RBT Module Training

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Registered Behaviour Technician training (RBT) 40 hour training 17 Modules in total

Module 1A: Introduction


• The process- Provide training that meets the minimal standards of the RBT. Training and information
that will help pass the exam

◦Expand upon the minimal standards- items that are not included on the RBT task list

◦Improve the quality of intervention and supervision

◦Boost the quality of training and ensure children are getting the treatment that they
need.improve the lives of individuals with ASD and their family

• Different models and multiple segments within. Different presenters (4 in total)

• Prompts to help- Be aware of what is going on in the talk and how it will relate back to the RBT task
list

• Bottom left corner will show what part of the task list example (2nd edition-C-03, 09)

Module 1B: Overview of ABA


• One of three branches of science of behaviour analysis

• As a science ABA is a systematic approach to understanding behaviour of social importance- why


does behaviour happen. Interest in the social importance (meaningful change)

• As a practice ABA is the application of behaviour analytic principles to improve socially important
behaviours. - meaningful goals! Looking at the environment and how that environment effects/
changes behaviour

• ABA is a process that is occurring throughout life. A way of life

• ABA is a good method of teaching

• 2- C-03, 09
◦Good teaching-

‣ providing motivation to do better (reinforcement)

‣ Giving clear and accurate feedback - adjust our feedback based upon the learner, some
can take more complex in depth feedback and other learners can’t receive detailed
feedback.

‣ Providing assistance when necessary (prompting) break down the skill to ensure learner is
successful but only when necessary, we don’t want to over prompt or over teach!

‣ Develop independence

‣ Adjusting teaching strategies based upon the child - it is not a cookbook approach (not all
the same protocol for all learners, everyone is different therefore their program should be
individualized)

• 2- F -02, 04

◦Components of a good teacher

‣ Fun - the more fun we can be the better the teaching we can give

‣ Receptive- important to be receptive - both accept the feedback and change based off the
feedback. Change behaviour after feedback in order to improve

‣ Systematic- have a game plan, what you want to teach and how you want to teach, what
reinforcers you want to use, etc.

‣ Adaptable/flexible- have a game plan but can change the game plan on a dime

‣ Objective- not guessing as to what will work but rather basing information on what you are
actually seeing

‣ Analytic- based off graphs and data

‣ Engaging- teachers that are boring can’t gain the attention of a leaner with ASD

‣ Professional- at all times, how you dress, relationship you create (no duel relationship),

‣ Tireless worker- decisions that we make have long term impact with the clients we work
with

‣ Creative- how to teach curriculum specifically, try new programs and try new ways to
teach, while doing so taking data and adjusting as necessary

‣ Reinforcing- want the RBT to be a conditioned reinforcer

‣ Widely competent- be knowledgeable of the protocol and the principles

‣ Big picture vs little picture- example sharing- why are teaching it, teaching it for the big
picture because it is how people create friendship and relationships with others. Little
picture is to share specific items at the moment

‣ Child driven- not here for a personal reason but rather to help the life of an individual

‣ Conceptual history- RBT should know where we came from, looking at research from the
present and past. Important to not go backwards within our field but rather forward.

• Quality staff

◦Optimal process- well trained (have the knowledge and preform it), high degree of fidelity (do
the procedures correctly)

• More important that you can actually do the work than pass the exam

• A CERTIFICATE DOES NOT EQUAL QUALIFIED- this is a minimal standard of the fields, you are
qualified when you can implement a number of procedures within a number of children with a high
degree of fidelity.

• History

◦Edward L. Thorndike- The cat in the box video, can only get out using latches. First happened
by chance and then eventually learned. If action brings a reward then that action becomes
stamped into the mind. Behaviour changes because of its consequences

• 2 C-03, 07

◦Thorndike contributions- Law of effect (consequences have an effect of behaviour, behaviour


can be changed by consequences)

◦Learning curves

◦Law of regency - repeating something over and over (repetitive) is helpful when learning

◦Trial and error learning

◦All mammals learn in a similar manner- this is a science! This does not mean that we treat
humans in the same way as a animals but rather this says that all mammals learn by how the
environment is manipulated

• Ivan Pavlov - Dog and the bell built in reflects responding to certain conditioned stimuli, what
mattered is not the type of stimuli used but rather the signal that food was coming (classical
conditioning) neutral stimulus becoming the conditioned stimulus. This can also be reversed and the
neutral stimulus can be put on extinction

• Pavlov: contributions

◦Classical conditioning.

‣ Unconditioned stimulus= US

‣ Conditioned stimulus= CS

‣ Unconditioned response= UR

‣ Conditioned response= CR

◦Types of conditioning

‣ Forward conditioning

‣ Delay conditioning

‣ Trace conditioning

‣ Backward conditioning

◦Systematic desensitization

‣ Help clients conquer their fears

• Respondent conditioning

◦US creates a CS, eventually a CS creates a CS

• John. b Watson contributions

◦Little Albert condition Albert to be scared of white rats

◦ Father of behaviourism

◦Conditioned emotional responding (emotions are conditioned)

◦Focused psychology on behaviour instead of consciousness

◦Analysis of language

◦Not about the consciousness but rather the environment science has to be based of objective
and measurable facts

◦Learning history is what drives the behaviour

• B.F. Skinner contributions

◦We are what we do, we can change what we do for the better.

◦Contingency of reinforcement - presenting a consequence after the fact, not stimulus response
but rather response stimulus

◦SD- Response- Consequence 3 term contingency

• B.F. Skinner contributions 2- C-03,11, D-02

◦Selection by consequences

‣ Operant conditioning

‣ behaviour is learned through interaction with the environment

‣ Events that occur immediately following the behaviour affect the likelihood of that
behaviour in the future

‣ Satiation and deprivation - When your deprived becomes more powerful, satiation less
powerful

‣ Shaping- how we shape behaviour over time (teach smaller approximation of the behaviour)

‣ Analysis of verbal behaviour- learned through interaction with the environment.

‣ Cultural selection - impacts behaviour

• The holy trinity

◦University of Washington. began the Journal of Applied Analysis

◦They created the Dimensions of applied behaviour analysis of the current time

◦7 Dimensions of ABA

‣ Applied - means that it is socially significant to the learner that you are working with.
Socially significant difference for that learner

‣ Behaviour -Can be brought to DO rather than what they can be brought to SAY. (What the
learner can do rather than what they say they can do). Requires measurement of behaviour.
Needs to be observable.

‣ Analytic - showing a behaviour demonstration that is believable, do this with measurement


(baseline period, intervention period), have control over the environment

‣ Technological- Good operational definitions, describe the behaviour and procedures in a


way that can be replicated. Ensure reliability.

‣ Conceptually systematic- Tying it back in, why is this important, need to know the
principles behind what we are doing

‣ Effective- Making a meaningful change that is efficient in comparison to other methods of


teaching.

‣ Generality - Behaviours needs to be generalized across setting, people, and time!

