Functional Behavior Assessment Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the purpose of the 4-Term Contingency?

To identify and categorize different types of consequences.

To explain the principles of reinforcement and punishment.

To provide a clear understanding of the relationship between antecedents, behaviors, consequences, and the motivating operation. (correct)

To provide a framework for developing behavior change strategies.

What does the term 'function of behaviour' refer to?

The reason why a behavior occurs. (correct)

The environmental factors that trigger a behavior.

The impact of the behavior on others.

The specific skills required to perform a behavior.

Which of the following is NOT a question that seeks to understand the function of a behaviour?

What is the purpose of this behaviour?

What is the reason for this behaviour to be occurring right now?

What is the person getting or getting out of engaging in this behaviour?

What are the steps involved in performing this behaviour? (correct)

Which of the following is an example of a 'socially mediated' consequence?

A student gets praise from their teacher for getting a good grade. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between 'positive reinforcement' and 'negative reinforcement'?

Positive reinforcement focuses on adding something, while negative reinforcement focuses on removing something. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of 'negative reinforcement'?

A student completes their homework to avoid getting detention. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between 'automatic reinforcement' and 'direct sources of reinforcement'?

They are two different terms for the same concept. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a key component of the 4-Term Contingency?

Consequence (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a main purpose of completing a functional behaviour assessment?

To determine the function of the behaviour to inform the implementation of function-based treatment. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main components of a functional behaviour assessment?

Descriptive assessment and functional analysis (D) Signup and view all the answers

What are the different methods used in a descriptive assessment?

Direct observation, indirect interviews, and recording data. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between a descriptive assessment and a functional analysis?

A descriptive assessment gathers information through observation only, while a functional analysis manipulates environmental variables to test hypotheses about function. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of indirect assessment methods in a functional behaviour assessment?

To gather information from significant others about the client and the target behaviour. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a functional behaviour assessment?

It is designed to identify the cause of the behaviour. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does the text mean when it says that 'it is rare for one singular function to be the sole maintaining variable for any behaviour'?

Most behaviours are influenced by multiple factors. (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what might be a reason that behaviours are often multi-controlled (multiple factors influence them)?

All of the above. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of direct assessment?

To identify the function of a behavior through observation in a natural environment (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential limitation of direct assessment?

It can be time-consuming and require significant expertise (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an advantage of using direct assessment measures?

All of the above (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of data collection method allows for identifying patterns in behavior throughout the day?

Scatterplot data (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of functional analysis?

To determine the function of a behavior through experimental manipulation (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements accurately describes the relationship between direct assessment and functional analysis?

Direct assessment is typically conducted before functional analysis (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does the term "function" refer to in the context of behavior analysis?

The reason why a behavior occurs (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential limitation of using functional analysis?

All of the above (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these is NOT an example of an antecedent in a functional analysis?

A positive reinforcement. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is an independent variable in the context of a functional analysis?

An event or condition that is manipulated by the researcher. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the relationship between a functional analysis and a functional behavior assessment (FBA)?

An FBA is a more comprehensive assessment than a functional analysis, frequently including functional analysis components. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main ethical concern regarding functional analysis?

The potential for harming the individual by evoking the problem behavior. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between behavior analysis and behavior modification?

Behavior analysis focuses on understanding behavior, while behavior modification focuses on changing behavior. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a function of behavior?

Self-awareness. (B) Signup and view all the answers

A child throws a tantrum when they want a cookie. Their parent gives them a cookie to stop the tantrum. Which function of behavior best describes this scenario?

Tangible reinforcement. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a type of reinforcement described in the content?

Internal reinforcement (A) Signup and view all the answers

A child throws a tantrum when they are denied access to a particular toy. This is a form of which of the following reinforcers?

Socially mediated positive reinforcement (D) Signup and view all the answers

A person avoids loud noises by wearing headphones. This is an example of:

Automatic negative reinforcement (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following scenarios exemplifies socially mediated positive reinforcement of attention?

A toddler screams for attention, and the caregiver picks them up. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why is understanding the function of a behavior important?

