ED 541 - Behavioral Assessment

(Cr: 3)

The purpose of this course is to introduce you to issues related to: functional assessment and analysis, social validity, treatment integrity, and stimulus preference assessment. The primary focus of this course will be that of Functional Assessment and Analysis, of which we will cover the three general approaches currently in use:
•    Indirect or anecdotal methods (checklists, rating scales, and questionnaires)
•    Descriptive analysis (scatter plot, ABC analysis, interval and time sampling methods)
•    Functional analysis (experimental methods, brief functional analyses)

The course content is based on current state-of-the-art procedures in applied behavior analysis and will include a detailed overview of functional analysis procedures and treatment packages that can be implemented based on the results of functional analyses. Emphasis is placed on helping students understand the conceptual issues that led to the development of the assessment methodology and the practical issues in conducting such assessments. In addition, emphasis is placed on providing students with an understanding of the procedural and conceptual issues surrounding intervention development for children with severe behavior problems following functional analyses. Particular emphasis will be placed on reinforcement-based interventions and dimensions of reinforcement.