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Conducting an Indirect Assessment

Research Paper Instructions:

For this assignment, you will demonstrate the skills needed for conducting an indirect assessment. This generally is how practitioners begin the FBA. Although the indirect assessment does not require you to observe the target behaviors, it is a critical component of the FBA because it allows you to build rapport with the stakeholders. The information gathered in this part of the analysis will also inform your descriptive and/or experimental analysis. Be sure to incorporate values of compassion and cultural humility when conducting the indirect assessment. You can refer to the Capella Compassion Code [DOCX] for more details

Part 1: Selecting the Tool or Method

Considering the highest priority problem behavior from your last assignment, select a method to conduct the indirect assessment. You can choose from a variety of tools such as the FAST, FAI, QABF, MAS, or the IISCA Open-Ended Interview. If you choose a survey or a checklist, your indirect assessment must also include an interview. Document the advantages and limitations of the selected tool. Provide a rationale for why you have selected this tool for your indirect assessment. Be sure to consider compassionate approaches when selecting your indirect assessment.

Part 2: Gathering and Summarizing Information

If you chose a fellow learner, friend, or family member, summarize the information collected from interviews with stakeholders and/or completed checklists and surveys. If you chose a character from a T.V. show or movie, you will need to infer the information in your summary. Remember the information obtained from the indirect assessment should inform the procedures taken in the experimental analysis in Week 8. In this summary, provide examples of approaches you took from the Capella Compassion Code [DOCX] to demonstrate how you took into consideration compassionate assessment methods while gathering this information. You should also present a visual display of the summarized information. Include the completed checklists or interviews as part of your assignment.

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Indirect Assessment
Your Name
University
PSY7712 Behavior Analytic Assessments
Professor
September xx, 2021
Indirect Assessment The functional assessment interview (FAI) is a useful tool for understanding the factors that contribute to problem behavior, as well as the conditions under which the behavior is most likely to occur (Coffey et al., 2020). This information is essential for developing effective, individualized interventions that address the underlying causes of problem behavior. In the present project, the tool is used to investigate the problem behavior of an 8-year-old boy with a developmental disability from the perspective of a caregiver.  

Selecting an Indirect Assessment Method/Tool

The Hanley's IISCA Open-Ended Interview, also known as the Functional Assessment Interview (FAI), is a method of assessing the function of problem behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities. The interview is conducted with a caregiver or support staff who is familiar with the individual and their behavior. The interview consists of open-ended questions that probe for information about the antecedents (triggers) and consequences (rewards or punishments) of the target behavior. The interviewer may also ask about the individual's skills and abilities, as well as their preferences and motivations (Fisher, Piazza & Roane, 2021). The goal of the interview is to gather detailed information about the function of the behavior, which can then be used to develop a behavior intervention plan that addresses the underlying cause of the problem behavior. The FAI is considered an indirect assessment method, as it does not involve direct observation of the behavior, but relies on the information provided by the interviewer.  

