BEHV 4010 – FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT OF PROBLEM BEHAVIOR

Spring 2014

TuesThur 11:00am-12:20pmWooten 313

Instructor: Karen Toussaint, Ph.D.

Department of Behavior Analysis

360F Chilton Hall

Phone: 940-369-5371

E-mail:

Office Hours: Wed: 2:00-4:00 p.m, or by appt.

Teaching Asst: Gloria Maillard

Phone: 940-565-2274 (departmental office)

E-mail:

Office Hours: by appointment only

Background: This course will introduce students to function-based treatment approaches for problem behavior. Topics include anecdotal assessment, descriptive assessment, experimental analysis, and various courses of treatment derived from functional assessment, with an emphasis on the importance of consistency between procedures and functional properties of problem behavior.

Essential Academic Competencies:

  • Describe operant mechanisms involved in producing and maintaining problem behaviors
  • Describe ways to assess the functional properties of problem behaviors
  • Describe treatments for behavior maintained by social positive reinforcement
  • Describe treatments for behavior maintained by social negative reinforcement
  • Describe treatments for behavior maintained by nonsocial mechanisms
  • Describe issues related to the functional analysis approach and the use of default treatments such as punishment

Course Materials:

  • A set of readings is available via Blackboard.

Performance Contingencies:

1)Study Questions: A set of study questions will be posted in the “Assignments” tab on Blackboard that correspond with the readings. Please complete your assignments within the original Word document and attach that document as your submitted homework through Blackboard Learn. In addition, bring your printed homework to EACH CLASS PERIOD. Homework will be due at the beginning of each class and late submissions will not be accepted (i.e., you must complete your study questions before coming to class). The homework will consist of thought and content questions that you will be expected to answer (answers will typically be 3-4 sentences). Your answers are expected to reflect YOUR ORIGINAL WORK – if you “share” your homework you will not receive credit and may be subject to additional sanctions. Homework will be graded on a 10-pt scale.The lowest homework grade will be dropped.

2)Attendance: Students are expected to attend each class meeting. One point will be deducted from your homework grade if you submit homework but do not attend the class meeting on the day the homework is due.

3)Lab Activities:

4010 Lab Hours

Students enrolled in BEHV 4010 must complete 18 hours of lab work this semester at the Behavior Analysis Resource Center (BARC) at the Denton State Supported Living Center (DSSLC) in Denton, TX. Students must complete the required lab hours in order to receive credit for BEHV 4010. Your completed volunteer packet is due in class on Thursday January 23rd. You will not be able to complete your lab hours if you fail to turn in the completed packet. All students must complete their lab hours by May 2nd. A finite number of lab hours are available throughout the semester; additional timeslots will not be added because students failed to begin their hours early enough in the semester. All questions regarding BEHV 4010 lab hours should be directed to the lab TA at

Contents of the packet to be completed, signed, & turned in:

Volunteer Application 3pgs long (Form 8653)

Acknowledgement of Reporting Abuse & Neglect (Form 1020)

Criminal Offenses Reporting (Form 8636)

Criminal Disclosure (Form 8708)

Form 8710 (only if you have Criminal History to disclose)

FAST Fingerprinting Form (a printed screenshot of your appointment confirmation is due on 1/23/13; the actual signed FAST form is due to the lab TA immediately upon completion)

NIH Online Training Certificate

  • Certificates for DSSLC Online Training (3 certificates)

DADS 101 Training

HIPAA Training

Computer Usage Training

4)Exams: Four exams will be administered. Each exam will cover material only for that section of the course.

5)Final Exam: A cumulative final exam will also be administered.

Grades:

Lab Paperwork Completion 25

Study Guides 200

Tests 400

Final Exam100

Total possible points:725

Grades:A: >652(90%)

B: > 580(80%)

C: >507 (70%)

ADA Statement: The Department of Behavior Analysis, in cooperation with the Office of Disability Accommodation, complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act in making reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. Please present your written accommodation request to me before the 4th class meeting.

