Psychology Question
Behavioral Assessment: Indirect Assessment Measures
For the target behavior you described in your Unit 3 Discussion Board post, complete a “Functional Analysis Screening Tool” (FAST). Upload your completed FAST as a PDF attachment to your discussion board post. In your own words, describe the outcome of the FAST, including the raw data and the data summary. Then, discuss the implication(s) of the outcomes. Finally, given your experience completing the FAST, summarize the requirements of an informant. Unit 3 Discussion: The Origin of Behavioral Function
Elopement is one of the target behaviors chosen for reduction. Elopement is described as any situation in which a client leaves a designated place (such as a school, therapy room, or where they live without authorization by going more than five feet away from the authorized site or supervising adult. The behavior stops when the client returns to the designated area or is securely redirected by a staff member or caregiver. It starts when the client crosses the established border. This definition is measurable, objective, observable, and unambiguous.
Since every occurrence has a distinct beginning and conclusion, this behavior would be measured using a frequency recording system. The total number of elopement occurrences that occurred during each therapy or school session would be noted by the observer. To find patterns associated with the behavior, including what transpired right before and after each occurrence, ABC (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence) data would also be gathered.
One theory holds that social-positive reinforcement helped to establish and sustain elopement. When a client escapes from the assigned location, for instance, parents, instructors, or therapists quickly chase them, communicate with them, or offer support and encouragement. If the client finds this encounter enjoyable, the attention they receive after eloping could encourage the behavior, increasing the likelihood that it will happen again.
On the other hand, social-negative reinforcement may have contributed to the establishment of elopement. For instance, the client can leave the therapy room or classroom to avoid challenging assignments, expectations, or activities they do not enjoy. When a client successfully avoids an uncomfortable circumstance, the conduct is negatively reinforced if service members routinely remove the demands or give the client a break following the elopement. The client eventually discovers that leaving the region is a useful strategy for getting away from difficult duties.
Developing a successful behavior intervention strategy requires an understanding of whether social-positive or social-negative reinforcement sustains elopement. Before choosing an intervention, a functional behavior assessment (FBA) should be carried out to ascertain the behavior's actual purpose. Strategies including functional communication training, differential reinforcement, and antecedent changes can be used to teach appropriate methods to ask for attention or breaks while reducing elopement after the maintaining variables have been identified.
References
Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.
Miltenberger, R. G. (2024). Behavior modification: Principles and procedures (7th ed.). Cengage Learning.