• Targeting meaningful behaviour

• Lovaas( 1987) study

◦38 children independently diagnosed with ASD

◦Began treatment before 4 years old

◦19 Children received an Average of 40 hours of formal quality ABA intervention a week

◦19 children received an average of 10 hours of formal quality ABA intervention a week and other
treatments

◦Received intervention for 2 or more years

◦Intervention occurred at home school and community

Module 1C: Progressive ABA


• Range of ABA- provide quality services!

• Today we see a vast range of how ABA is implemented

• the range we see today

◦1. Rigid- very detailed, does not vary SD a lot or vary reinforcement, no independence of RBT

◦2. Structured- Have a game plan

◦3. Flexible- have the ability to change based on the learner, environment, individually needs of
that session.

◦4.Lackadaisical- they think they are providing ABA strategies but they are not. In specifically if
they are using a token economy.

• There is Rigid and then there is really bad ABA-

◦Focus is on irrelevant curriculum Example- naming different dog breeds

◦Primarily uses food reinforcers

◦Primarily worlds in a “Therapy Room”

◦Eliminates distractions

◦Does not promote parents expertise

◦Endorses alternative treatments- “curing autism” THIS DOES NOT GIVE MEANINGFUL
INTERVENTION. Not emprirically science based

◦Staff are not properly trained

◦Not the proper dosage of treatment intensity

• Progressive ABA is a model that can be implemented with individuals with ABA

◦Model that can be done outside of Autism.

◦Combines the science and the art of ABA and behaviour- the science is consistent (the
principle) but it is the art that changes

◦Originates from our Founding Parents- people we admire along with the procedures that they
were implementing. Going back to the art

◦A continuum of intervention- under what conditions do we have to be rigid and where can we be
flexible . Times where we have to follow protocol and other time we can be flexible.

◦Attempts to avoid rigidity and set protocols.

• The Crux of progressive ABA

◦Boiled down to behaviour analysts having

‣ Clinical judgment- decisions made at the moment, goes in with a protocol and changes on
a whim depending on how things are going

‣ But in ABA for some reason many people do not want to see clinical judgment but rather
follow protocol

‣ Progressive ABA approach is critical analyzing a situation and thinking outside of the box. It
is a better way to implement ABA.

• 2- B-03, C-03, D-02, F-02


◦What goes into Clinical judgement

‣ Interfering behaviours - adjust our teaching based off what the child is doing

‣ Functions of behaviours more than 2 why is the child behaving in a certain way. During
teaching looking at what the function are. There are more than 2 functions and they usually
co-occur in nature. Could be for Attention and Escape. Function change in the moment

‣ Attentiveness- are they paying attention

‣ Receptivity- to any learning modify what how you teach depending on the receptivity of the
learner.

‣ Calm vs. Agitated - Get them before problem behaviour occurs

‣ Responsive- to learning

‣ Recent performance

‣ Past performance

‣ Motivation- stimuli that will change behaviour. On going motivation

‣ Non-verbal behaviour - really read into what they are doing as a form of communication

‣ Staff skill level- need to know our strength and weakness’s

‣ Child’s persistence- If they are trying and want to be in the learning process let’s adjust our
teaching

‣ Child’s health- emotional and physical

‣ Operant Vs. Respondent- emotional respondent

◦We call this progressive ABA

Module 1D: Towards Certificaiton


• ABA was the Wild West

◦ untrained behaviour analysis/technicians

◦Primary motivation was monetary- money was the motive, not many people practicing and
therefore can charge a lot of money

◦As a result there was poor quality intervention

◦The field of ABA being harmed once again as a result

◦Individuals diagnosed with ASD not making meaningful gains

◦Top professionals knew there needed to be a change

◦Right for effective behavioural treatment

• 2 F- 05 Van Houston Et. Al (1988) Clients and their rights

◦Right to a therapeutic environment

◦Right to overall goal of personal welfare- best decisions for the client what serves them

◦Right to programs that teach functional skills- skills that will results in meaningful interactions

◦Right to behavioural assessment and Ongoing evaluation - evaluation all the time, formal
analysis

◦Right to most effective treatment procedures available

• Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB)

◦Created in 1998-

◦Effort to:

‣ Provide consumers with a basic credential

‣ Increase quality of behaviour analysis

‣ Increase amount of behaviour analytic services - BACB wanted more individuals who are
certified

◦This is not an ASD specific certification - Majoirty are in the ASD line of work

◦Two levels

‣ BCBA- Masters level degree, and a certain amount of hours of work

‣ BCaBA- bachelors level degree, training hours

◦Increase in the interest

• RBT

◦Created for a credential for Professionals who work directly with clients

◦Requirements

‣ 18 yrs

‣ High school diploma or equivalent

‣ Criminal background check

‣ 40 hour training

‣ Pass competency based assessment

‣ Pass RBT examination -

◦Drastic increase as well

• 2 F-02,04

◦Supervision of an RBT

‣ Who can be supervised BCBA or BCDA-D

‣ BCaBA

‣ Licensed in another behavioural health professional

◦Supervisor must complete 8 hour supervision training

◦Dual relationships

‣ Cannot be related

‣ Cannot be superior

‣ Cannot be Employee

◦Must have Clinical knowledge of the client

‣ Work int he same company

‣ Contracted by the client

◦5% of hours spent providing Behaviour-Analytic Service Per Month

• 2- F-01

◦Stricture of supervision

‣ 2 face to face meetings per month

‣ 1 meeting the RBT must provide intervention

‣ 1 of the meetings have to be individual meetings

◦You can only practice if you have a supervisor

◦If you practice without a supervision you could lose your certification

◦Non-Practicing RBT

◦Supervision activities

‣ Performance expectations

‣ Observation

‣ Behavioural skills training

‣ Performance Feedback

‣ Guiding problem Solving

‣ Review of written materials

‣ Evaluation of intervention

‣ Ongoing evaluation of effects

◦Registering on the BACB website- need to register every time you pass a step

◦Role of the RBT

‣ Ideally a Tiered system - BCBA or BCBA-D —> BCaBA—> RBT

◦Responsibilities of a RBT

‣ Provide direct instruction to the client

‣ working in schools

‣ Working in group homes

‣ Communicate with caregivers

‣ Can help with training of staff

• Concerns of RBT

◦Amount of training

◦Narrowness of the task list

◦Assessment procedures

◦Dual Relationships

◦Unintended consequences

Module 2A: Quality staff


• John Wooden- “do not permit what you cannot do interfere with what you can do” - dont be upset
over things you cannot do but rather focus on what you can do and work on those you are not good
at

• Embrace the challenge that comes with the field we are in

• Be patience with the process- its a marathon not a sprint

• spend the hours getting better

• Current standards

◦RBT task list 2nd edition and BCBA/BCaBA task list 5th edition

◦These are the bare minimum standard

• APM standards

◦Some behaviours are hard to define

◦Numerous behaviours

‣ Combination of behaviours

‣ Some are more important than others

◦No one staff will display all of these behaviours

◦Some skills can be trained, many evolve over time, and some will never develop

◦What type of swimmer - analogy

‣ Olympic swimmer- dedicated to be the best in the world, dedicated in their craft (be the
best possible)

‣ Competitive swimmer -dont work as hard as an Olympic but still working on their craft

