Functional assessments & self-management

Question 1

When are behaviours deemed problematic?

Answer 1

When they are socially significant.

Question 2

What makes problem behaviours socially significant? (4 points)

Answer 2

Affect others and the surrounding environment.
Safety of the person engaging in the behaviour or others around is threatened.
Hinder the ability of the person or others to acquire new skills.
Lead to restrictive living arrangements.

Question 3

What ethical consideration is needed for deciding whether the behaviour hinders the ability of the person/others to acquire new skills?

Answer 3

Consider whether the behaviour is actually problematic/hindering them or whether it is just identifying them as being neurodiverse.

Question 4

Most behaviours are …?

Answer 4

Learned: controlled by principles of operant conditioning.

Question 5

Behaviours can be … or … ? What does this depend on?

Answer 5

Adaptive or maladaptive. Depends on the context in which the behaviour occurs.

Question 6

Behaviours can be seen as forms of …?

Answer 6

Communication with a function.
They get us something that we want.

Question 7

What are the two functions of behaviour?

Answer 7

Positive and negative reinforcement.

Question 8

Who can each of the reinforcement operations of behaviour be delivered by?

Answer 8

The environment = social.
The self = automatic.

Question 9

What is escape an example of?

Answer 9

Social negative reinforcement.

Question 10

What is an FBA?

Answer 10

Functional behaviour assessment.

Question 11

What does an FBA involve and the 4 steps?

Answer 11

Often start with ABC (immediate context in which the maladaptive behaviour is happening).
But antecedents and consequences can be altered by individual and environmental factors.
Step 1: Interview and observation to identify individual and caregiver factors.
Step 2: Observation and analysis of behaviour when it occurs.
Step 3: Identify the function of the behaviour.
Step 4: Develop an intervention plan.

Question 12

What are examples of environmental factors influencing ABC in FBA?

Answer 12

Level of stress in family members, home/school support, cultural factors.

Question 13

What are individual factors influencing ABC in FBA?

Answer 13

Level of sleep, medication, illness, level of ability, trauma.

Question 14

What are the 4 steps completed to determine the function of behaviour?

Answer 14

1. Interview and observation to identify individual and caregiver factors.
2. Observation and analysis of the event when it occurs.
3. Identifying the function of the behaviour.
4. Develop an intervention plan.

Question 15

What does the direct observation step of an FBA involve?

Answer 15

Antecedent: who was around; where were they; what was said/heard?
Behaviour: what did the individual do?
Consequence: what did the individual receive immediately after the behaviour; what did other people do after the behaviour; what did other people stop doing after the behaviour?

Question 16

How do behavioural analysts record the observation data?

Answer 16

In a direct observation datasheet. It can be blank or include information about what to expect.

Question 17

Why are observations hard to conduct? What does this mean for practice?

Answer 17

There is often a lot going on and chaos in the environment, involving lots of antecedents and consequences. It means that observations must be repeated to get an idea of what variables are maintaining the behaviour.

Question 18

What are the 2 strategies of categories identified for an intervention plan?

Answer 18

Proactive and teaching alternative behaviour.

Question 19

What is a proactive intervention strategy?

Answer 19

Implemented before the behaviour occurs. Determines what to do in order to prevent the behaviour.

Question 20

What is the teaching alternative behaviour intervention strategy?

Answer 20

Implemented just as the behaviour starts to occur. Teaches an alternative behaviour that is functionally equivalent to the problem behaviour (i.e., teaches another way to get the same favourable consequence).

Question 21

In the case study on Tom, who had CENs and was non-verbal, how were strategies used to reduce non-injurious behaviour?

Answer 21

Teaching alternative behaviour: provided an ACC device to get more one-on-one interaction; allowed him to make a sound to call for attention when he wanted someone with him.
Proactive strategy: brought more people to him to talk/read to him unsolicited; trained in independent activities during which he did not need someone next to him all the time.

Question 22

What are trauma-informed applications of FBA?

Answer 22

Immediate need to minimise restraint use for individuals with dangerous behaviour.
Offering enhanced choices: method towards individuals having their say.

Question 23

How did Rajaraman et al. (2021) used trauma-informed application of FBA to reduce eloping of 9yr old boy from school?

Answer 23

Wanted to train a functional communication response. Used shaping procedure.
New to the trauma-informed approach was an enhanced choice model: gave him the option to choose between whether they stayed in practice (communication response shaping), went to a hangout room, or terminated the session.
He learned to use this.

Question 24

When is self-management used? (3 things)

Answer 24

1. Engage in a controlling behaviour to influence a future behaviour.
2. Establish a behaviour that does not have immediate positive consequences, but has a future desirable outcome.
3. Can be applied for behavioural deficits or excesses.

Question 25

What are the 6 steps to self-management?

Answer 25

1. Define the target behaviour.
2. Goal-setting.
3. Self-monitoring.
4. Functional Assessment.
5. Self-management strategies
6. Evaluate, re-evaluate.

Question 26

What makes a good operational definition of behaviour in SM?

Answer 26

Clear, concise, measurable. Include examples and non-examples for complex behaviours. Use action words (verbs) to help.

Question 27

What does goal-setting in SM involve?

Answer 27

Writing down the criterion level of the target behaviour and the time frame for the occurrence of it.

Question 28

What are the 4 main categories of goals in SM?

Answer 28

Being more effective and efficient in daily life.
Breaking undesirable habits.
Developing desired lifestyle behaviours.
Mastering difficult skills.

Question 29

When is goal setting often effective?

Answer 29

When implemented with self-monitoring and other self-management strategies.

Question 30

What does self-monitoring involve in SM?

Answer 30

Monitoring one’s own behaviour to measure change. Record each instance of the target behaviour as it occurs to evaluate (monitor) progress towards the goal. Use a data sheet or recording device.

Question 31

What do we mean by saying self-monitoring is reactive?

Answer 31

The act of self-monitoring may result in a beneficial change in the target behaviour that is being recorded.

Question 32

What does a functional assessment in SM involve?

Answer 32

Look at the variables that are impacting the behaviour directly - immediate contingencies and delayed outcomes. Consider how these can be modified.

Question 33

What SM strategy is “start with 1 mile and increase by 1 mile each week” an example of?

Answer 33

Shaping.

Question 34

What is the SM strategy of “eat a snack at 3pm so he wouldn’t be hungry when he got home” an example of?

Answer 34

Antecedent control.

Question 35

What SM strategy is “joining a running group so every time you do go on a run there are positive consequences that you meet others (makes you more accountable)” an example of?

Answer 35

Consequence control.

Question 36

What does evaluation, re-evaluation involve?

Answer 36

Graph and evaluate progress as SM strategies are applied. Conduct a visual analysis of the graphed data and evaluate changes in the level and trend of the data. Assess if goals are being met. Assess variability in the data (is there too much even though the strategy has been introduced?).