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Tentative Outline of Important Factors in Applying Behavior Analysis
Based on Texts by Beth Sulzer-Azaroff & Roy G. Mayer (1991) and
Ray Miltenberger (2008)
Marshall Lev Dermer
April 27, 2011
I. Is there a problem?
A.Multiple requests for help from client or others?
B.Extreme scores on standard tests?
C.Person functioning differently from others?
D.Dramatic changes in behavior?
E.Threat to self or others?
II. Is behavior analytic intervention appropriate?
A.Can a simple request or rearrangement of the environment solve problem?
B.Is this a medical problem?
C.Are there other professionals who can better address problem?
D.Is addressing problem part of my job description?
E.Is there community support for intervention?
F.Do I have adequate material resources?
G.Am I competent in this area? (BCBA®? Right training?)
H.Is there a research literature that empirically supports treatment?
I.Is the person, guardian, or advocates, as appropriate, “willing” to participate?
J.Will I have control over variables that determine problem behavior and desirable behavior?
III. Define Behavior(s)
Measuring desirable and undesirable behaviors (The list below is most appropriate for conducting a functional analysis but I have included it here as it describes a standard for conducting less rigorous assessments. Also, note that the list does not include social validation i.e., verifying that the right variables are being measures from the standpoint of the persons complaining.)
A.Interview “Complainers” and Operationally define behavior
B.Specify dimensions of behavior
1.Frequency
2.Rate
3.Latency
4.Intensity
5.Topography
6.Duration
7.Accuracy
C.Develop observation system
1.Who will observe?
2.Where will they observe?
3.When will observations occur?
4.Setting unstructured or structured?
D.Type of recording?
1.frequency
2.latency
3.duration
4.whole interval
5.partial interval
6.momentary
7.real time recording
E.Develop recording forms
F.Train primary and secondary observers to attain high interobserver agreement before collecting data
IV. Functional assessment
A.Ethical and legal issues (just some here)
1.Informed consent
2.Treatment utility of assessment
3.Least restrictive environment
4.Right to withdraw
5.Right to counsel
6.Human services review panel/IRB/Ethical Code?
B.Type of assessment
1.Interview
2.Narrative recording
3.ABC analysis
4.Ecobehavioral assessment or scatter plot
5.Functional analysis
a)Specify functional hypothesis
b)Specify treatments
c)Specify single-subject design
1)AB
2)ABA
3)Multiple baseline
4)Alternating treatment
5)Multiple probe
6)ChangingCriterion
V. Select Interventions (based on literature review)
A.Increase established behavior
1.Reinforcement (positive and negative)
2.Schedule variations
3.Stimulus change
4.Establishing operations
5.Rule-governed behavior
B.Occasion and teach new behavior
1.Discrimination training
2.Respondent conditioning
3.Prompting
4.Delayed prompting
5.Graduated prompting
6.Fading
7.Shaping
8.Chaining
9.Teaching rule-governed behavior
C.Reduce Behavior
1.Extinction
2.DRA
3.DRI (constructional)
4.DRC (functional communication training; constructional)
5.DRO
6.Positive Practice (use with DRA; constructional)
7.Time out (constructional with DRA)
8.Restitution (constructional with DRA)
9.Contingent Exercise (constructional with DRA)
10.Response cost (constructional with DRA)
11.Positive Punishment (constructional with DRA)
D.Other intervention packages
1.Behavioral skills training
2.Behavioral contracting
3.Self management
4.Habit reversal
5.Token economy
6.Fear and anxiety management/reduction
7.Cognitive behavior modification
8.Fluency Training
9.Compliance Training (DuCharme)
VI. Implementand MaintainInterventions
A.Specify the behavioral objective for terminating intervention (Jones will not whine [problem behavior], at least daily for ten days [behavior dimensions], when wife makes requests [context]); gain informed consent, check on ethical issues like those listed above
B.Collect baseline data for target and collateral behaviors; wait for stability
C.Prepare or tweak intervention
1.Intervention parameters: kinds of reinforcers and punishers, schedules of reinforcement & punishment, delays in delayed prompting, “size of steps” in chaining, etc.
2.Terminateor tweak intervention when behavioral objective has been met
3. Return to functional analysis should even tweaked intervention fail
D.Activities while collecting data
1.Maintain intervention integrity
2.Maintain valid and reliable measures of behaviors
3.Graph data
4.Show data to all relevant parties including client(s)
5.Tweak intervention based on graphed data
6.Verify welfare of client and others
VII. Programming for Generalization and Maintenance
A.Reinforce instances of generalization
B.Train skills that contact natural reinforcement
C.Modify natural contingencies of reinforcement and punishment
D.Use a wide range of relevant stimulus situations during training
E.Incorporate common stimuli
F.Teach a range of functionally equivalent responses
G.Use self-generated mediators of generalization