Question 1

Describe three limitations of functional analyses.

Accepted Answer

(a)If the problem behaviors occur at low frequencies, experimental functional analysis requires a great deal of time before sufficient data can be obtained to draw valid conclusions; (b)it cannot be applied to extremely dangerous behaviors, such as suicide threats; (c)because they require a number of observational sessions, the expense and manpower requirements may be prohibitive.

Question 2

Briefly describe how a functional analysis indicated that Susie's self-injurious behavior was likely maintained because it enabled her to escape from demanding adults.
 How did the treatment condition confirm the functional analysis?

Accepted Answer

In Susie's case, the staff directly compared the rate of Susie's self-abusiveness under three conditions: (a)when it was followed by attention from well-meaning adults; (b)when it enabled Susie to escape from performing various tasks; and (c)when there were no programmed consequences.Susie's self-abusiveness was highest when it allowed her to escape from a demand condition.The conclusion that her abusiveness was maintained by escape conditioning was confirmed through an escape extinction program.Instead of backing off from demands placed on Susie following instances of self-abuse, staff continued to require Susie to respond to the demands.Under these conditions, self-abuse decreased to near zero.

Question 3

What is behavioral diagnostics? In what sense is this term broader than functional assessment?

Accepted Answer

Behavioral diagnostics is an approach to behavioral assessment in which the therapist diagnoses the problem after examining antecedents, consequences, and medical and nutritional variables as potential causes of problem behaviors.This concept is broader than functional assessment because it not only includes the external environment, but also internal medical factors.

Question 4

Describe how Rincover and Devaney applied extinction to a problem that appeared to be maintained by self-stimulatory reinforcement.

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Question 5

What is an indicator that a problem behavior is being reinforced by nonsocial external sensory stimulation? Give an example illustrating this indicator.

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Question 6

Describe a behavior principle other than respondent conditioning that fits the second sense of functional analysis of behavior and explain how it fits the second sense but not the first.

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Question 7

Describe how internal sensory negative reinforcement might be a cause of some cases of binge eating.

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Question 8

Suppose that a nonverbal child screams loudly as a way of escaping from demands by adults in various training settings.Describe two alternative strategies that the adults might follow to deal with the problem behavior.

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Question 9

State the two meanings of the term functional analysis of behavior.

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Question 10

What were the results of the functional analysis of the causes of excessive delusional statements made by Mr.Jones, and what was the treatment of the delusional statements based on the results of the functional analysis?

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Question 11

What does the term functional assessment refer to?

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Question 12

Define the term functional analysis.

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Question 13

What are three indicators that a problem behavior is probably maintained by the social attention that follows it?

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Question 14

What is an indicator that a problem behavior is being maintained by self-stimulatory reinforcement? [

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Question 15

What are the two main indicators that a problem behavior is respondent behavior that is elicited by prior stimuli vs.operant behavior being maintained by reinforcing consequences? Give an example illustrating these indicators.

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Question 16

Briefly describe how each of the three limitations of functional analyses has been addressed in attempts to overcome these limitations.

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Question 17

Briefly discuss, with examples, what the results of Iwata et al.'s research suggest for the treatment of severe self-injurious behavior.

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Question 18

In a sentence for each, outline the six major causes of operant problem behaviors described in this chapter.

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Question 19

Briefly describe the four conditions in the multielement design that Iwata et al.(Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, & Richman, 1982, 1994)used in the functional analysis they carried out on self-injurious behavior.

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Question 20

Discuss how and why the functional analytic approach of applied behavior analysts and behavior therapists differs from the approach of many traditional psychologists and psychiatrists. Give an example.

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Exam 23: Functional Assessment of Problem Behavior