Week / Date / Topics / Readings / Tests/Assignments
1 / 1.14 / Course Introduction / Course Introduction- Syllabus Review
1.16 / Lab Introduction / Lab Introduction – Practicum Review
2 / 1.21 / Etiology of Severe Behavior Disorders /
  • Skinner, B. F. Science and Human Behavior: Chapters 1-2
/ RG1 DUE
1.23 /
  • Skinner, B. F. Science and Human Behavior: Chapter 3
/ RG2 DUE
Lab paperwork due
3 / 1.28 / Analogue Functional Analysis /
  • Carr, E. G. (1977). The origins of self-injurious behavior: A review of some hypotheses. Psychological Bulletin, 84, 800-816.
  • Iwata, B. A., Dorsey, M. F., Slifer, K. J., Bauman, K. E., & Richman, G. S. (1994). Toward a functional analysis of self-injury. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27, 197-209.
/ RG3 DUE
1.30 /
  • Hanley, G. P., Iwata, B. A., & McCord, B. E. (2003). Functional analysis of problem behavior: A review. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36, 147-185.
/ RG4 DUE
4 / 2.4 / Extensions of Analogue Functional Analyses /
  • Derby, K. M., Hagopian, L., Fisher, W. W., Richman, D., Augustine, M., Fahs, A., & Thompson, R. (2000). Functional analysis of aberrant behavior through measurement of separate response topographies. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 33, 113-117.
  • Iwata, B. A., Duncan, B. A., Zarcone, J. R., Lerman, D. C., & Shore, B. A. (1994). A sequential, test-control methodology for conducting functional analyses of self-injurious behavior. Behavior Modification, 18, 289-306.
/ RG5 DUE
2.6 / TEST 1 / TEST 1 / TEST 1
5 / 2.11 / Indirect Measures of Assessment and Descriptive Assessment /
  • Thompson, R. H., & Iwata, B. A. (2001). A descriptive analysis of social consequences following problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 34, 169-178.
  • Vollmer, T. R., Borrero, J. C., Wright, C. S., Van Camp, C., and Lalli, J. S. (2001). Identifying possible contingencies during descriptive analyses of severe behavior disorders. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 34, 269-287.
/ RG6 DUE
2.13 /
  • Zarcone, J., Rodgers, T., Iwata, B., Rourke, D., & Dorsey, M. (1991). Reliability analysis of the motivation assessment scale: A failure to replicate. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 12, 349-360.
/ RG7 DUE
6 / 2.18 / Treatment of Positively Reinforced Problem Behavior /
  • Carr, E. G., & Durand, V. M. (1985). Reducing behavior problems through functional communication training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18, 111-126.
  • Fisher, W. W., Piazza, C. C., Cataldo, M. F., Harrell, R., Jefferson, G., & Conner, R. (1993). Functional communication training with and without extinction and punishment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 23-36.
/ RG8 DUE
2.20 /
  • No Class -
/ No Class
7 / 2.25 /
  • Hanley, G. P., Piazza, C. C., & Fisher, W. W. (1997). Noncontingent presentation of attention and alternative stimuli in the treatment of attention-maintained destructive behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 30, 229-237.
  • Fisher, W. W., O'Connor, J. T., Kurtz, P. F., DeLeon, I. G., & Gotjen, D. L. (2000). The effects of noncontingent delivery of high- and low-preference stimuli on attention-maintained destructive behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 33, 79-83
/ RG9DUE
2.27 / TEST 2 / TEST 2 / TEST 2
8 / 3.4 / Treatment of Negatively Reinforced Problem Behavior /
  • Iwata, B. A. (1987). Negative reinforcement in applied behavior analysis: An emerging technology. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 20, 361-378.
  • Iwata, B. A., Pace, G. M., Kalsher, M. J., Cowdery, G. E., & Cataldo, M. F. (1990). Experimental analysis and extinction of self-injurious escape behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 23, 11-27.
/ RG10 DUE
3.6 /

Vollmer, T. R., Marcus, Bethany A., & Ringdahl, J. E. (1995). Noncontingent escape as treatment for self-injurious behavior maintained by negative reinforcement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28, 15-26.