To design effective behavioral interventions. (A) Signup and view all the answers

A person repeatedly presses a button to trigger a soothing sound. This would be categorized as:

Automatic positive reinforcement (D) Signup and view all the answers

A child hides under the table when a loud noise occurs. This is an example of:

Automatic negative reinforcement (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these is NOT a possible function of running away from a task?

To express frustration or anger. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary task due at the next class?

Select a case study for the Reduction assignment (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following references specifically discusses the past and future of behavior analysis in developmental disabilities?

Neef, N.A. (2001) (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which resource focuses on functional assessment and program development for problem behavior?

Functional assessment and program development for problem behavior (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the first step mentioned for the in-class assignment?

Complete the readings (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following authors contributed to a resource on maintaining variables in functional assessment?

Sullivan, W.E. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

BST 1030: Week 3, Class 2

Class date: Thursday, January 23rd, 2025
Course code: BST 1030
Instructor: Marina Jiujias

Agenda

Introduction to Functional Behavior Assessment
Review of operant learning and functions of behavior
Basic components of a Functional Behavior Assessment
Review of Reduction Assessment assignment

What We've Covered So Far

Initial Information Gathering
- What info do you need to know about the client?
- Am I selecting socially significant behaviors for intervention?
Selecting Target Behaviors
- If reducing a behavior
  - What is the function of the behavior?
  - When, where, and how often does it occur?
  - What other relevant variables are there?
- If teaching a behavior
  - What can the learner already do?
  - What pre-requisite skills do they have?
  - What other relevant variables are there?
Directly Measuring Behavior
- All target behaviors (reduction and acquisition targets) require direct measurement of the behavior prior to and during intervention, to measure any changes.

What are Behaviors to Reduce and Why is This Important?

Some behaviors learned through environmental contingencies may be harmful to the individual or others. Such behaviors can present barriers to learning new skills, accessing various environments, and maximizing overall quality of life.

Treating Challenging Behavior: Brief History (Neef, 2001)

Early ABA focused heavily on behavior modification.
There was initial recognition that behaviors are learned through environmental contingencies, but little recognition of the function (reinforcement maintaining the behavior).
The belief that immediate contingencies could override historical factors led to the frequent use of more intrusive procedures (e.g., punishment, heavily contrived reinforcers).
Over time, aversive procedures were questioned, and research shifted towards a more positive approach.
Behavioral assessment procedures focused on identifying the maintaining variables (function) of problem behaviors.
Reinforcement increases all behavior (not just those considered appropriate). Behavior does not occur without reinforcement.
ABA shifted from a modification model to an analysis model, focusing on patterns and relationships between behavior and environment. Analysis helps in matching treatments to the function to achieve desired results.

What is Functional Behavior Assessment?

A client-driven process that often uses multiple methods.
Aims to determine the environmental variables that maintain problem behaviors and the conditions under which they are likely to occur.
This involves methods (Sigafoos et al., 2021).
Effective procedures are essential to design function-based, effective interventions.

Goals of Functional Behavior Assessment

Create a clear description of the interfering behavior (operational definition).
Identify immediate antecedents that predict when the behavior likely will or will not occur.
Identify setting events that predict when a behavior is more or less likely to occur.
Identify consequences that maintain the interfering behavior.
Establish a summary statement that describes the hypothesis of the function of the behavior based on the assessment results, and identifies a replacement behavior.
Collect baseline data before starting any intervention.

Key Concepts in Functional Behavior Assessment

Operant learning
Functions of behavior

Operant Learning

Operant behaviors occur within a 4-term contingency. This framework is used to examine the relationship between motivating operations, antecedents, the behavior, and consequences.
Behaviors are learned through operant learning (all voluntary behaviors, regardless of whether we are working to increase or decrease them).
To understand interfering behaviors and how to replace them with appropriate skills, it is necessary to gather information about these learning process components.

The 4-Term Contingency

Includes motivating operations, antecedents, behaviors, and consequences.

What Does "Function of Behavior" Mean?

Why is the behavior occurring?
Why is this happening?
What is the reason for this behavior now?
What is the purpose of this behavior?
What does the person get out of/ gain from this behavior?

