Behavior Assessment (Anecdotal Record to ABC Analysis)
Functional Behavior Assessment
Student’s Strengths
Operational Definition of the Target Behavior
Setting
Antecedents
Consequences
Environmental Variables
Hypothesis of Behavioral Function
Behavioral Intervention Plan
Summary of Previous Interventions Attempted
Replacement Behaviors
Intervention Strategies and Supports
Environment
Instruction/Curriculum
Positive Supports
Motivators and/or rewards
Restrictive Disciplinary Measures
Crisis Plan
Data Collection Procedures and Methods
Provision for Coordination with Caregivers
Observation
Purpose of observation: gain an awareness of what factors are influencing the behavior and identify the target behaviors
Observation of a specific situation: i.e. during lunchtime, recess, or show and tell
Observation in various settings: i.e. across different settings, such as in the classroom, on the playground, and during band
Observation at different times during the day: i.e. in the morning, in the afternoon, and by parents in the evening
11-3
Observation Methods
Anecdotal recording: record behaviors and interactions within a given time frame
Event recording: look specifically for one or more target behaviors and records the frequency with which they occur. (also referred to as frequency
Latency recording: determines the amount of time between a given stimulus for the child and the response
Duration recording: the amount of time a target behavior occurs is recorded
11-4
An interview method of gathering information that is conducted face to face between two people (the interviewer and the interviewee) whereby recorded responses to questions are obtained.
Purpose: to gain insight into the nature and history of the child’s difficulties.
Purpose to interview the child: to determine whether the child has any awareness that there is a concern about his or her behaviors and the degree to which he or she may be willing to change.
11-5
Interviews
Types of Interviews
Structured interview: An interview in which the individual is asked a specific set of predetermined questions in a controlled manner.
Unstructured interview: An interview in which the questions are not predetermined, thereby allowing for substantial discussion and interaction between the interviewer and interviewee.
11-6
Psychological Tests that assess social/emotional and behavioral health
Types:
Projective Tests
Apperception Tests
Sentence Completion
Rating Scales
Adaptive Behavior Measures
Projective Tests
A projective drawing test: The tests are used to get the child to “project” his feelings about himself onto paper.
The examiner looks for certain patterns in the drawings and the way the child handles what is being asked (e.g., a child who draws away from everyone else may have low self-esteem, or a child who takes the pencil and writes very hard on the paper may be exhibiting anger).
Two common examples:
Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test (GHDT)
Draw-A-Person: Screening Procedure for Emotional Disturbance (DAP:SPED)
11-8
Apperception Tests
Apperception tests require a child to view various picture cards and “tell a story.”
Purpose: to elicit central themes from the child.
Children’s Apperception Test (CAT)
Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
11-10
Children’s Apperception Test examples
Thematic Apperception Test example
Sentence Completion Tests
Sentence completion tests :
Student fills in the rest of the sentence after being given a prompt.
Gives indications of the emotions and feelings
I wish _____________
When I grow up _____________
My mother _____________
My best subject is _____________
I am happy when ___________
11-13
A few thoughts about projective, apperception and sentence completion tests
Never used in isolation to make a diagnosis. Must triangulate the themes, diagnoses and hypotheses about the child with multiple measures.
Administered in a battery and only by a qualified psychologist
For teachers: implications when reviewing children’s artwork and writings. May indicate deeper, psychological issues and problems.
Teachers should report anything disturbing to school professionals like counselors, social workers, or psychologists.
You are not DIAGNOSING the child, just bringing to others attention the presence of disturbing content that may or may not indicate mental health issues.
Anyone read Stephen King?
Rating Scales
Rating scales
Rates frequency, intensity and/or duration about a behavior
Provides information on how others view the child’s strengths and weaknesses.
Often scales are administered to the student (when appropriate), the parent, and the teacher
EXAMPLES:
Conners 3rd Edition™ (Conners 3)
Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale–3rd Edition (ADDES-3)
Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale: Secondary-Age
11-15
Assessment of Adaptive Behavior: the effectiveness or degree with which individuals meet the standards of personal independence and social responsibility expected for age and cultural groups
Communication Skills
Self-Care
Community Use
Home Living
Self-Direction
Social Skills
Health and Safety
Leisure
Functional Academics
Work Skills
Measures of Adaptive Behavior
AAMR Adaptive Behavior Scale, Residential and Community–2nd Edition (ABS-RC:2)
AAMR Adaptive Behavior Scale–School (ABS-S:2)
The Adaptive Behavior Evaluation Scale–Revised (ABES-R)
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–2nd Edition (VABS-2)
Developmental Assessment for the Severely Handicapped–2nd
Edition (DASH-2)
Adaptive Behavior Inventory (ABI)
11-17