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Functional assessment of problem behavior: dispelling myths, overcoming implementation obstacles, and developing new
1Western New England University.
Behavior Analysis in Practice
|January 18, 2013
Summary
Understanding the function of problem behavior is key to effective treatment. This study clarifies functional assessment best practices, debunks myths, and addresses obstacles to functional analysis implementation.
Area of Science:
- Behavior Analysis
- Applied Behavior Analysis
Background:
- Efficacy of function-based treatments for problem behavior is well-established.
- Discrepancies exist in published literature regarding functional assessment legitimacy and best practices.
- Pervasive myths within behavior-analytic communities can hinder accurate understanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and clarify best practices in functional assessment.
- To identify and debunk common myths surrounding functional assessment.
- To address obstacles to functional analysis and propose solutions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of functional assessment and functional analysis.
- Analysis of common misconceptions and implementation challenges.
- Discussion of knowledge dissemination strategies.
Main Results:
- Functional assessment best practices are often unclear in the literature.
- Several myths regarding functional assessment impede progress.
- Obstacles to functional analysis are identifiable and surmountable.
Conclusions:
- Clarifying functional assessment processes is crucial for effective behavior analysis.
- Addressing myths and implementation barriers enhances the utility of functional analysis.
- Strategic dissemination of functional assessment knowledge is recommended.
Keywords:
autismdescriptive assessmentfunctional analysisfunctional assessmentindirect assessmentintellectual disabilitiesopen-ended interviewsproblem behaviorMore Related Videos
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