F-7 Conduct a descriptive assessment of problem behavior

• BCBAs use direct assessments and indirect assessments when assessing the client's behavior.

 

• Direct observation involoves observing behaviors in the natural environment ot provide information about what happens immediately before, during, and immediately after a behavior to help identify potential target bx. 
• Intervews are used to gather information from stakeholders about potential targe bx using communication.
• Checklist is an indirect method of assessment, a Likert scale is an example of a checklist used to prvide ratinns that try to match qualities/quantities of behaviors to specified statments.
• Indirect assessment methods include: interview, surveys and questionnaires.

 

• Assessments and interventions should always be individualized for each client that the BCBA assesses.

 

• A functional analysis is an assessment that involves observing behaivor repeatedly under well-defined test and experimental control conditions, which are characterized by manipulating actecedents and consequences to determine their effect on behavior(correlation between IV and DV). Seeks to demonstrate a functional relationship between probelm bx and the environment. 

 

• Direct assessment methods include: ABC data, narrative data, and direct observation. They are the most reliable data collection measure. Direct observation is the most preferred when identifying potential target bx as it records data on the bx as it occurs providing a description using antecedents, behavioral definitions and consequences