ABA competency assessment

fixed ratio (FR)

*Reinforcement is provided after a fixed number of responses* / to maintain new behavioral responses while offering momentum in the rate of responding

variable ratio (VR)

*Reinforcement is provided after an average number of responses* / increase the unpredictability of reinforcement so rates of responding will be higher and post reinforcement pauses will be minimized

fixed interval (FI)

*reinforcement is provided for a response after a specific amount of time has elapsed* / to establish new behaviors that have a time component such as staying in the seat

variable interval (VI)

*reinforcement is provided for a response after an average or unpredictable amount of time has elapsed* / to produce a stable rate of behavioral responding

Steps of Incidental Teaching

- Create an environment that is engaging - wait for child to initiate - prompt child for fuller request - provide desired outcome

token systems

- Visual, tangible and predictable system of positive reinforcement - Can be modified for more immediate or delayed gratification - designed to increase target behavior - paired with reinforcers by exchanging one for the other, the tokens can become reinforcing

steps to ABI

- finding items or activities that attract ASD learner's interest - changing the ASD learner's schedule or routine - offering choices to the ASD learner - changing how RBT instructs

Emergency Interventions

- intervening with a client that is in a crisis situation, they may hurt themselves or others - to include: eloping to a dangerous situation, throwing chairs and desks at people

naturalistic teaching

- procedures that involve activities interesting to students with naturally occurring consequences. - incidental teaching is an example

Preventative Intervention

- stop a crisis before occurring -to include: aggression towards self and others

incidental teaching

- to increase a child's motivation to speak

discrete trial teaching (DTT)

- very structured, at a table - *SD*-->*response*-->*consequence*-->*intertrial interval* - break skills into *subskills* - uses *prompting*/*fading* - in initial stages, a prompt may be used between SD and a response

partial physical prompt

Involves brief touching and is used to help a student initiate a response or a sequence of responses

Multiple Stimulus without Replacement

Items are presented in an array and the client is instructed to pick one and given time to engage with that item. After the engagement interval, the array is presented again without the already selected item(s) and the client selects again. Process continues until all items are chosen or client stops choosing items. The FULL array is presented 3-5 times and selection percentage is calculated to give preference gradient.

Types of Preference Assessments

MSWOR, MSWR, paired stimulus, single stimulus, free operant

Permanent Product Recording Procedures

A type of measurement used when the behavior you are assessing results in a lasting product or outcome. Example: number of written assignments completed;

modeling prompt

A type of prompt in which the trainer demonstrates the target behavior for the learner.

Client Dignity

Be respectful and thoughtful about the client's needs and wants. maintain privacy and confidentiality communicate effectively and professionally Never do or say anything to cause embarrassment to the client. Do not do something in front of your client that you would not do if working with a typically developing child.

frequency

Ratio of count per observation time, count number of times a child displays the bad behavior

discontinuous measurement

Records a sample of behavior during an observation

continuous measurement

Records every possible behavioral occurrence

differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO)

Rewarding all other behaviors beside the one you are trying to eliminate ex: standing, sitting or shaking paw instead of jumping.

stimulus fading

The gradual elimination of a stimulus prompt as the behavior continues to occur in the presence of the discriminative stimulus.

multiple stimulus with replacement

The item chosen remains in the array & the items not chosen are replaced with new items.

data path

The level and trend of behavior between successive data points; created by drawing a straight line from the center of each data point in a given data set to the center of the next data point in the same set.

equal interval line graph

The most commonly used type of graph in ABA (4 words); shows the level and change in some quantifiable dimension of the behavior in relation to some point in the and/or environmental condition

duration

Total extent of time in which a behavior occurs

visual prompt

a visual clue or picture, can be any object or printed material that can be used to teach a new behavior

Preference Assessment (PA)

determining what items are preferred by a client in order to increase the clients motivation to complete tasks and instructions

Partial Interval Recording

did behavior occur at all during interval

Whole Interval Recording

did behavior occur during the whole interval

condition change line

dotted vertical line that indicates minor change in IV manipulation of parameters of IV or unplanned event that affected DV

differential reinforcement of low rates (DRL)

encouraging the child to reduce the frequency of behavior ex: rewarding first in line at lunch if the student avoids washing hands more than once before lunch

Defensive Stance

ensure your hands can protect specific areas of your body / for when a client has escalated and preventative strategies have not worked / elbows in to protect chest, hands in front of face, fingers and thumbs squeezed together

why do problem behaviors occur?

escape, attention, tangible, automatic

how to fade prompts

ex: physical prompts can be faded from full physical, to partial physical, to modeling, and so forth

extinction

fading away and eventual elimination of undesirable behaviors ex: if a student pinched another classmate in circle time, RBT would remove the student without saying anything and when they don't pinch, you praise them or give them a token

parts of a continuous measurement?

