Behavioral Concepts and Applications

Assessment Approaches

The main goal of behavioral assessment is to document how antecedents and consequences guide and maintain behavior. Although several types of assessment can fulfill this goal, the most researched approach is called a functional analysis, which identifies reinforcers that maintain an individual's problem behavior by systematically evaluating the effects of different consequences on problem behavior within a single-case experimental design. Typically, this assessment is conducted under tightly controlled conditions to limit potential confounds. The benefit of this procedure is that it provides a well-controlled demonstration of response–reinforcer relations and thus reduces ambiguity in results. The drawback of the functional analysis is that it can be difficult to conduct in typical classrooms because of the degree of control needed over the delivery of consequences.

An alternative approach is to conduct a more descriptive assessment of problem behavior in which the consequences of problem behavior are not systematically manipulated by the teacher or school psychologist. Instead, data are collected as the target behavior occurs on the behavior itself as well as the various antecedents and consequences that are correlated with the behavior. Because behavior (B) is recorded with its antecedents (A) and consequences (C), this approach is sometimes called an A-B-C assessment. One advantage of an A-B-C assessment is that data are collected without interrupting a student's schedule, removing the student from the educational environment, or explicitly reinforcing problem behavior. The data can then be analyzed to determine the probability that the behavior will occur following [Page 60]specific antecedents (e.g., demands) and be followed by specific consequences (e.g., laughter from peers). Consequences that have a high probability of occurring in close temporal proximity to the problem behavior are identified as possible reinforcers. Thus, descriptive assessments provide information regarding potential response–reinforcer relations but lack the experimental (causal) control of a functional analysis. The results of descriptive assessments can also be confusing because numerous antecedents and consequences can occur in close proximity to a behavior.

...