Overview of Advance Behavior Analysis

Week 1: Providing a foundation

What is The Purpose of Science?

• Describe• Predict• Control• Explain?

Attitudes of Science

• Determinism: Laws govern the universe• Empiricism: Show me the data• Experimentation: Correlations are not enough• Replication: Do it again• Parsimony: Simpler is correct• Philosophic Doubt: Skeptical and open minded

Definition of Science

• Systematic approach to the understanding of natural phenomena as evidenced by description, prediction and control that relies on determinism as its fundamental assumption, empiricism as its prime directive, experimentation as its basic strategy, replication as its necessary requirement for believability, parsimony as its conservative value and philosophic doubt as it guiding conscience.

Brief History of Behavior Analysis

• Watson (1913): Psychology as the Behaviorist Views it (Watson)– S-R Psychology

• Skinner (1938): Behavior of Organisms– S-R-S psychology– Not structural, Not Methodological

• Applied Behavior Analysis– Fuller (1949) – Vegetative Idiots work for sugar milk– Ayllon & Michael (1959): Psychiatric Nurse as

Behavioral Engineer

3 types of Behaviorism

• Structural: Thoughts don’t exist• Methodological: Thoughts Exist but are not

important• Radical: Thoughts are behavior

Characteristics of:Applied Behavior Analysis

• Applied: Social Significant• Behavioral: Observable & Measurable• Analytic: Can Demonstrate Control

Additional Characteristics of ABA

• Technological: Detailed & Clarity to allow replication

• Conceptually systematic: Explain results from principles

• Effective: Changes to a practical degree• Generality• Accountable, Public, Doable, Empowering,

Optimistic

Definition of Applied Behavior Analysis

• Science in which tactics derived from the principles of behavior are applied systematically to improve socially significant behavior and experimentation is used to indentify the variables responsible for behavior change.

ABA is not:

• A “treatment” for autism• Dead but perhaps dying?• Cruel or inhumane

Basic Concepts

Behavior

• Portion of an organisms interaction with its environment that results in measurable change in the environment– Response is used instead of behavior for specific

instances of a behavior.– Essentially anything a dead person cannot do (be

careful).– Important: All behavior serves a function

Reinforcement

• Increases probability of behavior• Follows a response• Is contingent upon behavior (caveat – NCR)– Positive: Adding a stimulus– Negative: Removal of a stimulus

Punishment

• Decreases probability of behavior• Follows a response• Is Contingent upon behavior– Positive (type I): Adding a stimulus– Negative (Type II): Removal of a stimulus

Why a Functional Approach?

• Diagnosis– Lacks intervention utility– Results in admiration of a problem– Diffuses responsibility of a problem

• Intervention Prescription– Topography-based: Out of seat– Case Based-based: Brother– Preference-based: they love candy

What is a Functional Assessment?

• Behavior serves a function (it works for the person)

• Your job is to identify the function using systematic methods

Errors to watch out for during FBA

• Error of association– It only happens with mama

• Error of perception– Recency: Should have seen him today– Primacy: functions of past are not always

functions today• Error of misplace precision– Data types are important

Additional Errors tolookout for during FBA

• Error of inaccurate FBA– Effects of consequences can be deceiving

• Error of exaggeration– It always happens when…..Really?

• Error of generalization– All do the same behavior for the same reason (i.e.

function).• Intervention Brainstorming Caution!– Can lead to premature implementation

General FBA Steps

• Conduct Comprehensive FBA• Link the FBA to the intervention• Implement the Intervention• Objectively evaluate the intervention

3 Types of FBA

• Indirect:– verbal reports & rating scales– Identify/describe behavior– Generate hypothesis only

• Direct:– Indirect FBA Plus Systematic Observation– Stronger hypotheses generated objectively

• Functional Analysis:– Experimental manipulations– Attempting to support hypotheses

Empirical Evaluation of Ellis

• Reducing inappropriate self talk: 46%• Reducing emotional distress: 27%• No effect on actual behavior• Gossette and O’Brien (1992)

√ Effects probably due to homework assignments, not the challenge of cognition.

Let’s Add Cognitive Restructuring!

• Let’s not!– 83% of research suggests it adds nothing!– Helpful for social anxiety only

Empirical Evaluation of Beck

• No better than a placebo (placebo may be effective!) [NIMH, 1989]

• - 55% BT, 52% IPT, 46% CT, 34% BDPT (Agency for health care policy and research, 1994)

Behavioral vs. Cognitive

• 83% of pure cognitive had no added benefit.

√ Cognitive good for social-anxiety and phobia

Two Points

• Cognitive techniques rely on rule-governed behavior

• Rules control behavior only when linked to environmental contingencies