Clinical functional analysis; Understanding the contingengies of reinforcement

11 important questions on Clinical functional analysis; Understanding the contingengies of reinforcement

What are distinguishing features of the functional analysis?

  • Focus on function of the behavior over topography
  • Unit of analysis (behaviour is understood in relation to his environment)
  • Idiographic approach --> focus on identifying target behaviours relevant to the individual in a specific context
  • Enhanced treatment utility
  • Dynamic and iterative

Out of which three components does a behavioural contingency exists? (welke drie dingen beïnvloeden de mogelijkheid dat een gedrag zal plaatsvinden?)

  1. Antecedents
  2. behaviour
  3. Consequences

What is the relationship between the three contingencies of behaviours:

Antecendents set the occasion for behaviour (do not cause a behaviour). Behaviour leads to the consequences of a behaviour.
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What is meant with behaviour in the three-term contingency underlying a functional analysis?

Anything that an individual does, can also include thinking and feeling.

How are behaviours called that have the same influence on the environment or produce similar consequences?

Response class

What are consequences in the three-term contingency?

Changes in the environment that occur after the behaviour that alter the probability of future occurences in the behaviour. This can include the adding of a new stimulus to the environment (positive contingency) or the removal of a stimulus (negative contingencie)

What is positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement?

Positive reinforcement: Increase in the probability that a behaviour will occur again, due to that a stimulus is presented/added.  vb. Asking for a glass of water (behavior) --> consequence getting a glass of water

Negative reinforcement: Increase in the probability that a behaviour will occur again, due to that a stimulus is removed.

Child that is screaming (behavior) --> dentist stops with his procedure    (probability that the dentist will stop again when a child screams increases)

What is it called when a behaviour no longer produces a consequence?

Extinction or breaking the continguency between the behaviour and its consequence

What is the difference between positive and negative punishment?

Positive punishment: decrease in the frequency of a behaviour due to the consequences of the behaviour (something is added). For instance waking up with an hangover (hangover is added) --> consequence decrease in drinking alcohol in same situations

Negative punishment: decrease in frequency of behaviour due to the consequences the behaviour has (something is removed): child hits his sister --> doesn't get a sweet (something is removed) which makes it less likely that the behaviour is performed again.

What are the 6 guidelines for conducting a functional analysis?

  1. Identify characteristics of client through a broad assessment (presenting problems)
  2. Develop preliminary analysis in terms of behavioural principles (formulate problems in terms of behaviours) --> focus in narrowed towards controllable variables.
  3. gather additional information and finalize conceptual analysis; write down working hypothesis
  4. Devise an intervention
  5. implement intervention and assess change
  6. if outcome is unacceptable go back to 2 &3

What is the difference of an idiographic and a nomothetic approach? And which is used in a functional analysis?

Idiographic =  identify target behaviours relevant for the specific client in the context that they occur

nomothetic = adressing causal relationships for behaviour across clients

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