9
Summary
TLDRThis script delves into identifying and addressing problem behaviors through objective criteria, ensuring client well-being is central to intervention plans. It outlines the four criteria for behavior reduction, including harm, property damage, and impacts on development. The necessity of operational definitions for consistency and reliability in behavior modification is emphasized. The script further explains the process of conducting a functional behavior assessment to determine the function of behaviors and develop effective intervention plans, including the use of event recording for data collection.
Takeaways
- đ Problem behaviors are targeted for reduction or elimination when they present a problem for a client, and objective criteria are used to determine what constitutes a problem behavior.
- đ« It is unethical to target a behavior for reduction simply because it is annoying to someone; the well-being of the client must be the focus of intervention plans.
- đ Behaviors must meet one of four criteria to be considered for reduction: causing harm, damaging property, interfering with learning or development, or impacting the client's quality of life.
- đ€ Consent from caregivers and, if possible, the client is crucial before targeting a behavior for change.
- đŻ After identifying a problem behavior, it is given a specific operational definition to ensure consistency and reliability in intervention programs.
- đ Operational definitions must be clear, complete, observable, measurable, and include a specific onset and offset for the behavior.
- đ Operational definitions are objective, based on observable behaviors, and avoid including subjective interpretations or states of being.
- đ They should be concise, avoiding unnecessary details that could make the definition cumbersome or subjective.
- đ§ A functional behavior assessment (FBA) is conducted to determine why a behavior occurs and to develop a behavior intervention plan (BIP) to address it.
- đ ïž The BIP outlines strategies to reduce the problem behavior and increase more appropriate or helpful alternatives, based on the function of the behavior identified during the FBA.
- đ Event recording is a method of data collection used during assessment and intervention, documenting antecedents, behaviors, and consequences (ABC data) to remain objective and monitor changes.
Q & A
What are problem behaviors and why are they targeted for reduction or elimination?
-Problem behaviors are actions that present a problem for a client, and they are targeted for reduction or elimination to improve the client's well-being and safety. These behaviors are determined by specific, objective criteria rather than subjective annoyance.
What are the four criteria that behaviors must meet to be considered for reduction or elimination?
-Behaviors must meet one of the following four criteria: causing or potentially causing harm to the client or others, causing damage to property, interfering with the client's learning and progress, or having a negative impact on the client's development.
Why is it important to get consent from caregivers and the client before targeting a behavior for change?
-Getting consent ensures that the intervention plan respects the autonomy and wishes of the client and their caregivers, and it promotes a collaborative approach to behavior change.
What is an operational definition and why is it necessary?
-An operational definition is a specific and measurable description of a target behavior that ensures consistency in how the behavior is identified and measured. It is necessary for effective behavior reduction plans and helps maintain objectivity and reliability in interventions.
What criteria must operational definitions meet?
-Operational definitions must be clear, complete, observable, measurable, and include a specific onset and offset. They should avoid ambiguity and unnecessary details to ensure consistency and objectivity.
How does the process of event recording contribute to understanding and addressing problem behaviors?
-Event recording involves documenting the antecedents, behaviors, and consequences (ABC data) of each occurrence of a target behavior. This data helps specialists understand the environmental factors maintaining the behavior and monitor changes during intervention.
What is a functional behavior assessment (FBA) and why is it conducted?
-A functional behavior assessment (FBA) is a process used by behavior specialists to determine the functions or reasons behind a target behavior. It is conducted to identify environmental factors maintaining the behavior and to develop a behavior intervention plan that addresses those factors.
What are the four main categories of functions of behavior as determined by functional analyses?
-The four main categories of functions of behavior are attention, access, escape/avoidance, and automatic. These categories help determine why a behavior is happening and guide the development of interventions.
What is a behavior intervention plan (BIP) and what does it typically include?
-A behavior intervention plan (BIP) is a detailed plan outlining how to decrease a target problem behavior and increase replacement behaviors. It includes the target behavior definition, goals, hypothesized function, interventions, replacement behaviors, teaching strategies, and data collection methods.
Why is it important for behavior technicians to understand operational definitions and the BIP?
-Understanding operational definitions and the BIP ensures that behavior technicians can accurately intervene on target behaviors and collect reliable data, which is crucial for the effectiveness of the intervention and the client's progress.
