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| Conducting Functional Analyses in Home-Based Settings |
| Friday, May 22, 2015 |
| 4:00 PM–7:00 PM |
| 216A (CC) |
| Area: PRA/AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
| CE Instructor: Brandon Herscovitch, Ph.D. |
| STEPHANIE PHELAN (ABACS, LLC), ASHLEY WILLIAMS (ABACS), MEGHAN CLAUSEN (ABACS, LLC), BRANDON HERSCOVITCH (ABACS, LLC) |
| Description: Functional analysis (FA) is a powerful tool for the assessment of challenging behavior in students with autism and other disabilities. FAs systematically manipulate the antecedents and consequences of target behavior so as to experimentally determine the function(s) of that behavior. The literature indicates that treatments based on the results of functional analyses are more effective than treatments based on other assessment methodologies. However, FAs may not be conducted regularly in home- or school-based settings. Several reasons have been cited for this, including the lack of resources typically needed to conduct these analyses. Given that functional analysis is the only experimental methodology available to determine the function of behavior, and that function-based interventions have been demonstrated to more effective, it is important to extend this methodology to home-based settings. The current workshop is designed to prepare practitioners to develop and implement FAs in their current setting, within the scope of time and resources typically available for home-based services. Participants will work through the entire assessment process, from identification of procedures, steps to take, analysis of data, and selection of function-based intervention. |
| Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the workshop, participants should be able to: (1) articulate in writing the importance of conducting functional analyses in home-based settings; (2) determine if a functional analysis is appropriate for a given target behavior, and will be able to articulate in writing the risks associated with performing a functional analysis of that behavior; (3) articulate in writing the steps to preparing for a functional analysis in a home-based setting (including selecting an experimental design, procedures, measurement methods, and methods for collecting and evaluating interobserver agreement and procedural integrity data); (4) articulate in writing what resources should be taken into account when planning to conduct a functional analysis in a home-based setting and analyze how to work within the constraints of the available resources; (5) articulate in writing their evaluation of functional analysis outcomes; (6) match function-based treatments with the functional analysis outcomes; (7) articulate in writing a variety of issues that occur while planning for and conducting functional analyses and will articulate in writing how to respond to such issues. |
| Activities: Instructional strategies include: lecture, group-discussion, targeted case-studies, and small group breakouts. Workshop objectives will be met through a balanced presentation of lecture, group discussion, and guided practice. Core content will be taught through lecture and a guided discussion of case studies to be presented. (Supplemental materials for identifying language and learning barriers will be provided in order to support participant learning). The format combines lecture, group discussion, guided practice, and small group breakout. |
| Audience: Behavior analysts with background knowledge of functional analysis research, seeking to expand their repertoire in implementing functional analyses in home-based settings. |
| Content Area: Practice |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |
| Keyword(s): Challenging Behavior, Functional analysis, Home-Based Settings, Resources |