‣ Recreational swimmer- we dont want to be a recreational swimmer

• Characteristics of Quality and Qualiified staff

◦Handles pressure & can critically think-

‣ Dr. Piomeli & Dr. braver man - say that chocolate can have positive calming effects within
the brain

‣ Chocolate therapy: Critical thinking

• 1. Procedure assisted child in organizing sensory input

• 2. Resolved the “need” for chocolate

• 3. Chocolate stabilized metabolic deregulation

• 4. Child was distracted

• 5. Child received attention

• 6. Child Avoided Non-preferred activity

• 7. Served as a coping strategy for stress

◦Whatever protocols you use you need to ensure that it is evidence based

• 2, F-02

◦Inspires staff & Incorporates feedback

◦Feedback:

‣ How feedback is provided. Ongoing basis

• Formal, informal

‣ Two approaches

• Psycho educational- BCBA is going to make you work for the answer

• Direct - telling RBT exactly what to do

‣ Who gives you feedback

• Directors

• Supervisors

• Co-workers

‣ Not all feedback will align

• Providing based on observational periods

• Assimilate the information - based upon what they are seeing in the moment

◦Receiving feedback

‣ Do not personalize the feedback - want you to be better & improve lives of people

‣ Stay calm

‣ Be receptive - Verbal behaviour and Non verbal behaviour

◦Ask for

‣ Examples & clarification

◦Follow through on making changes

◦Make the change and arrange for another evaluation

• 2- F-04 No Drama

◦You are a member of a team

◦Other’s do not have to fail for you to succeed

◦know your role in the team

◦Everyone will have different levels of skills

‣ Work tirelessly on your weakness

‣ Expand your strengths

◦Entitlement is a killer

◦be professionals at all times

• Self evaluator

• Make others better & tireless worker

• Organized & assertive decision maker

• Eager to learn & welcomes new changes

• Seeks critical feedback

• 2 e-01, 02, f-02


◦Seeks feedback

‣ Know your strengths and weakness

‣ Proactively

• Set up times to meet with supervisors

• Go over areas needing improvement

‣ Reactively

• When having a difficult session or not sure of a procedure

• Within a couple of days set up a meeting

• Come up with a plan

‣ Talk to colleagues

‣ Learn from other sources

• Conferences

• Journal Articles

• books

• Take initiative

• 2, F-01, 04

◦Effective with all children

◦No drama

◦Incredible teacher

◦Passionate about the field

• 2, F-03

◦Team Player

◦Understands role - be a team player

◦Solid trainer

◦Thoroughly understands programs

◦Balances Big/small picture

• 2, E-03, F-03
◦Clinically skilled
◦Communication with parents and stake holders

‣ Attempts to understands parents perspective

‣ Attempt to understand teachers perspective

‣ building Rapport

• Show empathy

• Show understanding

• Leave your ego at the door

• No Job is Beneath you

‣ Return Phone calls and emails in timely manner

‣ Follow through on your commitments

‣ Be objective but not judgmental

‣ Talk in “Normal” Language (AVOID JARGON)

‣ Do not offer prognosis

‣ Stay within agencies policies

‣ Questions

• Answer honestly

• It is okay to say you do not know

• Ensure their understanding

• Be sensitive on answer or if you should even answer the question

• Questions outside of scope refer to supervisor

◦Embraces the marathon

◦ Creativity

◦Synthesizes information

◦Leadership

◦Requires little validation

◦Good communication

• 2 E-01, 03
◦Communication with supervisors

‣ Communication should b e ongoing

‣ When you need to communicate

• When positive changes are occurring

• When programs have stalled or deteriorated

• When you are confused

• Parents come up with concerns

• School comes up with concerns

• Expected abuse or neglect occurring

‣ Have a meeting and if possible have an observation

‣ Conveying the information

• Have a game plan

• In a calm manner

• Be objective

• Understand your biases and be upfront about them

• Answer all questions

‣ What to convey

• Antecedents —> behaviour —> consequences

• Who, when, where ,why, how

• Multi-task

• Impeccable reliability

• 2, E-02
◦characteristics of successful staff

‣ Work hard, rarely complain and expect Extraordinary performance from themselves

‣ Work on themselves and never quit

‣ usually relaxed and keep their perspective

‣ Extraordinarily creative

‣ Increasingly curious and eager to learn

‣ Open receptive and learn independently

‣ Self-reliant and take responsibility

‣ Don’t require direct feedback: Glean information from reactions and outcomes

Module 2B: False Beliefs


• Common pitfalls

◦Measures of competency - final measure of competency is a MC exam based on the task list.
Not enough to to qualify someone but rather is 1 component. Final measure of competence
should be a final performance exam

• Preliminary analysis: Competency study

◦25 participants RBT level, BCaBA, BCBA

◦Compared their performance on a MC exam to how they preformed treatment and behaviour
intervention (DTT, intervention

• Purpose- To asses the correlation b/w an individuals performance on a multiple choice behaviour
analytic exam and an individuals implementation of behaviour analytic procedures with children
diagnosed with ASD

• Dependent variables - Mock Exam score, DTT score (Discrete trial teaching), Conditioning item
score, Social validity score.

• Social Validity score

• Procedure

◦Mock exam- MC question on a computer

◦Discrete trial teaching probe- 6yr boy with ASD, receptive -point to the team sport. Up to 5min
to implement DTT.

◦Conditioning item probe- 3 yr old ASD. Had 5 min to do so, adult participant had to make
another item more preferred

◦General teaching probe- work with any child, 5 min. Video taken and shown to 2 different
BCBA’s

Module 3A: Science Terminology


• Overview:

◦Science

‣ characteristics

‣ Attitudes

◦Terminology

‣ Basic concepts

‣ Verbal Behaviour

‣ Research

• Science: Determinism

◦understanding that things don’t happen just because but rather they happen for a reason, it is
systematically and functional. behaviour happens because of a result of very specific things.

• Empiricism - Practice of objective observation of the phenomena of interest- practice of observing


behaviour

• Behaviour analysis- behaviour analysis consists of 3 major branches. Behaviourism the experimental
analysis of behaviour applied behaviour analysis ABA

• Behaviourism- the philosophy of the science of behaviour

• Experimental analysis of behaviour -EAB- natural science approach for discovering orderly and
reliable relations between behaviour and various types of environmental variables of which it is a
function. Why does behaviour happen without the importance of changing anything

• Applied behaviour analysis - systematic approach to understand behaviour of social importance. As


a practice ABA is the application of behaviour analytic principles to implement socially important
behaviours

Module 3B: Basic Concept Terminology


• Technical jargon warning

◦Important in the development of a science

◦Important to have plain English equivalents - when communicating with general public

◦Do: use these terms with others you work with

◦DO not- use these terms with parents

• Behaviour

◦The behaviour of an organism is that portion of an organism’s interaction with its environment
that is characterized by detectable displacement in space through time of some part of the
organism and that results in a measurable change in at least one aspect of the environment

• Common mistakes to avoid when using behaviour

◦Behaviour has to passed the dead man’s test.