Outlines
đ« Addressing Problem Behaviors
The script discusses the necessity of identifying and addressing behaviors that are problematic or challenging. It emphasizes the importance of using objective criteria to determine what constitutes a problem behavior, ensuring the client's well-being is the focus of intervention plans. Behaviors are targeted for reduction or elimination if they cause harm, damage property, impede development, or interfere with skill performance. Consent from caregivers and the client is crucial before initiating a behavior change program. The script also introduces operational definitions for consistency and reliability in behavior reduction plans.
đ Crafting Operational Definitions
This section delves into the creation of operational definitions for target behaviors to ensure clarity, completeness, and objectivity. It explains that operational definitions must be concise, avoid ambiguity, and include all forms of the behavior. The script stresses the importance of measurable and observable criteria, which facilitates the quantification of behaviors and the development of effective intervention strategies. It also provides examples of both inadequate and adequate operational definitions, highlighting the need for specificity in describing the onset and offset of behaviors.
đ Functional Behavior Assessment
The script outlines the process of conducting a functional behavior assessment (FBA) to understand the reasons behind problem behaviors and to develop appropriate interventions. It details the use of both indirect and direct methods to assess environmental factors that maintain the behavior. The FBA aims to identify the function of the behavior, which is crucial for determining effective interventions. The script introduces the concept of functions of behavior, categorized into attention, access, escape/avoidance, and automatic, and explains how understanding these functions can lead to more targeted and successful interventions.
đ Developing a Behavior Intervention Plan
The script describes the development of a behavior intervention plan (BIP) following the FBA process. The BIP is a comprehensive plan that includes the definition of the target behavior, goals, objectives, hypothesized functions, and strategies for intervention. It covers the importance of team collaboration, data review, and the inclusion of various components such as precursor behaviors, interventions, replacement behaviors, teaching strategies, and data collection methods. The script also explains the role of behavior technicians in implementing the BIP and the importance of event recording for data collection during assessments and interventions.
đ Event Recording and Data Collection
The final paragraph focuses on the method of event recording as a primary data collection technique during assessments and the initial phases of interventions. It explains the importance of documenting antecedents, behaviors, and consequences (ABC data) objectively and professionally. The script provides guidance on how to record each component accurately, emphasizing the need to avoid personal inferences and emotions. It concludes the video series on defining and assessing problem behavior, instructing viewers to exit the video and proceed with the course assignments.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄProblem Behaviors
đĄObjective Criteria
đĄOperational Definition
đĄFunctional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
đĄBehavior Intervention Plan (BIP)
đĄEvent Recording
đĄAntecedents
đĄConsequences
đĄFunction of Behavior
đĄReplacement Behaviors
đĄConsent
Highlights
Problem behaviors are targeted for reduction or elimination when they present a problem for a client.
Objective criteria are used to determine what constitutes a problem behavior to ensure client well-being.
Behaviors causing harm to the client or others are appropriate targets for reduction.
Behaviors that cause property damage can be considered problem behaviors due to their financial impact.
Behaviors that interfere with a client's learning or progress can diminish their quality of life.
Consent from caregivers and the client is crucial before targeting a behavior for change.
Target behaviors are defined with operational definitions to ensure consistency and reliability.
Operational definitions must be clear, complete, observable, and measurable.
Operational definitions should include a specific onset and offset for the behavior.
A functional behavior assessment (FBA) is conducted to determine why a behavior is happening.
FBA uses both indirect methods like interviews and direct methods like observations to assess behaviors.
The function of behavior is identified to understand why it occurs and to inform interventions.
Four main categories of behavior functions are attention, access, escape avoidance, and automatic.
A behavior intervention plan (BIP) is developed based on the FBA to reduce the problem behavior.
BIP includes goals, objectives, hypothesized functions, interventions, and replacement behaviors.
Event recording is a method of data collection used during assessment and intervention phases.
ABC data (Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence) is collected during event recording for objective analysis.
Behavior technicians implement interventions as outlined in the BIP and record reliable data.
