for assignment (next slide)

Instructions for assignment • Write down everything that subject does, says and everything that happens to the person • You can use your abbreviations, but expand them immediately after the observation ends • Record action that are seen or heard, not you interpretations • Record the temporal sequence of each response of interest by writing down what happened just before and right after it • Record the estimated start time of each behavioral episode ▫ Optionally also end time • Be as unobtrusive as possible

Discussion [The end of the today's class]