Principles of Behavior Modification

1. Principles of Behavior Modification Note Set 2 Gary L. Cates, Ph.D., N.C.S.P.

2. Applied Research Methods Single Case Designs

3. Terms • Independent Variable: What is manipulated • Dependent Variable: What is measured (Always Y Axis) • Confounding Variable: Unintended independent variable that affects interpretations • Internal Validity: Extent to which IV unambiguously affects DV (i.e. no confounds) • External Validity: Extent to which Results generalize

4. Why Evaluate Interventions? • To determine if our practices are effective • To determine if our practices are as efficient as another practice • To provide support with regard to resistance • To learn something about the person/behavior • To learn something about the intervention • To ensure honest service delivery with integrity

5. How do I Evaluate Interventions? • Verbal reports • Annual tests • Pre-test (baseline) Post-Test (after some intervention) • Repeated measurement of behavior over time

6. What Do the Letters and Numbers Mean? • A = Baseline • B = Treatment • C = Treatment 2 etc. • 1 = first level of treatment • 2 = second level of treatment etc.

8. A-B Design Case Study Design

10. A-B-A design What happens when you take the treatment away?

12. A-B-A-B Let’s Put the Treatment Back Please?

14. B-C-B-C Let’s not spend so much time in baseline alright?

16. Multiple Baseline Design Across: Behaviors, therapists, settings

18. Changing Criterion Design Let’s change it a little at a time

20. Alternating Treatments Design

22. Data Interpretation • Replication demonstrations • Overlapping data points • Immediacy, stability, trend • Effect size • Description of procedures • Reliability in response measurement • Consistency with previous data and theory

23. Behavioral Assessment and Functional Analysis

24. General Phases of a Treatment Program • Intake Phase (5 reasons) - Should I take this case? - Explain Policies - Screen for crisis - Diagnose client (I don’t do this – only two reasons for me to do so) - Choose “Target” behaviors

25. General Phases of a Treatment Program • Baseline Phase - To understand possible controlling variables • Treatment Phase - Collecting data during the treatment to monitor it closely √ Not just a pre-test (baseline) and post-test (follow-up) • Follow-up Phase - Determine if progress made is maintained. √ Are the changes somewhat permanent?

26. Sources of Information for baseline assessment • Indirect Assessment Procedures -Interviews - Questionnaires: Life history, self-report, survey, third-party checklists and rating scales. • Role Playing • Information from other professionals • Client Self-monitoring: Journals etc.

27. Sources of Information for baseline assessment • Direct Assessment - Direct observation of behavior and collect data - Most projects in this class

28. Sources of Information for baseline assessment • Experimental Analysis Procedures • Manipulate the environment and assess the effects on behavior

29. Why Collect Data? • Decide if the behavior warrants your help. • Identify best treatment strategy: Reinforcers • Determining IV effectiveness • May facilitate modification of behavior itself: Self feedback, R+ • May facilitate modifiers to adhere and implement procedures

30. Behavioral Assessment Versus Traditional Assessment • Specific Behavior not Ambiguous syndrome or disorder • Repeated Measurement • Can be linked to treatment • Refocuses treatment on behavior not person • Evaluate intervention efficacy

31. Direct Behavior Assessment

32. Let’s watch some video • You’re a psychologist. • Use your skills up to this point to give me the best psychological profile of the target child in the video.

33. Characteristics of Behavior to be recorded • Topography: Shape or form of behavior

34. Characteristics of Behavior to be recorded • Amount - Frequency: How many times? - Rate: How many times per unit of time? - Duration: How long?

35. Characteristics of Behavior to be recorded • Amount - Frequency: How many times? - Rate: How many times per unit of time? - Duration: How long?

36. Characteristics of Behavior to be recorded • Intensity • Sound measurement • Rating Scales

37. Characteristics of Behavior to be recorded • Latency e.g. time between being asked a question and responding

38. Characteristics of Behavior to be recorded • Quality • Rating scales

39. Methods for Recording Behavior • Continuous: Recording every instance of a behavior • Talley Marks

40. Methods for Recording Behavior • Interval recording: Recording based on equal time intervals

41. Interval Recording Methods • Partial-Interval Recording: Record yes or no once per 10 seconds • If it happens at least once in that 10 seconds. • Whole-interval Recording: Record yes or no once per 10 seconds • only if it happened the whole interval. • Time-sampling: Record yes or no for a single 10 second interval about once an hour. • Momentary Time Sampling: Record yes or no once per 10 seconds • Only if the behavior occurs right at the 10 second mark.

42. X = Occurred Behavior occurred 60% of the observed intervals

43. Let’s watch the video again • This time take data using either • Rate measurement • Frequency recording • Partial interval recording • Whole interval recording

44. What did you come up with? • Rate? • Frequency? • Partial? • Whole? • Which way was best for this situation?

45. Assessing the Accuracy of Observations • Interobserver Reliability (IOR) • 2 Independent observers record for a session and compare accuracy

46. Calculating IOR Number of agreements______________X 100%Number of Agreements + Disagreements

47. IOR = (6/6+4) X100% = (6/10) X 100% = (.6) X 100% = 60%  Not Good! Usually want 90% or higher.

48. Your turn • What is your reliability with another person recording data the same way that you recorded?

49. Functional Assessment

50. What was going on with the child’s behavior? • What caused it? • What was maintaining it?