Transcripts
problem behaviors or challenging
behaviors are the types of behaviors
that are typically targeted for
reduction or elimination
that means we've decided that they
present as a problem
for a client and we'd like them to learn
to do less of that behavior or to stop
doing that behavior altogether
in order to do this we must use specific
objective criteria to determine what is
and what isn't a problem behavior we
cannot ethically target a behavior for
reduction
simply because we or someone else in the
client's life
finds it annoying objective criteria
ensures that we are keeping the
well-being of our client at the center
of our intervention plans
in the next few slides we will explore
how to identify
problem behaviors and how we define
these behaviors
to ensure consistency and reliability
with our programs
behaviors must meet one of four criteria
before we can consider them for
reduction or elimination
first any behavior that causes or could
potentially cause harm to the client or
others around the client is an
appropriate target for a reduction
these behaviors include eloping also
known as
wandering or bolting head banging
hitting
biting and more in the case of a loping
the client may be at risk for drowning
being hit by a car
or harm from another unknown person with
head banging the client could cause both
scene and unseen damage to him or
herself
hitting and biting both cause harm to
others
second any behavior that causes damage
to property could be considered a
problem behavior
this includes throwing electronic
devices graffiti
stomping on toys and more the cost of
this type of behavior is typically
financial
and can unduly burden families the third
and fourth
criteria involve the impact of a
behavior
can have on a client's development and
progress
if the behavior interferes with learning
and mastering new skills or performing a
mastered skill
when functionally appropriate these lost
learning opportunities could diminish
the quality of life for the client
and this might need to be addressed
these types of behaviors typically
include
things like body rocking scripting hand
flapping
and more whenever targeting a behavior
for change it's important to get consent
from the caregivers
and when possible the client as well
once a behavior is determined to be a
problem in need of intervention
it is identified as a target for
reduction
we call this a target behavior after
identifying a target behavior we create
a very specific definition for it
this definition is called a operational
definition
this definition ensures consistency and
is the foundation to any effective
behavior reduction plan
in the following slides we will review
operational definitions and criteria
they must meet operational definitions
must meet several criteria
they must be clear complete observable
and measurable
and they all include a specific onset
and offset
we will review each of these criteria
over the next few slides
first operational definitions must be
clear and complete
the language used in the definition
should be unambiguous
and specific enough that anyone reading
it can picture exactly what the behavior
looks like
furthermore words that have double
meanings or that lack specificity
are avoided for example it is ambiguous
to describe
a behavior as hurting others which could
mean a number of different things
including hurting others emotionally an
operational definition
would instead clearly state how the
individual hurts others
for example the definition could include
biting hitting
throwing objects at others or even
calling others names
these examples can all be clearly
pictured by the reader
and identified when observed operational
definitions must
also completely describe all aspects of
the target behavior
this means that they include all
possible forms or topographies of the
behavior
for example if the target behavior is a
tantrum
and during tantrums the client engages
in hitting
kicking and biting then all three of
these topographies
are included in the definition this
definition
must also describe each form of the
behavior and detail
that means it not only defines the
behavior as hitting
but describes what forms of hooding are
observed
perhaps the client hits the arms of
others or their own head
maybe they hit with an open hand or a
closed fist
although operational definitions must be
clear and complete
they also must be concise that means
they do not include
unnecessary or irrelevant information
the operational definition must be
complete enough that all intended
episodes of the behavior are counted
but not so complete that it becomes
cumbersome
to read difficult to remember and
subjective
in nature for example an operational
definition would likely not include
information
about how others feel about the behavior
how others react to the behavior or a
list of names of all people affected by
the behavior
next operational definitions are
objective
meaning they include only things that we
can sense
typically you will observe behaviors
through sight
you will sometimes see dimensions of
behavior that can be heard included
in a definition especially when tracking
the intensity of a behavior you will
rarely see behaviors defined by feel
smell or taste for example crying is
something that you can both see
and hear operational definitions will
not include states of being
or interpretations for example
feeling angry cannot be included in an
operational definition
the feeling itself cannot be observed by
others
we can instead if needed identify a
public indicator such as stomping feet
to include an
operational definition operational
definitions describe behaviors
such that they can be measured that
means we can use this definition to
quantify the behavior
in some way count duration and
intensity are the most common ways to
measure problem behavior
ensuring that the definition is clear
complete concise
and observable all helps to make sure
that the behavior
