Instruction in Functional Assessment Chapter 5 Teaching Functional Analysis

Chapter Teaching Functional Analysis Focus Questions ' bat are em in read college students skills involved will analysis ?

How can assessment skills ?

To implement functional analysis ( FAn ) and treatment procedures , skills are required by the college student to deliver antecedents and consequences for the clients behavior accurately and reliably . Although college students may be able to describe a procedure in verbal or written form , that does not mean they can do it ( et , 2000 Wallace , Doney , 2004 ) Role play and based teaching are two strategies to establish the necessary skills . Role Play A ROLE PLAY strategy is a more physically active manner of participation in the learning situation than computer simulation . Role play teaches procedural behaviors by the individual reenacting the situation while assuming another person identity . For instance , Jones and ( 1975 ) taught two teachers to use a behavior management approach to decrease the disruptive behavior of children in their classroom . Disruptive behaviors including talking to neighbors , behaviors , and inappropriate talk were . A single participant research design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the classroom behavior management procedure on students disruptive behaviors . In this training package , the teacher training procedures entailed a combination of role playing student and effective teacher behaviors , feedback , on what went well or not , group discussion , until mastery learning . The results of this teacher training approach led to less student disruptive behavior and higher student academic performance . Gardner ( 1972 ) compared role play versus lecture instructional methods to teach behavioral skills . Using a simple experimental research ,

Instruction in Assessment design , 20 staff members were randomly assigned to either role play or lecture instructional methods . The results suggest that a method improved scores more than lectures when teaching positive reinforcement , shaping , and stimulus control . However , was assessed by a , test rather than observations of staff implementation of procedures or effects of training procedures on clients behaviors . Wallace , Doney , and ( 2004 ) demonstrated that a high degree of accuracy in implementing FAn may also be achieved using just role play in a workshop format . One of the three teachers participating in this study needed additional feedback on specific steps performed incorrectly . One teacher in this study was able to use FAn in the classroom with a student 12 weeks after the workshop , demonstrating both stimulus generalization and maintenance of learning . Although role play is useful for the learner to engage in the desired behavior , additional instructional elements may be needed to promote students correct responding and shape the desired behavior . Training to Teach Functional Analysis TRAiNiNG is a strategy that systematically teaches the individual to engage in specific desired behaviors to a mastery criterion by the learner practicing or rehearsing skills with modeling and feedback provided by the teacher ( Greene , 1995 ) Prior to training , the task to be taught is operationally defined , broken down into smaller , specific steps ( called a TASK ANALYSiS ) and a learning criteria is set . A baseline measure of the learners current level of proficiency is gathered from multiple assessment sessions . Next , training is designed to focus on the areas that the learner has not mastered . During training , the trainer completes the following phases with the learner ( a ) trainer describes the learners skills in verbal and textual form ( trainer models the behaviors to be performed or a video presentation of the desired skills is provided ( learner role plays or rehearses the skills and ( trainer provides immediate feedback provided to the learner until a mastery criterion is attained ( Williams , Hart , 2012 ) Generalization of skills across situations , materials , people , and time ( maintenance ) should be assessed and , if not present , additional training is provided to ensure the occurrence of the behavior in the desired circumstances . Some research has demonstrated that receiving didactic instruction ( lecture , reading material , or modeling ) and demonstrating mastery on a knowledge test was for students to be able to implement the antecedent and consequence procedures involved in conducting FAn with a high degree of accuracy ( 2006 et , 2000 Moore . Fisher , 2007 Wallace , Doney , 2004 ) Only after immediate feedback was provided for learners carrying out functional analysis procedures to mastery criterion were students able to perform the traditional FAn conditions ( eg , demand , attention , play , alone ) to a high degree of accuracy , demonstrating that training with role play can effectively be used to teach FAn ( et , 2000 Wallace et , 2004 ) et al . 2000 ) demonstrated that FAn procedures could be taught to a high degree of proficiency to inexperienced undergraduate psychology 70

