Handbook of Applied Behavior Analysis
Language: English
Pages: 544
ISBN: 1462513387
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Describing the state of the science of applied behavior analysis (ABA), this comprehensive handbook provides detailed information about theory, research, and intervention. The contributors are leading ABA authorities who present best practices in behavioral assessment and demonstrate evidence-based strategies for supporting positive behaviors and reducing problem behaviors. Conceptual, empirical, and procedural building blocks of ABA are reviewed and specific applications described in education, autism treatment, safety skills for children, and other areas. The volume also addresses crucial professional and ethical issues, making it a complete reference and training tool for ABA practitioners and students.
to verify. Direct training of clients in the observation of their own behavior is likely to help in this matter, as is the design of measurement systems that are convenient and require little effort. One valuable training strategy is to place contingencies initially on accurate reporting rather than clinically desirable changes in behavior, such that data collection that agrees with independent sources is rewarded, regardless of other outcomes (Hartmann, 1984; Nelson, 1977). Second, observer
duration, latency, and intensity) provide the most complete record of behavior but may prove expensive and otherwise impractical. Therefore, intermittent or discontinuous methods—such as interval recording and momentary time sampling—are often valuable. However, discontinuous recording results in an incomplete record of behavior and consequently raises several questions about the representativeness of the collected data. In order to respect the intrinsic characteristics of behavior, it is of
typically collected at the same time, though data on each baseline–intervention pairing might in some cases be collected at different points in time (referred to as a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design; Watson & Workman, 1981). With the introduction of treatment staggered over time (i.e., the treatment is introduced for target behavior A at MEASUREMENT, DESIGN, AND METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES 2 Baseline Fanny Pack (Food) 1.5 1 0.5 Responses per min (mouthing) 140 Classroom 0 2 5 10 1.5 1
behavior occurs across all experimental analysis conditions, including the control condition (bottom panel of Figure 10.2). In contrast to the first pattern of results, behavior occurs regardless of the presence or absence of different social events. An undifferentiated pattern of results may be obtained from both structural and functional analyses. A structural approach consists of manipulating the presence or absence of social reinforcers, while keeping the target behavior on social extinction.
establishing events produce behavior that is likely to compete with the responding to be reinforced. Another possible criterion is whether one reinforcement situation is preferred over another. In applied areas, such as management, it is useful to distinguish between two management task contingencies: Managers get employees to carry out tasks by either threatening and criticizing until tasks are completed or, more rarely, by providing praise and recognition after tasks are completed. Given a