◦Do not assume that behaviour means bad

• Response- a specific instance of behaviour example: opening the door

• Response class

◦A group of response with the same function (that is each response is the group produces the
same effect on the environment) can open the door in many ways

• Repertoire

◦Sometimes used to refer to all the behaviours that a person can do. More often the term
denotes a set or collection of knowledge and skills a person has learned that are relevant to
particular settings or tasks

• Environment

◦Refers to the conglomerate of real circumstances in which the organism or referenced part of
the organism exists. A simple way to summarize its coverage is as everything except the moving
parts of the organism involved in the behaviour on important implication is that only really
physical events are included

• 2 A-06

◦Stimulus - an energy change that affects an organism through its receptor cells. Something in
the environment that has an effect on the behaviour

◦Stimulus class- any group of stimuli sharing a predetermined set of common elements in one or
more of these dimensions (dogs stimulus multiple dog breads stimulus class)

◦Antecedent - refers to environmental conditions or stimulus changes that exist or occur prior to
the behaviour of interest.

◦Consequence- A stimulus change that follows a behaviour of interest

‣ Common mistakes to avoid- consequence is not a punishment in our field.

◦Respondent - Elicited or brought out by stimuli that immediately precede them. The antecedent
stimulus (e,g bright light) and the response it elicits (e.g Pupil constriction) form a functional until
called a reflex Respondent behaviours are essentially involuntary and occur whenever the
eliciting stimulus is presented”

◦Respondent condition - new stimuli can acquire the ability to elicit respondents. Paring
something with the antecedent stimuli that will provide the same behaviour

◦Habituation - if the eliciting stimulus is presented repeatedly over a short span of time, the
strength or magnitude of the response will diminish and in some cases the response may not
occur at all

◦Operant- not elicited by preceding stimuli but instead are influenced by stimulus changes that
have followed the behaviour in the past.

◦Free Operant- the duration, rate, frequency etc. Of behaviour absent of any restrictions

◦3 term contingency- a concept for expressing and organizing the temporal and functional
relationships between operant behaviour and consequence

‣ Antecedent stimulus- behaviour- consequence

◦Establishing operations- A) increase in the reinforcing effectiveness of some stimulus objet or


event. B) increase int he current frequency of behaviour that has been reinforced by some
stimulus object or event

‣ Example - sleep deprived increase the reinforcing effectiveness of sleeping

◦Abolishing operation - A) decrease in the reinforcing effectiveness of some stimulus object, or


event, b) a decrease in the current frequency of. Behaviour that has been reinforced by some
stimulus, object, or event

‣ Hung over- your less likely to drinking and less likely to lead into behaviour that leads to
that feeling

◦Pivotal behaviour - Behaviour that once learned produces corresponding modifications or


covariations in other adaptive untrained behaviours

◦Behavioural cusp- A behaviour that has consequences beyond the change itself some that are
considered important. What makes a behaviour change a cusp is that it exposes the individuals
repertoire to new environments, especially new reinforces and punishers, new contingencies,
new responses, new stimulus controls, and new communities of maintaining or destructive
contingencies. When some or all of these events happen, the individuals repertoire expands; it
encounters a differential selective maintenance of new as well as some old rectories and
perhaps that leads to some further cusps

◦Multiple explanations training- Instruction that provides practice with a variety of response
topographies helps to ensure that acquisition of desired response forms and also promotes
response generalization in the form of untrained topographies

Module 3C: Verbbal Behaviour Terminology


• 2 A-06
◦Verbal behaviour- Skinner- the behaviour of an individuals that has been reinforced through the
mediation of other person’s behaviour. Verbal behaviour involves social interactions between
speakers and listeners

◦Speaker- Gain access to reinforcement and control their environment through the behaviour of
listeners.

◦Listener- has to learn how to reinforce the speaker’s verbal behaviour meaning that listeners are
taught to respond to words and interact with speaker.

◦Echoic- The stimulus is auditory and the response is speaking (echoing what one hears)

‣ Repeating what is heard. Saying “pizza” after someone else says “Pizza”

◦Tact- type of verbal behaviour wit the response form controlled primarily by an immediately prior
nonverbal stimulus (an object, action, relation, properly)

‣ Expressive behaviour naming or identifying objects actions and events

◦Mand- type of verbal behaviour with the response form or topography controlled by a current
uncleared or learned establishing Operation(EO)

‣ Asking for reinforcers that you want. Saying pizza because you want pizza. Request

◦Intraverbal- type of verbal behaviour with the response form controlled by (1) a verbal stimulus
(the product of someone’s verbal behaviour- but this is not a simple concept, since the same
behaviour may have verbal and nonverbal products) with which (2) the response does not have
point-to-point correspondence

‣ Answering questions or having conversations in which your words are controlled by other
words. Saying pizza when someone else says what do you want to eat.

◦Point to point correspondent - Relationship between stimulus and response (or between
stimulus and response product) that is in effect when subdivisions or parts of the stimulus
control subdivisions or parts of the response (or response product) but the controlled and
controlling parts do now resemble one another in the physical sense of similarity,

◦Formal similarity- case where the controlling stimulus and the response product are (1) in the
same sense mode (Both visual, or both are auditory or both are tactile) and (2) resemble each
other in the physical sense of resemblance (look alike sound alike feel alike)

◦Textual- verbal operant that has “point to point correspondence but not formal similarity
between the stimulus and the response product”

‣ Reading words, saying pizza because you see the word pizza

◦Transcription/talking dictation - verbal behaviour in which a spoken verbal stimulus controls a


written, typed, or finger spelled response

‣ Writing and spelling words spoken to you. Writing pizza because you heard the word pizza
spoken

◦Autoclitic- (1) its temporal relation to the primary verbal behaviour - autoclitic can occur before,
during or after its primary response, but simple secondary must be after ( because you are
referring to something that has already occurred) (2) the fact that often the controlling variable
for autoclitic VB is some form of private stimulation functioning as SD whereas for simple
secondary VB it is more likely to be public and (3) the nature of the reincement for the secondary
response

◦Private events- those events that take place within an organisms skin or are otherwise only
accessible to the organism

◦Multiple control-

‣ convergent multiple control - multiple stimuli provides the same response

‣ Divergence multiple control - one specific variable could lead to multiple responses

Module 3D: Research terminology


• Baseline- the rate duration latency etc, of the behaviour of interest prior to manipulation of the
environment. behaviour before intervention

• Confound variable - uncontrolled variables known or suspected to exert an influence of the


dependent variable

• Internal validity - experiments that show convincingly that changes in Beauvoir are a function of the
independent variable and are not the result of uncontrolled or unknown variables are said to have a
high degree of internal validity

• External validity - the degree to which a study’s results are generalizable to other subjects, settings,
and or behaviour

Module 4A: Overview of Reinforcement


• C-02
◦Reinforcement- if a behaviour is followed closely in time by a stimulus event and as a result the
future frequency of that type of behaviour increases in similar conditions

◦Differs from Preference

• Terms involving reinforcement

◦Reinforcer as a noun refers to a stimulus - example Justin used action figures as a reinforcers
for the child’s expressively labeling