Instruction in Assessment students who had previously completed only one applied behavior analysis course . lowing review of written and model presentations descriptions of the FAn conditions and passing a knowledge test , students did not correctly perform the FAn steps when presented with simulated clients . The next phase entailed the researcher providing feedback with review of errors and , within min , near perfect accuracy in conducting the procedures involved in the FAn conditions was achieved . The results of et study are revealing and help to quell arguments that FAn is to perform and unable to be taught to novices as the participants were college students enrolled in their first ABA course . Generalization to situations and retention measures were needed in this study but other researchers have now examined these areas . training can be used to teach teachers to conduct FAn with dren in their classroom . For example , Moore et al . 2002 ) replicated the et al . 2000 ) study with teachers who , after training , applied FAn with students in the classroom . Moore et al . 2002 ) demonstrated that training led three teachers to correctly perform the steps involved in conducting a FAn to a greater degree compared to that when only reading the procedures and demonstrating mastery of that knowledge on a test . In another extension of this instructional approach , teachers conducted the FAn conditions with children in their classrooms during part of the training phase and then based training while reviewing those sessions with the researcher was provided ( 2006 ) In another demonstration of use of training to establish skills , et al . 2000 ) taught teachers to use a peer tutoring program with their students . Despite being given information on the program and knowing what needed to be done , the five classroom teachers in this single participant research design study did not fully implement the procedures until training and brief meetings were provided . The researchers measured the teachers students reading scores and found concurrent ment in those scores as the teachers implementation of the procedures increased . training has been demonstrated to be an effective method to teach people how to implement other training skills as well ( Codding , Dunn , Pace , 2005 Gardner , 1972 , 1992 ( Hopkins , 1992 Jones ( 1975 , 2010 ) This method can lead to changes in behavior that are not just due to the learner being observed , but as a function of the provided ( Codding , Pace , 2008 ) and ( 1982 ) experimentally demonstrated the effectiveness of training for therapists to learn how to train parents to increase task compliance with their child . Even when other methods , such as video modeling are first used to teach a new skill , performance feedback can be used to effectively top off skill acquisition ( Reed , Codding , Maguire , 2010 ) A combination of strategies may be used to enhance training . Procedural checklists , role play and training have been used by six supervisors to teach nine residential staff members to conduct FAn ( Lambert , Bloom , Clay , 2013 ) A single participant experimental research design demonstrated that the training procedures were effective , although periodic feedback was required to maintain skills following the original training sessions . 71

Instruction in Assessment Typically training is conducted in a format ( eg , Ryan , 2004 ) although there have been efforts to evaluate the potential of online instruction with webcams and communication software ( 2013 ) Initially , the learners training typically occurs with the instructor during role play simulations and once a mastery criterion has been met , skill training with the learner working with the client may occur . Advantages to structured role play are that a wider array of contextual possibilities ( Various client characteristics , functions , settings , etc . can be presented to enhance the learners acquisition and generalization of skills . See the Table 20 below for an example of a training data sheet . 72

Instruction in Assessment Table An example training data Trainer Smith Child Situation Playtime Date Skill being taught Effective use of positive reinforcement Description of Skill See steps below Goal Correct use of positive reinforcement Training criteria 100 correct on all steps for consecutive sessions Step On Each Record Comments Uses contingent immediately ( within ) following correct response Provides a descriptive praise statement mentioning the behavior , Nice sitting ! 10 11 12 Provides enthusiastic praise in terms of voice intonation Delivers preferred item , as a ro 10 11 12 Steps performed well Steps that need correction The type of consequences for correct implementation of procedures taught using training may be important . Martens , and ( 2005 ) conducted a study in which classroom teachers were taught procedures to decrease the problem behavior of their students . These researchers compared goal setting and daily written feedback delivered to teachers to another condition in which teachers were provided with performance feedback and could avoid a consultation meeting ( a negative force ) if all of the procedural steps were performed correctly . The latter condition resulted 73

Instruction in Assessment in more accurate implementation of the treatment procedure by the teachers and improved outcomes for their corresponding students . In general , the reinforcer delivered to increase someone behavior should be tailored to the individual that is , holding meetings may be a reinforcer to some while avoiding meetings may be reinforcing to others . The feedback delivered by the instructor should occur immediately after the learners performance and include praise given regarding multiple specific areas that the learner performed well and then corrective feedback concerning areas to improve . Initially , during the early instruction sessions , feedback should be immediately delivered after the learners performance ever , later in training , feedback should be delivered in a more delayed fashion to increase generalization to situations where delayed feedback is typically the case ( Lee . 1997 ) Generalization of FA Skills to the Natural Environment refers to whether the desired skills occur across , setting , time ( or maintenance ) and people as mentioned in Chapter ( Stokes . 1977 ) Generalization of learners skills across these various domains may not cally occur ( Finn , Patten , 2010 ) so strategies to promote it may need to be programmed into the instructional approach . The occurrence of professionals assessment and intervention skills across different ( different individuals , topography of problem behavior , maintaining variables ) and maintenance of those skills are important . A major approach to facilitate stimulus generalization is to incorporate into the training situation stimuli or events that are comparable to that in the natural environment ( 1992 ) For example , Finn , Patten , and ( 2010 ) compared test scores for 82 medical students when they wore scrubs versus no scrubs following learning gross anatomy ( which involved dissection and wearing scrubs in both conditions ) Higher test scores occurred when the students were tested in a similar context ( with scrubs ) pared to dissimilar context ( no scrubs ) to training . These results suggest that incorporating common stimuli in the training situation may aid in transfer of knowledge . For example , professionals working in inclusion settings may generalize these results by arranging events in which students act as scientists using tools and equipment so students act as if they are performing tests . also known as guided inquiry approach , involves presentation of a problem for students to define and solve during instruction . The teacher provides a supportive role guiding the student down the correct path , delivering feedback , and probing for additional information ( Wilkes , 2007 ) et al . 2007 ) compared learning to learning , which is a less structured approach , and found that medical students preferred learning . Mercer , and ( 2010 ) describe how problems for students to solve provides a meaningful learning experience likely to be encountered in future job settings . This method of instruction is versatile , and has even been effectively used in large university classes of 100 students working in groups of 74

