Understanding Problem Behaviors Through Functional Assessment

1. The identification of antecedent events that evoke a behavior and reinforcing consequences that maintain a behavior is referred to as: direct observation b. functional analysis. C. experimental manipulation d. functional assessment ANSWER: 2. What should be the first step when using behavior modification procedures to decrease a behavior? a. choosing reinforcers for the desired behavior b. choosing punishers for the problem behavior C. conducting a functional assessment d. conducting a task analysis ANSWER: 3. Conducting a functional assessment will provide information concerning: a. dimensions of the behavior b. antecedent events c. consequences of the behavior d. all of these d ANSWER: 4. Which of the following is NOT a method used in conducting a functional assessment? experimental manipulation b. indirect assessment c. direct observation d. systematic assessment d ANSWER: 5. How is information gathered in an indirect functional assessment method? a. recording antecedents, behaviors, and consequences as they occur b. interviews c. questionnaires d. B and C ANSWER: d d 6. Which of the following is recorded when using direct observation methods to conduct a functional assessment? a. behaviors b. consequences C. antecedents d all of these ANSWER: 7. The use of experimental methods in conducting a functional assessment involves the manipulation of: a. behavior b. consequences antecedents d. B and C ANSWER: 8. A psychologist is working with a child who is disruptive in the classroom. The psychologist interviews the child's teacher to learn more about the disruptive behavior and the events that immediately precede and follow the behavior. Which method of conducting a functional assessment is the psychologist using? experimental manipulations b. indirect methods c. direct observation d. ABC observation ANSWER: 9. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of indirect functional assessment methods? a. they are relatively easy to conduct b. they do not require a lot of time c. interview formats and questionnaires are available d. they rely on the memory of informants d ANSWER: b d 10. Which of the following questions could be asked in an indirect functional assessment method to obtain information about the antecedents of the behavior? a when does the behavior occur b. what happens after the behavior с. what events precede the behavior d. A and C ANSWER: d 11. What question in an indirect functional assessment method might be asked to generate information about the consequences of a behavior? a. what do other people do when the behavior occurs b. what happens before the behavior occurs c. what changes precede the occurrence of the behavior d. all of these ANSWER: 12. Direct observation and indirect methods of functional assessment are used to: a. develop a hypothesis about antecedents and consequences of a behavior b. manipulate antecedents and consequences of a behavior c. gather information on the three-term contingency d. A and C ANSWER: d 13. A teacher is working with a child who frequently engages in fighting with other children on the playground. The teacher observes and records the events that immediately precede and follow the child's behavior of fighting. Which method of conducting a functional assessment is the teacher using? a. functional analysis b. direct observation c. indirect methods d. experimental manipulation ANSWER: 14. Which of the following is NOT true concerning direct observation methods of functional assessment? a. the observer can be the person exhibiting the behavior b. observation and recording take place in the natural environment c. the information obtained demonstrates a functional relationship d. information is likely to be more accurate than information from indirect methods ANSWER: 15. A parent is trying to decrease the frequency of a child's swearing behavior. The parent observes the child and writes down a description of the behavior, antecedents, and consequences each time the child swears. In this example, the parent is using the method of ABC observation. indirect b. checklist с. interval recording d. descriptive ANSWER: 16. Which method of ABC observation is typically used after the behavior, antecedents, and consequences have already been identified? checklist method h. descriptive method interval recording method d. A and C d b ANSWER: d 17. Which of the following is referred to as a descriptive assessment, due to the fact that antecedents and consequences are described rather than manipulated? a. indirect methods b. direct observation c. experimental analysis d. A and B ANSWER: d 18. A psychologist is trying to determine why Paul frequently hits his younger brother. The psychologist forms a hypothesis that teasing by his brother and attention from his Mom influence Paul's hitting behavior. The psychologist then arranges conditions in which these environmental variables are either present or absent to determine their effect on Paul's hitting behavior. Which functional assessment method is the psychologist using? a. direct observation b. functional analysis с. ABC observation d. indirect methods. ANSWER: 19. Which of the following is true concerning the use of experimental methods in conducting a functional assessment? a. a functional relationship can be demonstrated b. antecedents and consequences are not manipulated c. an A-B design is typically used to demonstrate a functional relationship d. all of these ANSWER: 20. When is it necessary to conduct a functional analysis? a. when information from interviews and ABC observations is consistent b. when information from interviews and direct observations leads to a clear hypothesis c. to show a functional relationship between behavior, antecedents, and consequences d. all of these ANSWER: 21. Which of the following is an essential feature of a functional analysis? a. accurate recording of behavior in the experimental conditions b. manipulating antecedents and consequences while holding other variables constant c. repeating experimental conditions to demonstrate experimental control over behavior d. all of these ANSWER: 22. Which functional assessment method(s) demonstrates a functional relationship? a. interview b. functional analysis C. A-B-C observation. d. all of these d ANSWER: 23. When a problem behavior is reinforced by attention, this is an example of: a. social negative reinforcement b. automatic positive reinforcement c. social positive reinforcement d. automatic negative reinforcement b ANSWER: 24. When a problem behavior is reinforced by a teacher terminating a task, this is an example of a. social negative reinforcement b. automatic positive reinforcement c. social positive reinforcement d. automatic negative reinforcement ANSWER: 25. When an autistic child engages in repetitive tapping of his pencil and this behavior is reinforced by the sound of the pencil hitting the table, this is an example of: a. social negative reinforcement b. automatic positive reinforcement