Functions of Behavior Terminology: Socially Mediated vs. Automatic

Socially Mediated: Someone else must be present to give a consequence for the behavior to contact reinforcement.
Automatic: No one else needs to be present for the behavior to provide reinforcement; the behavior is self-reinforcing.

Please Note!

In some readings (Cipani, 2018), "automatic" functions are referred to as "direct" sources of reinforcement. This means the same thing.

Functions of Behavior Terminology: Positive vs. Negative

Positive Reinforcement: Something is added to the environment as a result of the behavior (consequence). The person receives something.
Negative Reinforcement: Something is removed from the environment as a result of the behavior (consequence). The person avoids or escapes something.

Target Behavior

Possible functions: automatic positive reinforcement (sensory), socially mediated positive reinforcement (attention), socially mediated positive reinforcement (access to tangibles), automatic negative reinforcement (sensory), socially mediated negative reinforcement (removal of attention, task, events, and/or objects).

Why Do We Need to Understand Function?

Behavior topography (what it looks like) is not enough to understand the reasons behind a behavior to inform effective interventions.
One person may run away when asked to perform a task because they have learned to avoid work through running away (negative reinforcement, escape), whereas someone else might run away to get attention (positive reinforcement, attention). This underlines the importance of recognizing that behaviors have underlying reasons linked with functions.

Same Topography, Different Function (Cipani, 2018)

Demonstrates how the same behavior can be emitted in various contexts for different reasons.

It is Never Simple (Unfortunately)

It's uncommon for a behavior to be maintained by only one function (multiple functions).
Consider if a behavior is only an escape from activities or if other functions exist. Procedures to determine several factors impacting the behavior are important.

What is a Functional Behavior Assessment?

The use of various assessment procedures to determine the environmental variables related to the target behavior for reduction or replacement.
This information helps in determining the function of behavior to inform the implementation of function-based treatment.
A functional behavior assessment is a process and not a single activity.

Processes Typically Used Within a Functional Behavior Assessment

Descriptive assessment (observation/only procedures)
- Indirect methods of assessment
- Direct methods of assessment
Functional analysis (environment is changed to test hypotheses related to behavior functions)

Indirect Assessment

Purpose: gather information from relevant significant others in the client's life. - Gathering information related to the interfering behavior - Includes interviews, rating scales/checklists (helpful in generating hypotheses about the function)
Benefits: easy-to-use, requires little training and time, helpful in engaging stakeholders, helpful to build intervention plans.
Risks: information is anecdotal and subjective; poor reliability and validity if not used with other methods.

Direct Assessment

Purpose: observe behavior in the natural environment to determine relationships between environmental events and behaviors.
Includes ABC data (narrative and structured), scatterplot data.
Benefits: more objective than indirect methods, conducted in naturalistic environments.
Disadvantages: - Reinforcer may be strong enough to maintain the behavior regardless of the schedule; may not identify the correct maintaining variable. - Correlation does not mean causation. - Reactivity effects during observations can affect accuracy.

Functional Analysis

Purpose: to experimentally change consequences and follow interfering behaviors. To demonstrate a functional relationship between behavior and related variables.
Conditions where a behavior occurs most frequently provide the most empirical evidence of the behavior function(s).
There are different methods of implementing a functional analysis.
"Analysis" is defined as manipulating environmental variables to observe effects on behavior.
Functional analysis helps in uncovering the functional relationship between environmental events and the target behavior.

Important Ethical Questions

Why do functional analysis inherently mean we are evoking the problem behavior?
What are the ethical considerations of functional analysis?

What You Should Know

Differentiate between behavior modification and behavioral analysis
Describe and identify examples of the four-term contingency
List and describe the functions of behavior
Identify possible functions given a description
Explain the main components involved in a functional behavior assessment

For Next Class

Submit in-class assignment
Finish Journal Article Review assignment and submit by deadline
Come to next class with a selected case study for a Reduction assignment

References (List of cited authors and work)

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Description

Test your knowledge on the 4-Term Contingency and functional behavior assessments. This quiz covers essential concepts such as positive and negative reinforcement, as well as assessment methods. Brush up on your understanding of behavior functions and assessment techniques.