Characteristics of Good Definitions

So, you here all the time that you need to write good, clear definitions when defining target behaviors.  For example, you would not just define a target behavior as "hitting" because what one person might score as hitting, another person might not. 

Therefore, it is VERY important that you learn how to write good definitions.

So, what are the characteristics of good definitions?

Objective

The definition should only refer to events that are observable.  

For example:  You cannot say that the client has to be "sad" or appear "angry" when hitting for it to be scored as hitting.  However, you can say that the client has a negative affect, it is paired with crying, etc.  All of the events have to be observable.

Objective=Observable

Clear

It has to be readable and unambiguous.

There should not be any questions.  For example, if you are writing a definition for eloping, you should put how many feet the client has to leave the area for it to be scored as eloping.  Otherwise, the therapist might have many questions about what is considered eloping

Clear=unambiguous

Complete

Precise and concise definitions

Complete=precise

Multiple Baseline Design

Busy week this week, so today we get screenshots of the lesson!  Woo hoo! :)

Multiple baseline designs... My favorite! :)

Reversal Design

Fourth Edition Task List

Section 1

B-04

Reversal Design

(Also known as ABA design)

How does it demonstrate experimental control?

Demonstrates experimental control by repeatedly introducing and withdrawing the experimental control.

Also, confounding variables are unlikely to repeatedly occur at the same times as the experimental variable

The following visual represents a typical ABA or Reversal Design. 

A= Baseline

B=Intervention

A= Baseline

So, the reversal design sounds fantastic.  What is the catch?

You cannot use the reversal design with variables that are irreversible or it is unethical to return to baseline.

Examples of when reversal designs would NOT work...

If you teach a child how to read words, it is irreversible, so a reversal design would not work.

If during baseline, the student knew how to read 3 words.  Then you implement the intervention and now the student can read 12 words.  You cannot reverse back to baseline because even if you remove the intervention the student has been taught to read 12 words and they will continue to read 12 words. It is irreversible.

If a child is engaging in head-banging during baseline 30 times per minute.  A doctor has determined that they are very close to going blind in one eye due to the intensity of the head-bangs. Therefore, if during the intervention you reduce the head-banging to 1x per hour, it would be unethical to remove the intervention and allow the child to head-bang up to 30x per minute.  In this situation, a reversal design would not work. 

Resources:  Cooper J.O, Heron T.E, Heward W.L. Applied behavior analysis (2nd ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson; 2007.