◦Reinforcing as an adjective refers to a property of a stimulus- example the reinforcing stimulus


was proceed 10 times within the session

◦Reinforcement (noun)-

‣ Operation: The delivery of consequences when a response occurs

‣ Process: the increase in responding that results from reinforcement

◦To reinforce (Verb)

‣ Operation to deliver consequences when a response occurs

‣ Process- to increase responding through the reinforcement operation

• 2 C-03
◦Positive reinforcement (adding something to the environment)

‣ When a response is followed by the presentation of a stimulus and as a result similar


responses occur more frequently in the future

‣ Positive reinforcer: the stimulus presented as a consequence and responsible for the
subsequent increase in responding

‣ Potential examples: Food, tangibles

◦Negative reinforcement (Removes something from environment)

‣ The occurrence of a response produces the removal, termination, reduction, or


postponement of a stimulus which leads to an increase in the future occurrence of that
response

‣ Negative reinforcer: Stimuli whose removal strengthens behaviour

‣ Potential examples: Breaks, removal of chores

◦Reinforcement- increases the frequency of desirable behaviour

◦Unconditioned reinforcers- A stimulus change that can increase the future frequency of
behaviour without prior pairing with any other form of reinforcement

‣ Known as primary Example: food, water,

◦Conditioned reinforcers- A previously neutral stimulus change that has acquired the capability to
function as reinforcer through stimulus-stimulus pairing with one or more unconditioned
reinforcers or conditioned reinforcer

‣ Referred to as secondary

‣ Examples: Money, alcohol, sports

◦Generalized conditioned reinforcers

‣ Conditioned reinforce that as a result of having been paired with many unconditioned and
conditioned reinforcers does not depend on a current EO for any particular form of
reinforcement for its effectiveness

‣ Examples: tokens, money

◦Differential reinforcement

‣ Differential reinforcement of Alternative behaviour (DRA) - deliver reinforcer on any other


behaviour except for the behaviour we want to see decrease

‣ Differential reinforcement of other behaviour (DRO) - don’t specific the behaviour we are
reinforcing, it can be anything except for the target behaviour that is to decrease

‣ Differential reinforcement of Low Rates (DRL)

‣ Differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviour (DRI)

‣ Differential reinforcement of high rates (DRH)

‣ Differential reinforcement of Diminishing rates (DRD)

◦Automatic reinforcement

‣ Some behaviours produce their own reinforcement independent of the mediation of others

‣ “A behaviour-reinforcement relation that occurs without the presentation of consequences


by other people

◦Premack Principle

‣ Making the opportunity to engage in a behaviour that occurs at a relatively high free
operant (or baseline) rate contingent on the occurrence of low-frequency behaviour will
function as reinforcement for the low-frequency behaviour

• C-03, D-03
◦Variables affecting reinforcement

‣ Motivation - satiation, deprivation

‣ Motivation operations- Establishing, abolishing

‣ Immediacy- if the reinforcer is to reinforce a particular response, it must immediately follow


that response. Fade over time

‣ Set an easily achieved initial criterion for reinforcement

‣ Use high quality reinforcers of Sufficient magnitudes

‣ Used varied reinforcers to maintain potent establishing operations

‣ Use Direct Rather than indirect reinforcement contingencies when possible

‣ Combine response prompts and reinforcement

‣ Reinforce each occurrence of the behaviour initially

‣ Use contingent attention and descriptive praise

‣ Gradually increase the response- to reinforcement delay

‣ Gradually shift from contrived to naturally occurring reinforcers

• C-03
◦Useful domains for reinforcement

‣ Edible, sensory, tangible, activity, social

Module 4B: Schedules of reinforcement


• Fixed Ratio

• Variable Ratio

• Fixed interval

• Variable interval

• C-03
◦Schedules of reinforcement

‣ Continuous reinforcement- reinforcing the targeted response after every occurrence

‣ Intermittent reinforcement - reinforcing the targeted response occasionally

‣ Four basic schedules

• Fixed Ratio

• Variable Ratio

• Fixed interval

• Variable interval

◦Fixed interval schedule

‣ Time based - delivered after a certain amount of time

‣ Time period if fixed

‣ Reinforcer delivered contingency upon the first behaviour following the time period

‣ Results in a Scallop pattern of responding

• More responses as the time period elapses

◦Variable interval schedule

‣ Time based

‣ Time period is variable

‣ Reinforcer delivered contingent upon the first behaviour following the time period

‣ Results in a consistent rate of responding

‣ No scallop patter, more consistent across time. Results in consistent responding

◦Fixed ratio schedule

‣ Response based

‣ Requires the completion of a specified number of responses to produce a reinforcer

‣ Results in Rapid rates of responding (FR1) after every response/ continuous reinforcement
schedule (FR5) every 5th response

‣ Post reinforcement pause not as consistent, but more consistent then the fixed internal

◦Variable-ratio schedule

‣ Response based

‣ Requires the completion of a variable number of responses to produce a reinforcer

‣ Results in a rapid rates of responding VR5 1-10

‣ Rapid and consistence responses. Prevents that post reinforcement pause

◦Complex schedules of reinforcement

‣ Progressive- some variables continuous increase

‣ Concurrent

‣ Multiple

‣ Mixed

‣ Tandem

Module 4C: Preference Assessment


• 2B-01
◦Formal

‣ Multiple types

‣ Systematic procedures

‣ Done prior to teaching

‣ Preference is highly correlated with reinforcers

‣ Usually inform reinforcers for teaching

◦Informal

‣ Not done ahead of time

‣ Providing choices during teaching

◦Informs us on what could be used as a reinforcers during a teaching session

• Graff and Kristen (2012)

◦Surveyed 402 professionals all on the use of preference assessments

◦32% were BCBA or BCaBA

◦89% used in the course of intervention

• 2 B-01
◦Information interviews

‣ Interviewing the student, teachers or caregivers

‣ Face to face of filling out an assessment

• Reinforcer assessment for individuals with Severe disabilities

• School reinforcement surgery schedule

‣ Generates a list of potential reinforcers

‣ it allows us to provide choices during teaching

‣ Shown to be unreliable (interviews)

◦Free Operant Preference Assessment

‣ Free access to a variety of stimuli for a duration of time

‣ No stimuli are removed

‣ Record duration or interaction/engagement

‣ Provides a hierarchy/rank of preferences

‣ Shorter than formal preference assessments

‣ Results in lower levels of aberrant behaviour (not making the child have a forced choice)

◦Multiple stimuli without replacement (MSWO)

‣ Present a number of stimuli to the student

‣ Pre-Exposure to stimuli

‣ Components

• Arrange full array of stimuli

• Instruct student to select one

• Student interacts for period of time

• Stimulus is removed

• Repeat steps 1-4 until all stimuli have been selected

‣ Provides a hierarchy

◦Multiple stimulus with replacement (MSW)

‣ Present a number of stimulu to the student

‣ Pre-exposure to stimuli

‣ Components:

• Arrange full array of stimuli

• Instruct student to select one

• Student interacts for period of time

• Stimulus is replaced

• Repeat steps 1-4 for a specific number of trialed

‣ Can create a hierarchy

◦Paired stimulus preference assessment

‣ A choice between two stimuli

‣ Pre-exposure to stimuli

‣ Components:

• Present two stimuli

• Instruct student to select one

• Student interacts for period of time

• Repeat steps 1-3 until all stimuli paired

‣ Best to conduct Multiple Assessments

‣ Randomize placement

‣ creates a hierarchy

‣ Typically longer than MSW(O)

‣ Can result in problem behaviour (sometimes children cannot make a choice, sometimes
they don’t want to give back the item)

◦In the moment reinforcer analysis

‣ No formal preference assessment

‣ Involves in-the-moment assessment of several variables:

• Verbal and non-verbal behaviour

• Frequency of delivery

• Ability to condition the item

◦Clinical Judgment when picking reinforcers

‣ Verbal behaviour

‣ Interfering behaviours

‣ Non verbal behaviour

‣ Receptivity

‣ Playing style

‣ Age appropriate

‣ Recent performance

‣ Past performance e

‣ health Benefits

‣ Socialization

‣ Novelty

‣ Conditioning

‣ Overall #

‣ Location

Module 4D: Conditioning


• 2 C-03 F-05
◦Commonly used Reinforcers - junk food as a main reinforcers. This can be costly, along with it
being super unhealthy for the child. The option for this can expand to activities and tangible
items. Can lead to child obesity reinforcers unhealthy behaviour

◦Thomas the train, wiggles, Barney, blues clues are also other commonly used reinforcers

◦Age inappropriate reinforcers

‣ Self fulfilling prophecy- lower expectations if we use inappropriate age reinforcers

‣ Not expanding on limited interests

‣ Bullying (Autism speaks)

• 63% of individuals diagnosed with ASD reported bullying

• 28% occurring frequently

• 14% scared for own safety

• Higher correlation with depression and loneliness

◦Conditioning reinforcers

‣ Conditioning a neutral stimulus or non-preferred stimulus to function as a reinforcer

‣ Does not require systematic intervention for most individuals

• Money, wine, basketball

‣ Unconditioned reinforcers (Primary reinforcers) can be used that does not need
conditioning (Basic needs food, water, shelter etc)

‣ Requires systematic intervention for individuals diagnosed with ASD

‣ we must condition reinforcers

◦Methods to condition reinforcers

‣ Pairing.

• Neutral Stimulus is paired with An established reinforcer

• Giving Ice Cream at a baseball game to get a child to love baseball

‣ Observational learning

• Watching others access stimuli contingent upon response

• Others engaging with stimuli in exciting ways

‣ Also a combination (stimulus paring and observational learning)

Module 4E: Autism Partnership Method of reinforcement

• 2C-03
◦10 commandments of reinforcement

‣ You must use it

‣ Preferences do not equal reinforcers - it only counts as a reinforcer if it changes behaviour

‣ Must be made contingent (only be played with with you not always)

‣ Reinforcement does not Equal food

‣ Reinforcement may have to be conditioned

‣ The concept of reinforcement might have to be taught

• 2C03, D-04
◦Continue of 10 commandments

‣ Reinforcement is for skill acquisition and more importantly reductions of aberrant behaviour
(alternatives of aberrant behaviour)

‣ Reinforcement needs to be thinned

‣ Reinforcement does not equal bribery

‣ Reinforcement must be age appropriate

• 2 B-01, C-03, E-05


◦Conditioning Reinforcement - making a less preferred activity more preferred by making it more
enjoyable

• You can teach the concept of reinforcement as well to the child.

• Thinning the schedule of reinforcement is important !

• 2C-03
◦reinforcement vs bribery

‣ Bribery- student is disruptive and promised reinforcement if behaviour stops. Problem with
bribery is that it works immediately but it also reinforces the disruptive behaviour and
facilitates negotiation. Bribery reduces independence.

‣ Reinforcement- Student is exhibiting appropriate behaviour and receives reinforcement

• Reinforcement peeves

◦Free access to reinforcement is not okay

◦Used to entice

◦Reinforcement schedule not thinned

◦Not have it ready

◦Comments don’t match performance/behaviour

◦Not rotating out

◦Not creating

◦Formal preference assessments

Module 4F: Token Economies

• Commonly used every where and are very common

• C-03, 12
◦Token economies

‣ Commonly implemented used

‣ Student earns tokens contingent upon target behaviours

‣ Tokens are exchanged for terminal reinforcer

‣ Examples:

• Diminishing field

• Competitive Token Economy

• Level system

‣ Tokens can take many forms

‣ We want it to be as natural as possible

‣ Terminal reinforcer should vary and could be differential

‣ Delievering tokens at higher quality= more tokens

‣ Exchange rates- depends upon the rate of behaviour and what is best for the learner

◦Token economies: traditional approach

‣ Determine target behaviours

‣ Determine criterion for token delivery

‣ Determine exchange rate

‣ Ensure quality “Time-in”

‣ Must be trained

‣ Start with fewer tokens

‣ Move to more tokens learner should be aware of the tokens being received or taken away

◦Rainbow tokens

‣ A conjugate schedule of reinforcement

‣ Tokens movement toward token board contingent upon target behaviour

‣ Tokens movement stops or restarts contingent upon other behaviour

◦Magic number- flexible earning requirement

◦Level system

‣ Create levels of what is bad okay and good and visual showcase to the child where they
stand within this level depending on the behaviour, The more they engaging in the target
behaviour they move up if they dont engage in the target system they move down

‣ This system should be fluent based on their behaviour. A kid should start within an okay
stage and move up or down from there

Module 5A: Overiew of punishment


• First rule of punishment - naturally occurring thing so therefore it happens

• Punishment-

◦When a response is followed immediately by a stimulus change that decreases the future
frequency of similar responses

• Punisher

◦A stimulus change that immediately follows the occurrence of a behaviour and reduces the
future frequency of that type of behaviour

• Positive punishment

◦Sometimes referred to as type 1

◦when the presentation of a stimulus (or an increase in the intensity of an already present
stimulus) immediately following a behaviour results in a decrease in the frequency of behaviour

◦Examples

‣ Saying No

‣ Providing a strike

‣ Electric shock

• NEgative punishment

◦Type 2

◦The termination of an already present stimulus (or a decrease in the intensity of an already
present stimulus) immediately following a behaviour results in a decrease in the frequency of the
behaviour

◦Examples

‣ Removal of a Teton

‣ Loss of a privilege

• Unconditioned punishes

◦An stimulus whose presentation functions as punishment without having been paired with any
other punishers

◦Some times referred to as primary/unlearned

◦Typically biological events

◦Examples

‣ Painful stimulus

‣ Tastes

‣ Odors

• Conditioned punishers

◦ A stimulus change that functions as punishment as a result of a person’s conditioning history

◦Sometimes referred to as secondary/learned

◦Examples

‣ No

‣ Lectures

‣ Tones

• 2F-05
◦Potential punishment procedures

‣ Response blocking

‣ Saying No

‣ Contingent exercise

‣ Removal of tokens

‣ Loss of privileges

‣ Overcorrection

• Restitutional

• Positive practice

‣ Time-out from reinforcement

‣ Electric shock

◦Punishment procedures should be pairs with reinforcement procedures

• 2c-03, E-01, 02,03, F-05


◦Considerations when using punishment

‣ Immediacy- make it quick

‣ sufficient Intensity/Magnitude

‣ schedule (avoid intermittent schedule) after every instances of response

‣ Teach replacement behaviour

‣ Vary your punishers

‣ Use in combination with reinforcement procedures (punishment only teachers you what not
to do)

