Domain B Study Guide: Behavior Assessment
The essence of Domain B is motivating an RBT to learn more about their clients in order to provide better behavioral assessments. For this, the instructor (RBT) attempts to dig deeper into the client's life and know more about their triggers and environmental factors. These factors often influence their behavior directly or indirectly.
Domain B: Behavior Assessment is especially important as it helps with data collection and intervention strategies. By analyzing the factors and triggers behind the behavior, supervisors can assign special treatment plans.
Special Note: RBTs aren't allowed to design treatment plans for patients. They aren't allowed to independently interpret and assess information either. Their primary job is to accurately report the behavioral data and implement the intervention strategies and treatment plans approved by the supervisors.
Here's a brief overview of all the Domain B sections you'll need to cover in the RBT exam in accordance with the 3rd Edition Task List:
B.1 Conduct Preference Assessments
RBTs conduct preference assessments to find out about a client's preferences — i.e., what they like and what they don't like in terms of items or activities. Generally, RBTs conduct preference assessments to determine possible reinforcers. For instance, a client likes chocolates a lot as it makes them happy. Chocolate, in that case, can be used as a positive reinforcement. However, not everything that a client likes can be turned into reinforcers. For instance, if the client likes breaking objects according to the preference assessment, it cannot possibly function as a positive reinforcement.
Preference vs. Reinforcer: Preference refers to an item or an activity that the client enjoys or prefers in relation to everything else. When a justified preference is used by the instructor to increase a certain behavior, it's called a reinforcer.
Common preference assessment methods:
- Free Operant Assessment: The learner/client has access to a variety of items. RBTs record the preferred items, the duration of interaction, etc.
- Single Stimulus Assessment: The learner has access to only one item at a time. The RBTs record whether they interact with each of the objects, reject them, or stay completely oblivious to them.
- Paired Stimulus Assessment: The learner has access to two items (a pair) at a time. The RBTs record which one they prefer and then come up with a ranked list of preferences.
- Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement: The learner has access to multiple items at once. However, once they choose a particular item, it's removed from the equation. The RBTs record the learner's preferences as they are faced with different choices every time.
B.2 Participate in Assessments of Relevant Skill Strengths and Deficits
In this section, RBTs must learn about skill assessments of learners. To improve the learner's lifestyle, it's necessary to know of their shortcomings. Hence, the RBTs conduct skill assessments to figure out what the client can already do, and compare it against the skills they need to improve their life.
Usually, the role of an RBT is to determine the following skills:
- Social skills
- Communication skills
- Academic skills
- Day-to-day skills
- Self-care skills
- Adaptability
A good RBT must ask themselves the following questions:
- Which independent skills does the learner already have?
- Does the learner lack any prominent skills? If so, which ones?
- Is there any skill that needs to be prioritized? Why?
The first step in a skill assessment is a Baseline Assessment. A baseline assessment serves as the starting point of the plan. The RBT records uninfluenced data before any interventions so that the supervisor may use it as a baseline structure for future assessments.
Special Note: Assessment sessions and teaching sessions cannot overlap with each other. Teaching while assessing tampers with original data.
B.3 Participate in Components of Functional Assessment Procedures
RBTs conduct functional assessments to determine environmental triggers and influencing factors responsible for the client's behavior. RBTs do not relay any personal assumptions whatsoever in the process. They also refrain from independently discovering the behavioral function. Their role is to unbiasedly pick up on the environmental and other functional variables, record them accurately, and provide the dataset to the supervisor.
Common Behavior Assessment Concepts
| Concept | Definition |
|---|---|
| ABC Data | Antecedent (environmental situation just before the behavior), Behavior, and Consequence Recording. |
| Scatterplot | Scattered behavioral pattern that's recorded only when it takes place. |
| Functional Analysis | Experiments based on different behavioral functions (attention, avoidance, etc.). |
| Attention Function | Behavior that's nurtured by social attention. |
| Escape Function | Behavior that's nurtured by avoidance. |
Mini-Quiz For Learners
1. Between a toy, a tablet, and a chocolate bar, the child always chooses the chocolate. What's your conclusion?
Explanation: Preference doesn't automatically equate to reinforcement. A preference is simply a liked item; it becomes a reinforcer only if it increases a target behavior when presented contingent on that behavior.
2. During an assessment, the child refuses to answer a simple question. Under the circumstances, the RBT should —
Explanation: RBTs cannot interfere with independent assessments. Otherwise, it may invalidate the findings. It's recommended to stick to protocol strictly. Teaching or reprimanding during assessment would contaminate baseline data.
3. An RBT notices that a client hits their own head primarily when academic demands are placed. This pattern most likely suggests which behavioral function?
Explanation: When problem behavior consistently follows a demand or instruction, the behavior may serve to escape or avoid that task. This is a critical observation for functional assessment.
4. Which of the following is the most accurate statement about the RBT's role in functional assessment procedures?
Explanation: RBTs are not responsible for independent interpretation or designing functional analyses. They assist by recording ABC data, scatterplots, and other objective information, which the supervisor uses to determine function.
Exam Tip: Remember that preference assessments identify potential reinforcers, but only a reinforcer assessment confirms that an item actually increases behavior. Also, baseline (uninfluenced) data must be collected before any teaching begins to ensure accurate skill strength and deficit analysis.