Deck 23: Functional Assessment of Problem Behavior

Question 1

Describe how Rincover and Devaney applied extinction to a problem that appeared to be maintained by self-stimulatory reinforcement.

Answer 1

Rincover and Devaney applied extinction to a face-scratching problem that was maintained by internal sensory positive reinforcement by eliminating the tactile sensations produced by the scratching.The young girl's hands were covered each day with rubber gloves that did not prevent her from scratching, but eliminated sensory stimulation (and skin damage).There was an immediate decrease in scratching rate (and it was eliminated in 4 days).Follow up consisted of removing the gloves for 10 minutes a day, then for longer and longer periods of time until they were no longer needed.

Question 2

Suppose that a nonverbal child screams loudly as a way of escaping from demands by adults in various training settings.Describe two alternative strategies that the adults might follow to deal with the problem behavior.

Answer 2

(a)Remove the escape function of the behavior by continuing to place demands on the child until the child stops screaming; and (b)teach the child an alternative way of communicating (such as by hand raising)that the task is aversive and that she does not want to perform it.

Question 3

Briefly describe three approaches to functional assessment, that is, three ways of identifying controlling variables of problem behavior.

Answer 3

(a)Ask people familiar with the client a series of relevant questions to try and discover antecedents and consequences that control the client's problem behavior (a questionnaire assessment); (b)Observe a client's problem behavior in its natural settings and describe the antecedents and immediate consequences that occur (an observational assessment); (c)Experimentally assess which antecedents and consequences have a direct influence on the problem behavior of a client (an experimental functional analysis).

Question 4

Describe how internal sensory negative reinforcement might be a cause of some cases of binge eating.

Question 5

Briefly describe the four conditions in the multielement design that Iwata et al.(Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, & Richman, 1982, 1994)used in the functional analysis they carried out on self-injurious behavior.

Question 6

What were the results of the functional analysis of the causes of excessive delusional statements made by Mr.Jones, and what was the treatment of the delusional statements based on the results of the functional analysis?

Question 7

Briefly discuss, with examples, what the results of Iwata et al.'s research suggest for the treatment of severe self-injurious behavior.

Question 8

Describe three limitations of functional analyses.

Question 9

Describe an example of how external sensory negative reinforcement could produce undesirable behavior.

Question 10

Briefly describe how a functional analysis indicated that Susie's self-injurious behavior was likely maintained because it enabled her to escape from demanding adults.
How did the treatment condition confirm the functional analysis?

Question 11

What is another name for "sensory reinforcement," and what assumption is the other name based on?

Question 12

What were two plausible explanations of the behavior of the child flushing jewelry down the toilet? How did the treatment procedure take both possibilities into account?

Question 13

A functional assessment of the causes of a problem behavior involves asking what two questions?

Question 14

What is a strong indicator that a problem behavior is being maintained as a way of escaping from demands? Give an example illustrating this indicator.

Question 15

Briefly describe how each of the three limitations of functional analyses has been addressed in attempts to overcome these limitations.

Question 16

What are three indicators that a problem behavior is probably maintained by the social attention that follows it?

Question 17

What is an indicator that a problem behavior is being reinforced by nonsocial external sensory stimulation? Give an example illustrating this indicator.

Question 18

What is an indicator that a problem behavior is being maintained by self-stimulatory reinforcement? [

Question 19

Define the term functional analysis.

Question 20

What does the term functional assessment refer to?

Question 21

In a sentence for each, outline the six major causes of operant problem behaviors described in this chapter.

Question 22

Discuss how and why the functional analytic approach of applied behavior analysts and behavior therapists differs from the approach of many traditional psychologists and psychiatrists. Give an example.

Question 23

State the two meanings of the term functional analysis of behavior.

Question 24

What is behavioral diagnostics? In what sense is this term broader than functional assessment?

Question 25

What are the two main indicators that a problem behavior is respondent behavior that is elicited by prior stimuli vs.operant behavior being maintained by reinforcing consequences? Give an example illustrating these indicators.

Question 26

Describe the main components in the treatment of Joel's anger.

Question 27

Describe a behavior principle other than respondent conditioning that fits the second sense of functional analysis of behavior and explain how it fits the second sense but not the first.