Instruction in Assessment or to address a problem situation ( Lou , 2012 ) There is also some research to suggest that gradually transferring instructional approaches from lecture to learning may be more effective than using learning alone ( 2013 ) Additionally , providing structure ( comparison of cases , prompts ) to promote students focus on underlying principles related to the material presented may facilitate their learning ( et , 2013 ) When teaching students to employ a FA method including multiple case exemplars of clients exhibiting a variety of challenging behaviors in various situations is important . In a more extensive manner of programming common stimuli , GENERAL CASE STRATEGY can be an effective method of programming for generalization or increase students learning occurring in new situations ( 1992 ) General case strategy entails carefully identifying the relevant aspects of a situation and including a representative sample of those characteristics in a training program . To promote generalization of skills , Bolton and Mayer ( 2008 ) evaluated a staff training procedure involving performance feedback training with general case strategy and ming common stimuli . The general case strategy used in this study involved participants review of 10 examples of the implementation of the skills taught and training materials used that were similar to that found in the field . All three who in the experiment generalized the instructional skills taught with different children . Applying these strategies ( general case strategy and programming common stimuli ) when teaching college students to use a functional assessment approach would entail presenting a broad range of client cases with characteristics and examples of challenging behavior likely to be encountered in the professional situation . Similarly , the necessary therapist behaviors involved with conducting FAn ( what the therapist should do following a client correct versus incorrect response during the demand condition ) must be represented when designing instruction for college students . Should all therapist behaviors be depicted or can only a sample be shown for optimal student learning ?

Moore and Fisher ( 2007 ) addressed this research question by comparing complete video modeling versus partial video modeling procedures that differed in the number and range of therapist behaviors presented to teach FAn . The staff members who participated in this study performed FAn steps best following the complete video modeling condition ( all possible therapist behaviors were presented ) under simulated conditions compared to partial modeling ( half of the possible therapist behaviors were presented ) and lecture training conditions . Moreover , generalization of procedural skills following the complete video modeling condition by the three participants occurred when working with actual clients during probe measures . Field experiences , internships , or practicum courses are often offered as a feature of university curricula in mental health professions to develop and hone students procedural and practical skills common in professional , supervised experience is one part of the requirements to be eligible for board certification as a behavior analyst . These experiences allow students to practice skills and increase their of transferring the training to other situations . Given that such instruction entails work with actual individuals who are often in need of services , ethical constraints exist , the leeway for errors is small , and the breadth of exposure to different experiences ( students , problem behaviors , etc . may be limited . Grey , and Daly ( 2005 ) 75

Instruction in Assessment provided 90 hours of classroom instruction and supervision to teachers working with a child with autism . Desirable changes in the children behavior and positive evaluations of the program by teachers and parents were found in this descriptive study . Summary Realistic case examples need to be presented to provide the context for learning how to use FA and to design treatment implemented in the target situation . Multiple examples of a wide variety of cases involving children and adults displaying various problem behaviors in different settings may increase college students generalization of the skills acquired . methods to present cases in the college classroom under controlled and ethically safe conditions include simulations , role play , learning , and general case strategy and may be used prior to supervised field experiences . The instructor method of instruction should be geared to the type of behavior for training . Different instructional approaches are required for establishing students knowledge versus skills . training can be used to teach and refine the skills needed to conduct FA . Additionally , promoting the generalization of college students acquisition of the procedural and skills involved in FA may be facilitated by use of learning and general case strategy to expose students to a variety of situations and client cases representative of that found in a professional setting . Moreover , these procedures can be acquired in a relatively short period of time and generalize to life situations even though role play under simulated conditions typically is used during training . Another necessity involves teaching the broader array of steps in the FA process ( hypothesis identification , data analysis , treatment selections ) to ensure adequate preparation of a professional who will be working in the field , which is the focus . 76

Instruction in Assessment Discussion Questions . Discuss how teaching skills differs from teaching content . Name and describe four methods to teach skills . Describe how you would teach another professional or family member how to use positive reinforcement to increase a childs desired behavior . Exercise Case Study Carly is a new teachers aide in an elementary school classroom who has been assigned to work with Allen . Allen is a boy with autism who frequently tantrums in the classroom . His treatment program includes administration of differential reinforcement of zero rates min ( min ) and attention extinction . Carly must be taught how to employ this behavior intervention plan to reduce Allen tantrums , which are occurring at high rates throughout the day ( times per day on average ) tantrum . 77

Instruction in Assessment . How you teach Carly to conduct a functional analysis to identify the function of the tantrum behavior ?

How would you teach Carly to implement a procedure ?

Describe the steps you would use to teach Carly to correctly implement and attention extinction . How could you promote Carly generalization of skills to new and client cases ?

What ethical considerations are necessary in this case ?

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