‣ Request additional superision

‣ Take data

• Potential negative side effects

◦Emotional/aggressive reactions

◦Escape/avoidance

◦Behaviral contrast

◦Undesirable modeling

◦Reinforcement for punishing agent

◦Lack of generalization

◦Potential issues with long term effectiveness

Module 5B: History of Punishment


• ABA and history of punishment - shift back and forth early on encouragement on using punishment
and now there is a shift to not use punishment at all

• History of punishment

◦Basic research

‣ Azrin 1956-1960

‣ Miller 1960

‣ Brown Wagner 1964

◦Application with humans

‣ Lovaas & Simmons 1969

◦Part of comprehensive intervention

‣ Lovaas 1987

◦Expansion of ABA procedures

‣ Reinforcement based procedures- instead use very low not painful punishers like response
cost

‣ Functional analysis

◦Aversive controversy

◦Leads the way to Positive behaviour supports (PBS)

◦Anti-punishment and error correction procedures

• Leaf Et Al 2014

◦Comparison to Most to least to errorless teaching receptive

◦Some times punishment can be useful

• Leaf Et Al 2014

◦Compared most to least to error correction teaching tacting expressive

◦Error correction was more efficient

◦Punishment might excelerate learning

• Leaf Et Al 2019

◦Descriptive analysis of the use of punishment based techniques

Module 6A: Type of Aberrant Behaviour


• Aberrant behaviour

◦Any behaviour a client engages in that :

‣ Could cause harm to themselves

‣ Could cause harm to others

‣ Interfere with learning opportunities

‣ Interfere with socialization

◦Various types

‣ Aggression

‣ Self-injury

‣ Stereotypic behaviour

‣ Elopement

‣ Pica- putting anything in their mouth to eat

• Stereotypic behaviour

◦Repetitive body movements or movements with objects

◦Various topographies

◦Core diagnostic feature of autism spectrum discover

◦High prevalence Rate

◦Problems with stereotypy

‣ Decreases learning (Koegel Et al. 1972)

‣ Socially Stigmatizing (Leaf & McEachin 1999)

‣ Decreases Quality of life

• Self-Injurious behaviour

◦Any behaviour that may result in potential harm to the student

◦Many different topographies

◦Various reasons

‣ Physiological reasons

‣ Operant reasons

◦Common forms

‣ Head - banging

‣ Hand-biting

‣ Scratching

◦up to 50% engage in SIB

• Aggression

◦Any behaviour that may cause harm to another person

◦Various topographies

◦Up to 68% engage in this behaviour

Module 6B: Operational Definition


• First step of the process when we are trying to decrease or treat abarrent behaviour

• 2 A-02,03,06

◦OD

‣ Defining behaviour in observable terms

‣ Ensuring that objective data can be recorded

‣ Anyone can read and understand - grandmother test

‣ Scope of the definition -What is included what is excluded

‣ Function or topography based definiton

‣ Label and define

• 2 A-06
◦Function Vs. Topography

‣ Function

• Defines changes in the environment

• Why use function based definition?

◦When function is priority

◦Easier for Recording

◦Entire Response class - any response that leads to the same response

‣ Topography

• Defines the form of the behaviour

• Why yes topography based definition?

◦Cannot access functional outcomes

◦behaviour does not produce outcome

◦Importance of OD

‣ So everyone knows what the behaviour looks like

‣ So we can all measure the behaviour the same way

‣ So we can properly treat the behaviour

‣ Takes time to create

‣ Write them out to determine loop holes

‣ Let at least 2 other evaluate to ensure clarity

‣ Observe several times to ensure definition indeed captures the behaviour

◦Good vs Bad definition: Aggression

‣ Any time a student aggress toward another student bad

‣ Bitting: any contact between a students teeth and the skin or clothing of another individual
Good

‣ Hitting: Forceful contact between the hand of the student (open or closed fist) with another
person from a distance of 6 inches of greater Good

◦Good vs bad defininon: Non-Compliance

‣ Non-compliance occurs when the student does not follow a direction from a teacher that
the student already knows how to do Bad
‣ Non-compliance is defined as not following an explicit direction from staff within 5 seconds
of the prompt Good

Module 6C: Functions of behaviour


• 2-A-06,B-03, D-02
◦Entire purpose is finding a functions

◦Beauvoir has consequences that interact with the environment

‣ Payoffs

• Attention

• Avoidance

• Control

• Escape

• Communication

• Isolation

• Anger release

• Self-stimulation

‣ Cost-

• Reprimands

• More instructions

• Loss of privileges

• Ignoring

• Time out

• 2 D-02
◦Historically evaluated functions

◦Access to social attention

‣ Behaviour - screaming for access to social attention

‣ Consequence- someone comes over to talk to them, someone comes and play with them
or console them, school setting laughing and pointing, reprimand

◦Access to tangibles or preferred activities

‣ behaviour -Child throwing a tantrum

‣ Consequence- gaining the candy, tangible they want

◦Escape, delay, reduction, or avoidance in task

‣ Behaviour- work reduction by banging their head

‣ Consequence - not have to complete that work

◦Automatic - regardless of the environment variables the behaviour is occurring

‣ Behaviour - hand flapping

‣ Consequence- happens always

◦AP Method: additional functions

‣ Control- engaging in maladaptive behaviour to control something in their environment.

‣ Respondent - include examples like fear

‣ Synthesized- could be happening because of multiple reasons

Module 6D: Funcitonal Behavioural assessment


• FBA Determining the function of behaviour

• 2A-06, B-03, D-02


◦Funcitonal behaviour assessments

‣ Second hand observation

• Indirect measures

• Live interviews

• Assessment forms

‣ First hand observation

• Descriptive assessment

• Antecedent-behaviour Consequence (ABC) data

‣ Functional Analysis-

‣ FBA: Main components

• Clear description of the Aberrant behaviour

• describe when behaviour will and will not occur

◦Settings

◦Setting events

◦Times

• The consequences that maintain behaviour

• Why the behaviour is occurring -

• Collect Data

◦Why conduct FBA’s

‣ Identify why behaviours occur

‣ Develop a proactive plan

‣ Develop a reactive plan

‣ Reduce problem behaviour

‣ mandated by federal law

• 2 B-03

◦Indirect methods- second hand

‣ Three components

• What we do

• what we say

• What we observe

‣ Things we do

• Take active listening posture

• Eye contact

• Remember your face

• Nonverbal encouragements

‣ Things we say

• Encouragements

• Quality of verbal statements

‣ Things we observe

• Identify the content/substance

• Identify the clients feelings (Indicated by what they say)

• What they are saying a nod how they are saying it

◦Kind of information

‣ Motor movements

• Eye contact, facial expression, fidgeting

‣ Verbal behaviour

• Content, paralanguage

‣ Circumstances

• Who

• What

• Where

• When

‣ Outcome

◦Style to use

‣ Actively listening

‣ Providing rationales for asking questions

‣ Paraphrase what person says

‣ Intersperse comments about the sitation

‣ Be empathetic

‣ Be appreciative

‣ Take notes

◦Questions on setting events

‣ “Tell me what happened right before the behaviour?”