frequency data, duration data, latency, IRT

types of preventative

frequent reinforcement, functional communication (FCT), change environment, change of staff, change in activity and choice

check-in strategies

get close to client that may be exhibiting precursor behavior or a client that had a past history of being aggressive / straight arms, cupped hands on forearm, thumb pressed against fingers

high protective stance

hands not in fists or provoking posture; hands placed higher up near chest; 1-2 arm/leg lengths; working adolescence to adult clients that are standing may be younger

backward chaining

has the advantage of creating the link between the most work and the reinforcer, since the last steps in the chain are reinforced

forward chaining

helps gain behavioral momentum by using the easiest step in the chain to get started

total task chains

implemented when all steps are introduced together, with prompts provided or faded as necessary

data points

individual values of the DV at given time

momentary time sampling

is the behavior occurring at this point in time

antecedent strategies

methods used prior to the behavior to either increase or decrease the probability of the behavior's occurrence

free operant

observe and record activities person engages in and for how long with each activity. Person has free access to a predetermined set of items.

parts of discontinuous measurement

partial, whole, and momentary

Single Stimulus

present stimulus one at a time in random order and the person's reaction to each is recorded

mass trial (DTT)

presentation of the same target multiple times in a row

expanded trials (DTT)

presentation of the target with distractors between presentations

differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA)

reinforcing a behavior that serves as an alternative to inappropriate behavior ex: each time a child demands food, it is ignored. when he asks politely, he is rewarded with food

differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior (DRI)

reinforcing behavior that can't occur at the same time as the inappropriate behavior ex: student leaves the seat, it is ignored. students remains in his seat, he is rewarded

progressive time delay

start with 0 seconds, after a specific number of trials, move to 2 seconds, 3, etc. (after 3 trials vs. 3 sessions) - process is similar to constant time delay, expect that you begin at 0 and for each trial you extend the delay above by 1 until the student is answering independently and accurately to the SD

differential reinforcement

strategy used to address challenging or undesirable behavior / ignore inappropriate behavior

discrimination training

teaching a client to differentiate between responses/stimuli

stimulus control transfer

technique in which prompts are discontinued once the target behaviors is being displayed in the presence of an SD

chaining

the completion of one step acts as the SD for the next step; a specific number of responses that are linked together to produce terminal outcome (always moving forward)

Functional Communication Training (FCT)

to ensure the client can express their wants and needs in a more functional and appropriate manner

bar graphs

used to compare data across subjects or conditions not related by a common dimension / for discontinuous data

protective stance

used when working with known aggressive client, client beginning to escalate

gestural prompt

using a physical gesture to indicate the desired response

verbal prompt

using vocalizations to indicate the desired response, can be an utterance such as a sound or part of a word, many words, or even as long as a paragraph.

positional prompt

when the target is placed closer to the individual. As the response becomes more independent the target is moved farther away from them

low protective stance

working with children or sitting clients / 1-2 arm or leg lengths of client, hands down low (no fist)

Inter-Reponse Time (IRT)

Elapsed time between two successive responses

latency

Elapsed time from the onset of a stimulus to the initiation of a response

ABC Data

Data recorded on the immediate antecedent and consequence for observed instances of target behavior

cumulative record

Developed by Skinner as the primary means of data collection and analysis in EAB laboratory research; slope represents rate - flat rate = 0; NO negative slopes

phase change line

A solid vertical line drawn between phases to show a change in condition.

prompt

A supplemental stimulus that raises the probability of a correct response

Professional Boundaries

Avoid dual relationships, conflicts of interest, social media contacts. Always take notes. don't discuss personal issues. don't give personal phone number away

prompt delay

Present the SD, wait X number of seconds, then present the prompt (if needed)

most-to-least prompting

Present the prompt at maximum intensity, and gradually use a less intense prompt over successive trials.

paired stimulus

Simultaneous presentation of 2 stimuli. Observer records which of the 2 stimuli the learner chooses. Takes more time because every pair of stimuli must be presented.

Prompt Fading

When the correct or an appropriate response begins to occur, gradually provide less prompts and an additional level of differential reinforcement

full physical prompt

aka hand-over-hand; physically guiding client's hands to complete the skill

antecedent interventions (ABI)

alter the environment before a behavior occurs/ strategies that involve modifying the environment to reduce undesirable behaviors / FBA before

least-to-most prompting

amount of assistance is gradually increased until the learner gives an appropriate response

shaping

an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior

x-axis: phase/condition

bar graph

y-axis: dependent variable

bar graph

constant time delay

begins with the presentation of the SD and no delay to the prompt. in the next trial, the SD is presented followed by a fixed delay of 3 seconds and then the prompt - constant