/ RG11 DUE
9 / 3.11 / Spring Break / Spring Break / Spring Break
3.13 / Spring Break / Spring Break / Spring Break
10 / 3.18 / Treatment of Negatively Reinforced Problem Behavior cont… /
  • Piazza, C. C., Moes, D. R., & Fisher, W. W. (1996). Differential reinforcement of alternate behavior and demand fading in treatment of escape-maintained destructive behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 569-572.
  • Mace, F. C., & Belfiore, P. (1990). Behavioral momentum in the treatment of escape-motivated stereotypy. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 23, 507-514.
/ RG12 DUE
3.20 / Treatment of Automatically Reinforced Problem Behavior /
  • Vollmer, T. R. (1994). The concept of automatic reinforcement: Implications for behavioral research in developmental disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 15, 187-207.
  • Ringdahl, J. E., Vollmer, T. R., Marcus, B. A., & Roane, H. S. (1997). An analogue evaluation of environmental enrichment: The role of stimulus preference. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 30, 203-216.
/ RG13 DUE
11 / 3.25 /
  • Shore, B. A., Iwata, B. A., DeLeon, I. G., Kahng, S. W., & Smith, R. G. (1997). An analysis of reinforcer substitutability using object manipulation and self-injury as competing responses. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 30, 21-41
/ RG14 DUE
3.27 / No Class / No Class
12 / 4.1 /
  • Falcomata, T. S., Roane, H. S., Hovanetz, A. N., Kettering, T. R., & Keeney, K. M. (2004). An evaluation of response cost in the treatment of inappropriate vocalizations maintained by automatic reinforcement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37, 83-87.
  • Piazza, C. C., Fisher, W. W., Hanley, G. P., LeBlanc, L. A., Worsdell, A. S., Lindauer, S. E., & Keeney, K. M. (1998). Treatment of pica through multiple analyses of its reinforcing functions. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 31, 165-189.
/ RG15 DUE
4.3 / TEST 3 / TEST 3 / TEST 3
13 / 4.8 / Treatment of Behavior Disorders Maintained by Multiple Sources of /
  • Smith, R. G., Iwata, B. A., Vollmer, T. R., & Zarcone, J. R. (1993). Experimental analysis and treatment of multiply controlled self-injury. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 183-196.
  • Lalli, J. S., & Casey, S. D. (1996). Treatment of multiply controlled problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 391-396.
/ RG16 DUE
4.10 /
  • Borrero, C. & Vollmer, T. R. (2006) Experimental analysis and treatment of multiply controlled problem behavior: A systematic replication and extension. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 39, 375-379.
  • Thompson, R. H., Fisher, W. W., Piazza, C. C., & Kuhn, D. E. (1998). The evaluation and treatment of aggression maintained by attention and automatic reinforcement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 31, 103-116.
/ RG17 DUE
14 / 4.15 / Idiosyncratic Reinforcement Contingencies /

Bowman, L. G., Fisher, W. W., Thompson, R. H., & Piazza, C. C. (1997). On the relation of mands and the function of destructive behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 30, 251-265.

Van Camp, C. M., Lerman, D. C., Kelley, M. E., Roane, H. S., Contrucci, S. A., & Vorndran, C. M. (2000). Further analysis of idiosyncratic antecedent influences during the assessment and treatment of problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 33, 207-221.

/ RG18 DUE
4.17 / TEST 4 / TEST 4 / TEST 4
15 / 4.22 / Treatment Generalization /
  • Stokes, T. F., & Baer, D. M. (1977). An implicit technology of generalization. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 10, 349-367.
  • Fisher, W. W., Thompson, R. H., Hagopian, L. P., Bowman, L. G., & Krug, A. (2000). Facilitating tolerance of delayed reinforcement during functional communication training. Behavior Modification, 24, 3-29
/ RG19 DUE
4.24 /
  • Hanley, G. P., Iwata, B. A., & Thompson, R. H. (2001). Reinforcement schedule thinning following treatment with functional communication training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 34, 17-38
/ RG20DUE
16 / 4.29 / Assessment and Treatment of “Uncommon” Behavior Disorders /
  • Piazza, C. C., Hanley, G. P., & Fisher, W. W. (1996). Functional analysis and treatment of cigarette pica. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 437-450.
  • Chapman, S., Fisher, W. W., Piazza, C. C., & Kurtz, P. F. (1993). Functional assessment and treatment of life-threatening drug ingestion in a dually-diagnosed youth. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 255-256.
/ RG21 DUE
5.1 / Final Review / Final Review / Final Review
17 / 5.6 / Final Exam / Final Exam
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. / Final Exam