‣ Greg Hanley questions

• If I gave you $1,0000 how could you get this behaviour to occur” or “What could you
get to get the behaviour to not Occur”

‣ can you tell me what else is occurring in the environment when the behaviour happens

‣ Let me know if there has been other high changes such as sleeping, medication, change in
diet etc.

◦Some setting events

‣ Physical

‣ Learning ad self-regulation

‣ Social-emotional

‣ Environmental and routines

◦Questions on consequences (the function )

‣ When you child engages in the behaviour what do you do?

‣ What have you done to try to stop the behaviour

‣ Greg Hanley question

‣ What has not worked that you have tried

‣ What has worked that you have tried

◦Second hand observation: Questions on behaviour

‣ What is the behaviour that you are concerned about?

‣ Tell me about the intensity of the behaviour

‣ Why do you think the behaviour is occurring

‣ how often does the behaviour occur

‣ What time of day does the behaviour occur most

‣ ‘What behaviours are you most concerned about

• Formal indirect assessment

◦Functional analysis screening tool (FAST)

◦Question about behavioural Function (QABF)

◦Aberrant Behaviour Checklist

• Indirect Methods

◦Advantages

‣ Ways to get information quickly

‣ Ways to build rapport

‣ Can get caregiver or staff’s perspective

‣ Help sets up FBA and FA

◦Disadvantages

‣ More subjective to Bias

‣ Not always accurate

‣ Behaviour plans can not be done by only indirect assessments

• 2-B-03

◦Direct methods - first hands

‣ Descriptive assessment

• Systematic observation of behaviour in the natural environment

• Data can be used to help formulate treatment plans

• Two levels

◦Observation with no manipulations

◦Observation with slight manipulations

‣ Direct observation methods:

• cirumcstances surrounding the behaviour

◦Who and what sets the occasion

◦Who was present

◦When and where

◦What are other people saying or doing

• Outcomes of behaviours

◦Consequence of the behaviours

• ABC data collection

‣ Antecedent

• Getting information about what occurred in the environment right before the behaviour
occurred

• Other events that occurred throughout the day that could affect the behaviour.
Layering effect

• Observing the child, environment, adults and the interactions between everything

• Take notes and be specific

‣ Behaviour

• Need clear operational definition

• Scoring multiple behaviours at the same time

• level or intensity of behaviour

• Score all

• be specific as possible

• Replicability

‣ Consequence

• What occurred immediately after the behaviour

• Is there a consistent response to the behaviour

◦Other information

‣ Date

‣ Time

‣ Environment

‣ Other notes that you believe is relevant

◦Calculating ABC Data

‣ TAke the total number of aberrant behaviours

‣ Work the numbers across commonalities

• Antecedents

• Consequences

• Combination of antecedents and consequence

‣ Graph the data

‣ Evaluate for commonalities

‣ Make treatment decisions based upon the data

• Direct method

◦Advantages

‣ Observe in natural environment

‣ Can take objective data

‣ Can lead to effective intervention

◦Disadvantages

‣ More subjective to bias

‣ not always accurate

‣ Prisoner of the moment

‣ Behaviour plans can bot be done by only indirect assessment

Module 6E: Funcitonal Analysis

• 2 B-03, D-02
◦Functional analysis

‣ Systematic evaluation:

• Clients behaviour

• The environment

‣ Used to determine the functions of behaviours

‣ Final component of the BA

• Interview

• Direct Observation

• Functional Analysis

‣ most precise way to figure out the function of behaviour

‣ Comparing target behaviours across different environmental conditions

‣ Must use research design

• Multi element

• Reversal

‣ must have supervision from trained staff to conduct a functional analysis

‣ Long history in the filed

• Hanley et al. (2003)

◦Over 500 published studies

◦70% with children 91% with participant with some disability

◦31% conducted in schools

◦Not commonly done by teachers or therapists

◦Over 95% resulted in usable outcomes

‣ Successful treatment plans

‣ Reduction of problem behaviour

• 2 B-03, D-02
◦Attention condition

‣ General set up

• Client does not receive attention

• Client receives attention contingent upon aberrant behaviour

‣ Typically therapist is busy with another task

• Reading a book, writing

‣ Once problem behaviour occurs provide some sort of attention

‣ Where in the escalation cycle

• Precursors

• Capital aberrant behaviour

◦Tangible condition

‣ General set up

• The clinician deprives access to tangible items

• Provide tangible items continent upon aberrant behaviour

‣ Therapist

• Provides attention not contingently and has items out of reach

‣ Once aberrant behaviour occurs provide tangible items

‣ Where in the escalation cycle

• Precursors

• Actual aberrant behaviour

◦Demand/escape condition

‣ General set up

• Therapist provides client a difficult task

• Once aberrant behaviour is displayed the tasks stops

‣ Therapist

• Have to ensure that it is non preferred work

• Prompt them through the work

• Short break between problem behaviour and where

‣ Where in the escalation cycle

• Precursors

• Actual aberrant behaviour

◦Alone condition

‣ General set up

• Child is left alone in the room

• Child has nothing to do

• Nothings occurs when problem behaviour happens

‣ Therapist

• Keep child safe

‣ Where in the escalation cycle

• Precursors

• Actual aberrant behaviour

• Interpreting the graph

◦Data should be graphed and will have multiple data paths

◦Looking to see differences within the graph

◦If there are differences or no differences

• Concerns with the traditional FBA model

◦Behaviours in isolation

◦Behaviours co-occur in nature

◦A lot of the time these things are co-related rather than separate

◦Concern with safety

◦Undifferentiated results not getting the information you need

◦Analogue conditions

◦They are still known to be precise

• IISCA

◦Informed interview synthesized contingency analysis

‣ now called practical functional assessment

◦Components

‣ No descriptive assessment

‣ No closed ended assessments

‣ Use an opened ended interview

‣ Not using standard approach

‣ two conditions

‣ Synthesize of multiple contingencies

◦The big 4

‣ Attention, escape, access, automatic

• 2 B-03 D-02
◦Role of the RBT: Functional Assessment

‣ Assist with functional assessment procedures

• ABC data collection

• Assist with data Collection during FA

‣ Implement behaviour Reduction Plan

‣ Implement skill acquisition Plan

.Correct Info: Differential reinforcement is one of the hardest concepts to learn when studying for the
exam. Don't let it scare you! DRO (other)- you pick a behavior (verbal stereotypy in the above example)
and reinforce when the client is not engaged in the behavior DRI (incompatible)- you pick a behavior
that is incompatible with the target behavior and reinforce that behavior (standing vs sitting. You can't
do these at the same time) DRA (alternative)- you pick a behavior to replace the target behavior and
reinforce that behavior (asking for a break vs eloping. Reinforce asking for a break)

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