Functional assessment encompasses indirect, direct observation, and experimental strategies, to collect and analyse the information that predict and maintain the inappropriate behaviour (Gresham et al., 2001).
Indirect methods involve strategies that are time efficient and require minimal response effort (Dufrene, Doggett, Hengington, and Watson, 2007). The most common strategies used in indirect methods include interviews, questionnaires, student archives, checklists, and rating scales (Gresham et al., 2001). These informant assessments require therapists to collect information from people (e.g. teachers, parents, or service professionals, and sometimes the student themselves) who regularly engage with the student (Lane et al., 2007). Functional assessment interviews require therapist to ask informants structured questions regarding the student (Quinn et al., 1998). This strategy provides precise information from a third person’s perspective (Gresham et al., 2001). Behavioural Rating Scales is another strategy that can be used where informants are asked to describe the behaviour based on rating scale questions (Alberto & Troutman, 2013). The behaviour that has the highest cumulative score is hypothesized as the key to maintaining the inappropriate behaviour (Alberto & Troutman, 2013). This method assists in the initial identification of the target behaviour …show more content…
Functional analysis is an experimental strategy that involves the systematic manipulation of environmental variables to identify and isolate the function of the target behaviour (Lane et al., 2007). The advantages of using functional analysis is that it is reliable, and allows for the development of effective interventions that caters to young or developmentally delayed students to reduce the inappropriate behaviour (Alberto and Troutman,
Indirect methods involve strategies that are time efficient and require minimal response effort (Dufrene, Doggett, Hengington, and Watson, 2007). The most common strategies used in indirect methods include interviews, questionnaires, student archives, checklists, and rating scales (Gresham et al., 2001). These informant assessments require therapists to collect information from people (e.g. teachers, parents, or service professionals, and sometimes the student themselves) who regularly engage with the student (Lane et al., 2007). Functional assessment interviews require therapist to ask informants structured questions regarding the student (Quinn et al., 1998). This strategy provides precise information from a third person’s perspective (Gresham et al., 2001). Behavioural Rating Scales is another strategy that can be used where informants are asked to describe the behaviour based on rating scale questions (Alberto & Troutman, 2013). The behaviour that has the highest cumulative score is hypothesized as the key to maintaining the inappropriate behaviour (Alberto & Troutman, 2013). This method assists in the initial identification of the target behaviour …show more content…
Functional analysis is an experimental strategy that involves the systematic manipulation of environmental variables to identify and isolate the function of the target behaviour (Lane et al., 2007). The advantages of using functional analysis is that it is reliable, and allows for the development of effective interventions that caters to young or developmentally delayed students to reduce the inappropriate behaviour (Alberto and Troutman,