BST 1030: Week 4, Class 1 Review

BST 1030: Week 4, Class 1

• Class session held Tuesday, January 28th, 2025
• Topics covered include: content review, indirect assessment tools, direct assessment tools, and functional analysis methods.

Agenda for Today

• Review of content from 3.2
• Discussion on indirect assessment tools
• Discussion on direct assessment tools
• Discussion on functional analysis methods

Processes When Assessing for Reduction

• Indirect Assessment: Least intrusive and accurate
• Direct Assessment:
• Functional Analysis: Most intrusive and accurate

Indirect Assessment Tools

• FAI (Functional Assessment Interview)
• QABF (Questions About Behavioural Function)
• FAST (Functional Assessment Screening Tool)
• MAS (Motivation Assessment Scale)

Functional Assessment Interview (FAI)

• Advantages: Helpful in determining next steps, easy to use/minimal training needed, open-ended format for follow-up questions.
• Disadvantages: Requires experience to be effective, limited training can lead to less rich information, anecdotal information isn’t objective, and bias is possible.

Completed FAI Example (O'Neill et al., 2015)

• Example of a completed Functional Assessment Interview

Hypothesizing Function from the FAI

• Develop a hypothesis from the interview that explains what is maintaining the interfering behaviour(s).
• Understand the typical operant learning contingency of a function.

Typical Operant Learning Contingencies by Function

• Attention: Attention not available—behaviour occurs—attention provided
• Access: Tangible not available—behaviour occurs—tangible provided
• Escape/Avoid: Aversive stimulus presented—behaviour occurs—aversive stimulus removed
• Automatic: Undifferentiated—behaviour occurs—no clear external consequence

Rating Scales

• Designed to identify antecedents and consequences of problem behaviors.
• Often use yes/no or Likert scale formats.
• Typically administered to more than one person to reduce bias.

Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS)

• 16-item questionnaire related to behavioural motivations.
• Each item rated on a 7-point Likert scale (never to always).
• Yields 4 sub-scales: attention, escape, tangible, and sensory

Functional Assessment Screening Tool (FAST)

• Uses forced-choice (yes/no) rather than a Likert scale.
• 27 items assessing attention, activity, escape, sensory stimulation, and pain attenuation.

ABC Data Collection

• A-B-C (antecedent, behavior, consequence) method to identify the events surrounding and influencing interfering behaviours.
• Can use a narrative or structured approach
• Collect data across multiple settings and times.

ABC Data: Narrative/Anecdotal

• Written description of environmental events (antecedents and consequences) immediately surrounding behaviours.
• Advantages: Flexible and detailed record
• Disadvantages: Prone to bias and time-consuming

ABC Data: Structured

• Specific options listed for antecedents, behaviours, and consequences.
• Observer checks off the events.
• Advantages: Efficient and minimizes observer bias.
• Disadvantages: May not provide enough descriptive detail.

Scatterplots

• Graphic inspection technique showing response frequencies over time.
• Useful for identifying patterns in when a behavior is more likely to occur.
• Allows for visual inspection of times of day or days when behaviors are most likely.

Functional Analysis

• Detailed procedure for determining the function of a behaviour. - Brian Iwata (1994) is a key figure in this area and has a recognised article.
• Uses multiple conditions (e.g., attention, escape).
• The traditional method tests 5 separate conditions to isolate and identify behaviour functions.

Variations on Traditional Functional Analysis

• Brief functional analysis.
• Trial-based and latency-based methods to make it quicker, safer, and more nuanced
• Using synthetic contingencies (e.g. IISCA/Informed Synthesized Contingency Analysis)

Comparing FBA & PFA

• FBA (Functional Behavior Assessment): Often lengthy, requires substantial resources, assesses multiple conditions individually, requires evaluation before intervention
• PFA (Practical Functional Assessment): Easier and faster method, uses fewer conditions, can immediately develop intervention plans

Interpreting FBA Data

• Antecedents predict, but consequences provide most information.
• Consider if high-frequency antecedents/consequences might be related but not sufficient for a hypothesis on a single observation session.

The FBA Process (Continued)

• Indirect assessment procedures (intake, documentation review, interviews, rating scales, questionnaires)
• Direct assessment procedures (collecting ABC data, baseline data)
• Hypothesis testing (e.g. functional analysis)
• Concluding with summary assessment of results leading to behavioral objectives

What is a Summary Statement?

• Summarizing information gathered from multiple assessment methods.
• Identifying likely functions of target behaviour.

Summary Statement Framework

• Structure guideline for creating summary statements.

What is a Behavioural Objective?

• Clearly outlining goals for changing a behaviour.
• Clear, measurable, observable, and contextual behaviours that are set for improvement. Note the relevant criteria, and how to measure success of intervention.

Setting Measurable Criteria for Change

• Determining end goals for behaviours - some behaviours might have zero occurrences, while others might still occur (such as calling out in class).

Behavioural Objectives for Reduction Targets

• Specific examples of behavioural objectives for reducing specific behaviours (e.g., spitting, crying).

What You Should Know

• Purpose of rating scales in functional assessment.
• Naming and use of common rating scales.
• Purpose of ABC data collection.
• Narrative and structured data collection methods.
• Steps in functional analysis.
• Variations in functional analysis and their pros/cons.
• Developing summary statements and behavioural objectives based on assessment and baseline data.