Functional Assessment
Expert-defined terms from the Professional Certificate in Understanding Behavior Analysis course at London School of Business and Administration. Free to read, free to share, paired with a globally recognised certification pathway.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) – A scientific approach to the study of b… #
ABA is the foundation for the Professional Certificate in Understanding Behavior Analysis course.
Antecedent – An event or situation that occurs before a behavior and sets… #
Antecedents can be environmental, social, or historical factors that influence behavior.
Behavior – Any observable and measurable action or response of a living o… #
In the context of ABA, behavior is defined as an action performed by an individual that can be objectively measured and observed.
Consequence – An event or situation that follows a behavior and affects t… #
Consequences can be reinforcing, punishing, or neutral.
Contingency – A relationship between a behavior and its consequence, wher… #
Contingency – A relationship between a behavior and its consequence, where the consequence follows the behavior and affects its future likelihood.
Discrimination – The ability to differentiate between similar stimuli and… #
In ABA, discrimination refers to the learner's ability to respond differently to different antecedents or stimuli.
Ethics – A set of principles and guidelines that govern the behavior of p… #
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) has established a Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts.
Evidence #
Based Practice – The integration of the best available research evidence, clinical expertise, and client values and preferences to provide high-quality services.
Functional Assessment – A process used to identify the purpose or cause o… #
Functional assessment includes indirect (interviews, rating scales), observational (direct observation), and experimental (functional analysis) methods.
Functional Analysis – A systematic and controlled manipulation of variabl… #
Functional analysis involves the direct observation of the target behavior in controlled conditions to determine its function.
Generalization – The ability to apply a learned behavior to new situation… #
Generalization is a critical component of ABA interventions.
Hypothesis Statement – A written statement that outlines the expected rel… #
The hypothesis statement guides the functional assessment and intervention process.
Least Restrictive Procedure – A principle that requires behavior analysts… #
The least restrictive procedure is the one that allows the greatest amount of personal freedom and autonomy for the client.
Mand – A verbal operant that occurs when an individual requests something… #
Mands are a type of verbal behavior that is reinforced by the delivery of a desired item or activity.
Mean – A statistical term that refers to the average value of a set of da… #
The mean is calculated by adding up all the values and dividing by the number of data points.
Mediation – The process by which a third party facilitates communication… #
In ABA, mediation can be used to teach social skills and conflict resolution.
Modeling – A teaching strategy that involves demonstrating a behavior or… #
Modeling is a powerful tool for teaching complex behaviors and skills.
Natural Environment Teaching (NET) – A teaching strategy that involves em… #
NET is a critical component of ABA interventions for young children.
Operant Conditioning – A type of learning that occurs when behavior is fo… #
Operant Conditioning – A type of learning that occurs when behavior is followed by a consequence that affects the likelihood of the behavior recurring in the future.
Prompt – A cue or hint that is provided to the learner to elicit a desire… #
Prompts can be verbal, visual, or physical and are gradually faded as the learner becomes more proficient.
Punishment – A consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior re… #
Punishment can be positive (the addition of an aversive stimulus) or negative (the removal of a positive stimulus).
Reinforcement – A consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior… #
Reinforcement can be positive (the addition of a positive stimulus) or negative (the removal of a negative stimulus).
Scope of Competence – A principle that requires behavior analysts to prac… #
Scope of Competence – A principle that requires behavior analysts to practice only within the boundaries of their competence and training.
Shaping – A teaching strategy that involves reinforcing successive approx… #
Shaping – A teaching strategy that involves reinforcing successive approximations of a target behavior until the desired behavior is achieved.
Skinner, B #
F. – An American psychologist who is widely regarded as the father of modern behavior analysis. Skinner's book, "Verbal Behavior," is a foundational text in ABA.
Stimulus – Any event or situation that elicits a response from an individ… #
Stimuli can be environmental, social, or historical factors that influence behavior.
Tact – A verbal operant that occurs when an individual labels or describe… #
Tacts are a type of verbal behavior that is reinforced by social consequences.
Token Economy – A behavior intervention that involves the use of tokens o… #
Tokens can be exchanged for preferred items or activities.
Visual Schedule – A visual representation of a sequence of activities or… #
Visual schedules are a powerful tool for teaching children with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Withholding Reinforcement – A consequence that involves the removal of a… #
Withholding reinforcement can be an effective punishment procedure.
Zero #
State – A concept in ABA that refers to the absence of a behavior or response. Zero-state is an important consideration in the design of behavior intervention programs.