is measurable objective descriptions are
easier to measure than
subjective descriptions for example
we can count how many times a client
grabs toys from others
but we cannot measure playing nicely
without further defining what that means
here is a non-example of an operational
definition
the definition of aggression in this
example
is any instance of hitting or punching
this definition does not meet
all criteria for an operational
definition
this definition is not clear someone may
read it and record
any instance of hitting including those
where the client is just tapping the
shoulder of a peer to gain
their attention it is also incomplete
which contributes to the lack of clarity
it does not describe what or who the
client hits or punches
and it does not describe how the client
displays these behaviors
the definition is concise but it is too
concise
the point of lacking details necessary
for completeness
this description is observable i can see
both hitting and punching
you might also say that this definition
is miserable
but due to the lack of clarity and the
completeness it cannot be measured
consistently here's an example of an
operational definition
in this example we define aggression as
any instance
of attempting to or successfully
punching another person with a closed
fist or slapping any body part of
another person with an open palm
the behavior may or may not include
threats
such as i'm going to hurt you or
you're going to get it this definition
clearly describes the behavior as
hitting or punching
others and by giving details about what
the client's hand looks like
when he hits or punches it meets the
criteria
of completeness the definition is also
concise
in that it does not include any
unnecessary details
and it is both observable and measurable
we can see the behavior as described and
most likely measure it consistently
across
occurrences finally all operational
definitions must include a specific
description of when the behavior starts
and when it ends this description much
like the operational definition itself
must be clear complete concise
observable and measurable
this helps everyone taking data on the
behavior know what to count as a single
event
this also helps us when we are tracking
the duration of a behavior from the
start to finish
it ensures that we always start counting
the behavior at the same time
and we always finish counting the
behavior at the same time
the onset of an operationally defined
behavior clearly describes when the
behavior begins
for example on onset may read tantrum
begins when the client fist
drops to the floor another may read
hitting begins when there is contact
between the client's open hand and any
body part of another person
the onset should follow all rules for an
operational definition
such that anyone observing the behavior
would start to count the behavior from
the same point
the offset of an operationally defined
behavior clearly
describes the end of a behavior for
example
an offset might read tantrum ends when
the client
is engaged in any other behavior in the
absence of tantrum for a duration of 30
seconds
or hitting ends when the client's hands
are engaged
and any other behavior in the absence of
hitting for a duration of 5 seconds
offset should be clearly described such
that anyone observing the behavior would
stop measuring
at the same time
once we have identified and
operationally defined a target problem
behavior
qualified professionals in the field
must then conduct
a functional behavior assessment or fba
to determine why the behavior is
happening and how to simultaneously
reduce the behavior
and replace it with more appropriate or
helpful alternatives
a functional behavior assessment or fba
is the process by which a behavior
specialist
determines target behaviors identifies
functions
of those behaviors and develops a
behavior intervention plan
or bip the purpose of an fba is to
identify what environmental factors are
maintaining a problem behavior
and to then develop a plan to address
those factors
the specialist will use both indirect
and direct methods to assess the target
behavior and the related
environmental factors indirect methods
involve
interviewing the family teachers and
other individuals familiar with the
client to find out more about the
behavior
and when it happens having those same
individuals complete questionnaires or
checklists
reviewing records regarding the client's
history and behavior
some standardized assessments such as
the abas
vineland and abls
include questionnaires or checklists and
are a part of the indirect
assessment direct methods involve
observing the behavior first
hand and recording data on what is
observed
as well as conducting a functional
analysis during which the environment
is systematically changed in order to
observe the effect
on the behavior and determine the
function of the behavior
functions of behavior help us to
determine why behavior is happening
these are the consequences that we come
to expect and work towards
in other words these are the events that
either positively or negatively
reinforce behavior
while operational definitions are
important for describing the forms of
behavior
and ensuring that we as behavior
interventionists are consistent and
reliable when
intervening and monitoring behaviors
functions help us to determine the best
interventions for a given behavior
two clients may engage in the exact same
behavior in the exact same way
but for different reasons for example
one client may hit a pier with an open
hand to gain
access to a preferred toy but another
may hit a peer with an open hand to get
the peer to walk away or leave them
alone
if we taught both of these clients how
to take turns and ask
peers for toys in order to replace the
behavior of hitting peers with an open
hand
then we would ultimately only help the
first client and not the second
by determining the function of the
behavior we can recommend
function-based interventions and help
