Case: ii-P4

Learning Objective

Measurement

• (A-14) Design and implement choice measures
• Assessing choice measures to identify potential reinforcers is essential as virtually all behavior change procedures use principles of reinforcement. Choice measures for preference assessments include free-operant assessment, forced-choice, and multiple-stimulus with or without replacement.

Fundamental elements of behavior change

• (D-01) Use positive and negative reinforcement
• Positive and negative reinforcement are basic concepts in teaching new skills and the functional analysis of challenging behavior. It is essential to be able to assess the reinforcers for clients for teaching programs, as well as recognize reinforcers that are natural in the environment and those that may be inadvertently reinforcing undesired behavior.

specific behavior-change procedures

• (E-09) Arrange high-probability request sequences
• A high-probability request sequence is a strategy used to promote and maintain appropriate behaviors. A high- probability request is a request with which the client complies under most conditions. In contrast, a low-probability request is one that often results in a challenging or inappropriate behavior instead of the requested action. The high-probability request sequence involves both kinds of requests, with several high-probability requests preceding a low-probability requests. This strategy is usually discussed in terms of behavioral momentum.

specific behavior-change procedures

• (E-10) Use the Premack principle
• The basic premise of the Premack principle is that engaging in a lower-probability response can be reinforced by the opportunity to engage in a higher- probability response.

Behavior-Change systems

• (F-01) Use self-management strategies
• Self-management is used to improve independent functioning, generalization, and maintenance of behavior change. Self-management procedures include self-monitoring, or measuring one’s own behavior, and self-delivery of prompts and reinforcing or punishing consequences for behavior.

behavior-change systems

• (F-07) Use functional communication training
• Functional communication training (FCT) replaces problem behavior with a communicative response that leads to the same reinforcer as the problem behavior. FCT is an important and commonly used behavior support procedure, but is often misused.

behavior change systems

• (F-08) Use augmentative communication systems
• Individuals who are unable to communicate using verbal language may learn to successfully communicate using an augmentative system, such as the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) or a speech-generating device (SGD).

Key terms

• Choice Board
• First/Then Board
• "I want . . ." Board

Question 1
Describe how the first/then board uses the principles of a high-probability request sequence and the Premack principle.

Question 2
Describe how choice boards can change behavior for clients such as Zara.

Question 3
How was functional communication and augmentative communication used for Zara in the above case? What behavior did it replace (Fig. 3.5)?

Question 4
Using the instructions for the choice board that Zara's mother created, describe why the instructions and number of choices were laid out in this manner. Describe how you, the behavior analyst teaching Zara to use a choice board, would have initially introduced the system. How many choices would you have provided?


• Hook no more than three choices to the board. Be sure to use choices that Zara can have at the time. REAL choices.
• Ask Zara, “What do you want?”
• Zara will choose what she wants and hook it beside “I want...”
• Praise Zara and give her the item

Question 5
The "I want..." board is a functional communication method, whereby Zara can demand or request what she wants. Describe the steps to implementing a more complex augmentative communication system with Zara. An example of a systematic approach to this is the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), as displayed in Fig. 3.6.

Fig. 3.6 Phases of the Picture Exchange Communication System (Boster and Haghighi, n.d.)

Question 6
Based on the information about Zara, what type of visual schedule would you design for Zara? How would you implement it?

Question 7
Using the following worksheet, indicate the way that Zara was communicating without her "I want" board and with it (Table 3.5).

Question 8
In what way can functional communication training enhance the quality of life for the individuals without speech?

Question 9
In the above case study, Zara's counselors were not using her augmentative communication system or other visual strategies when they began interacting with her. What difficulties do you think individuals might face when using augmentative communication?

Question 10
How do visual strategies act as self-management strategies?

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FCT Training tip sheet