Advantages and Limitations

There are advantages and limitations associated with Hanley’s FAI. Notably, the use of FAI does not require direct observation of the target behavior, which can be beneficial in situations where the behavior is infrequent or occurs in private settings. In addition, the open-ended questions used in the FAI allow for the gathering of detailed information about the antecedents, consequences, and function of the behavior. The reliance on the caretaker as the source of information increases the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the collected information. Several research studies have shown the FAI to be a reliable assessment tool that can be used for ABA in a variety of settings.   On the other hand, one should be aware of several limitations associated with FAI. Notably, the information provided by the caregiver or the support staff using the tool is likely to have observer bias. Thus, the accuracy of the information provided using the tool may be questionable. Hanley’s FAI is also complex and should be administered by a trained interviewer. One should also note that the information that one collects using the tool may not be generalizable in all settings.   The Rationale for the Selection I decided to select FAI as the indirect assessment tool owing to its validity and reliability, comprehensiveness, and ethical considerations. Given that the validity and reliability of FAI have been established within a variety of settings, I had increased confidence in the results obtained with FAI. FAI also has well-designed questions that facilitate the collection of complete and comprehensive information on the antecedents, consequences, and functions of a given behavior. As such, one can come up with a more individualized behavior intervention plan to deal with a given behavior. It is also important to note that the use of Hanley’s FAI allows the collection of data through an approach that preserves the privacy and dignity of the participant (Beaver, Iwata, & Lerman, 2013).   A compassionate approach to assessment prioritizes the individual's well-being, comfort, and dignity throughout the assessment process and can lead to more accurate, effective, and ethical assessment results. By involving the caregiver in the assessment, FAI acknowledges the role of the support network in understanding the individual's behavior. In the same vein, FAI is heavily non-invasive as it does not require direct observation of the individual.   Results of the Indirect Assessment The indirect assessment reveals that 8-year-old Mark is displaying a problem behavior of self-injury. The problem behavior is concerning as it causes him to hurt or injure himself. The causes of this behavior can be complex and multifactorial, it could be due to a lack of appropriate skills to communicate his wants and needs or to engage in appropriate leisure activities, Mark may be experiencing a high level of distress or discomfort and may not have the ability to communicate it verbally or through more appropriate behaviors.   Completed Indirect Assessment (Permanent Product) The completed interview as conducted on Mark’s caretaker is attached as Appendix 1.  
  References   Beavers, G. A., Iwata, B. A., & Lerman, D. C. (2013). Thirty years of research on the functional analysis of problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis46(1), 1-21. Coffey, A. L., Shawler, L. A., Jessel, J., Nye, M. L., Bain, T. A., & Dorsey, M. F. (2020). Interview-informed synthesized contingency analysis (IISCA): Novel interpretations and future directions. Behavior Analysis in Practice13(1), 217-225. Fisher, W. W., Piazza, C. C., & Roane, H. S. (Eds.). (2021). Handbook of applied behavior analysis. Guilford Publications.
Appendix 1: Interview Responses Practical Functional Assessment Workbook (Revised: January, 2020, FTF Behavioral Consulting    )  
Thanks for attending this training! Please use this notebook to record notes and as an implementation guide.
 
Notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Frequently Used Acronyms
PFA: Practical functional assessment 
IISCA: Interview-informed, synthesized contingency analysis
PB: Problem behavior SPB: Severe problem behavior
BCBA: Board Certified Behavior Analyst HRE: Happy, relaxed, and engaged
EO: Establishing operation SR: Synthesized reinforcement
FCT: Functional communication training FCR: Functional communicative response
TR: Tolerance response CAB: Contextually appropriate behavior
SBT: Skill-based treatment; consists of intermittent and unpredictable reinforcement of three life skills (communication, toleration, and contextually appropriate behavior [sometimes referred to as compliance])  
PFA Aims, Assumption, Priorities, and Procedures
What is the PFA process? It is a process to identify a safe and motivating context to teach life skills. It is a process to identify establishing operations influencing problem behavior. it is a process to identify the synthesized reinforcement contingency influencing problem behavior.  
What is involved in the PFA process? An open-ended interview and a functional analysis, an IISCA in particular.  
What is prioritized in the PFA process? Safety, dignity, televisability, and rapport  
What are the aims of a PFA process? 1.    To identify a context and set of interactions during which the child/client is happy, relaxed, engaged, and w/o PB. 2.    To show influence over problem behavior by a suspected reinforcement contingency (i.e., to turn problem behavior on and off).  
What are the working assumptions of the PFA process? 1.   If the PB is occurring with regularity, it is being reinforced. 2.   Multiple events co-occur to evoke problem behavior (problem behavior is influenced by interacting EOs).  3.   Multiple events occur simultaneously to reinforce (strengthen) problem behavior.  4.   Different forms of problem behavior are maintained by the same synthesized reinforcement contingency  
  Tips for conducting the open-ended interview   Use the interview available below. All questions need not (and probably should not) be asked of every caregiver. Several examples of questions that might yield similar information are listed together; analysts may choose versions they feel comfortable with and might consider asking different versions of the same question if the original question does not yield sufficient information. Analysts should stop asking a particular type of question when they have gathered enough information to design an IISCA.   The open-ended interview meeting may also be used to familiarize new clients with general service guidelines and procedures. Th...
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