each of our clients
and their individual needs
the four main categories of functions
determined by our research on functional
analyses
these categories are attention access
escape avoidance and automatic
a function of attention refers to any
behavior that serves to gain
some sort of interaction from another
individual
these interactions can be some sort of
verbal interaction
physical interaction gestures or
reaction a function of access refers to
any behavior that serves to gain access
to
edibles tangibles or activities this
includes access to foods
and drinks as well as toys and games a
function of escape avoidance refers to
any behavior that serves to remove an
aversive stimulus from an individual's
environment
this includes behaviors that result in
the removal of homework
chores specific individuals and more
this may also include behaviors that
result in an individual
getting to leave a specific activity or
area
an automatic function refers to any
behavior that results in a desired
sensory consequence
that means that the sensory product
resulting from the behavior
is reinforcing in and of itself
for example you might wrap yourself in a
blanket because the resulting warmth is
reinforcing or shake your foot
because the movement feels good
after a specialist identifies a target
problem behavior
conducts a functional behavior
assessment and determines the function
of a behavior
they will develop a behavior
intervention plan or
vip to outline the recommended
changes and interventions to reduce the
problem behavior
a behavior intervention plan or baip
is a detailed plan specifying how the
team plans to both decrease a target
problem behavior
and increase replacement behaviors
this plan is developed based on
observations
data and other information gathered
during the fba
or functional behavior assessment the
behavior plan is accessible
either digitally or on paper and all
team members must read and agree to the
plan
the behavior specialist will
periodically review data to ensure that
the plan is effective
and make changes to the plan as needed
the bip is made up of many parts
and can vary from organization to
organization
in general it should include a
definition of the target behavior as
well as goals
and objectives for the reduction of that
behavior
a hypothesized function of the problem
behavior
a description of precursor behaviors and
interventions
a description of replacement behaviors
and how to teach them
teaching strategies for other
alternative behavior
a detailed outline of both proactive and
reactive techniques
and instructions on what data to collect
and how to collect it
behavior technicians as a part of the
intervention team
need to read and understand operational
definitions for all target behaviors
and intervene on the target behaviors as
outlined in the behavior intervention
plan
they also are responsible for recording
reliable data during
intervention and sometimes they will
assist in collecting data during the
assessment as well
the main method of data collection
required during the assessment and
initial
phases of an intervention is known as
event recording we will discuss other
forms of data collection
and measurement in a later video but for
now let's review
event recording
event recording involves taking data on
the target behavior every time that it
happens
each time the target behavior occurs you
record
information on the antecedents behaviors
and consequences for that event
we call this abc data when recording abc
data it is important to remain objective
you do not want to include just the
changes that you find to be relevant
especially during the assessment when
little is known about the behavior
and its function you will need to
include all observed
environmental factors and forms of
behavior in your notes to ensure
objectivity your specialists will use
this data to help determine why the
behavior is happening
and to monitor any changes during
intervention
the first step in event recording
involves documenting the antecedent for
behavior recall that antecedents are
things that happen or change
in the environment just before behavior
occurs
this includes a change of location
person
activity demand and more when recording
antecedents during
event recording be sure to list all
changes in the environment that happen
just prior to the behavior whether you
believe them to be the reason for the
behavior happening
or not make sure that you also use
objective and professional language
do not include states of being emotions
or
inferences about what the client did or
did not want
the next step of event recording
involves documenting the behavior itself
remember that behaviors are interactions
between an individual
and their environment and they do not
include states of being or emotions
when recording behaviors for event
reporting document a complete
description of
all forms of the target behavior
observed during that
event remember to be objective and
record only what you
can see and hear do not include your
thoughts or feelings about the behavior
the last step of event recording
involves documenting the consequences
for the behavior
remember that consequences are things
that happen or change
in the environment just after behavior
occurs
much like with antecedents this includes
a change of location
person activity demand and more
when recording consequences for event
recording
be sure to list all changes in the
environment that occur immediately after
the behavior
whether you believe them to be the
reason why the client engaged in that
behavior or not
remember to remain professional and
objective
do not include how the behavior made
other people feel unless you are
specifically writing what someone said
in response to the behavior
that concludes our final video on
defining and assessing problem behavior
please exit this video and return to
your course to complete the next
assignments
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