Behavioral Assessment

1. 1 Behavioral Assessment

2. 2

3. 3 Types of behavioral assessment Interviews: clinician assesses behavior by asking questions and collecting information on the person�s verbal and nonverbal responses. Behavioral observation: psychologist collects verbal and nonverbal information about the person. usually there is no verbal interaction between the observer and the subject.

4. 4 Methodological Issues Reactivity to measurement: the phenomenon in which a person�s behavior changes by the mere fact that the behavior is being observed. Selection and training of observers. One must select observers that are going to be good at collecting information. This includes knowledge about the behaviors being observed, and being able to rate these behaviors reliably.

5. 5 Behavioral observations Appearance physical description dress hygiene

6. 6 Behavioral observations Behavior and attitude compliance activity level appropriateness of activity

7. 7 Behavioral observations Verbal behavior expressive language (e.g., clarity, vocabulary, appropriateness) receptive language (e.g., tracking, understanding) presence of bizarre language (e.g., neologisms, echolalia, perseverations)

8. 8 Behavioral observations Mood and affect current mood range of affect Intensity appropriateness

9. 9 Behavioral observations Cognitive processes thought process (e.g., flow of ideas, organization) thought content (e.g., delusions, obsessions, etc) attention orientation & memory (person, place, and time) brief impression of intellect and insight/judgment

10. 10 Behavioral assessment Behavioral assessment tends to be restricted to samples of observable behavior. The best known type of behavioral assessment was established by B.F. Skinner in the 1950s and it is known as functional analysis.

11. 11 Functional analysis Observation of environmental events that serve to maintain behavior (usually problem behavior). To be a functional analysis, the observations must be conducted within an experimental design (e.g., control of the environment and reinforcements).

12. 12 Functional analysis The main purpose of functional analysis is to 1. identify the stimuli that elicit the target behavior 2. determine the consequences that follow

13. 13 Functional analysis In most cases a functional analysis involves hypothesis testing and it is conducted by alternating control and treatment conditions (i.e., reversal, ABAB) to demonstrate that the effects are consistent. The assessment usually continues until a consistent pattern of behavior occurs.

14. 14 Functional analysis This type of behavioral analysis is frequently used with individuals whose communication skills are not well developed (e.g., children, individuals with developmental disabilities). Example of problem behavior in a toddler: Functional analysis can be supplemented by collateral reports: from spouse, parent, friend, teacher; good for problems in which the client may not have insight or may wish to distort (e.g., undesirable personality traits such as conning or lying) Functional analysis can be supplemented by collateral reports: from spouse, parent, friend, teacher; good for problems in which the client may not have insight or may wish to distort (e.g., undesirable personality traits such as conning or lying)

15. 15 Example: control condition This condition consists of a "free play" condition in which the child has continuous access to toys and attention and no demands are presented. During this condition, motivation to engage in problem behavior tends to be quite low and problem behavior is usually absent.

16. 16 Example: test condition During this condition, some reinforcement is manipulated (e.g., access to toys, attention, etc) either through positive reinforcement (a.k.a. "gain" function) or negative reinforcement (a.k.a. "escape" function).

17. 17 Example: test condition test of "gain" function Antecedent ? Behavior ? Consequence parent ignores child ? problem behavior ? parent attends to child

18. 18 Example: test condition test of "escape" function Antecedent ? Behavior ? Consequence demand presented ? problem behavior ? demand removed

19. 19 S-O-R-C Another method of behavioral analysis is the S-O-R-C model, which is similar to functional analysis with one additional element (organismic variables). S - Stimulus or antecedent conditions that bring on the problematic behavior. O - Organismic variables related to the problem behavior (e.g., diatheses, stressors, emotional and cognitive variables) R - Response or problematic behavior C - Consequences of the problematic behavior Advantages: easier to pick out environmental antecedents and consequences (behavioral perspective) relieves responder from distortions of extended recall Problems: reactivity of person being observed sampling of rare events difficult over short observation times (e.g., even those with anger control problems may not lose it every day) Advantages: easier to pick out environmental antecedents and consequences (behavioral perspective) relieves responder from distortions of extended recall Problems: reactivity of person being observed sampling of rare events difficult over short observation times (e.g., even those with anger control problems may not lose it every day)

20. 20 Additional methods of behavioral assessment Self-report/self-monitoring Clinical Interview Inventories and Checklists Direct observation Naturalistic Controlled Self-monitoring Another method of behavioral assessment is self-monitoring or self-report. Self-monitoring: person records own behavior--e.g., how many times s/he washes her hands. Self-report: responses to questionnaires that ask about a person's behavior. Another method of behavioral assessment is self-monitoring or self-report. Self-monitoring: person records own behavior--e.g., how many times s/he washes her hands. Self-report: responses to questionnaires that ask about a person's behavior.