Formal Behavioral Assessment Chapter 8 Formal Behavioral Assessment

Developmental Systems Approach (DSA) attempts to understand both disturbed and nondisturbed children and their social systems primary purpose is to obtain information that will assist in developing effective intervention strategies

Multimodal Approach Assessment data should aid in identifying and defining target behaviors ideas for intervention, and conducting ongoing evaluation of the intervention effects and the achievement of treatment goals.

Assessment for Intervention Planning: A Five-Step Model Decide whether a problem exists Step 2 Determine whether intervention is warranted Step 3 Perform a functional assessment Step 4 Develop behavior management intervention Step 5 Conduct ongoing evaluation

Step 1: Does a Problem Exist? data collection should be efficient Types of data collection methods: Rating scales and teacher rankings Sociometric techniques Peer nomination and ratings Interviews with parent, target students, and others who know the student

Step 1: Does a Problem Exist? Commonly used screening measures: Systematic screening for behavioral disorders (SSBD) Child behavior checklist system (CBCL) Behavioral and emotional rating scale, (BERS-2)

Advantages & Drawbacks What are some advantages and drawbacks associated with using these measures?

Step 2: Is an Intervention Needed? objective is to pinpoint behavior problems Data collection methods (informal): Observation data Norm-referenced rating scales and checklists Ranking target behaviors Review of Medical data

Step 2: Is an Intervention Needed? Commonly used formal measures: Social skills rating system (SSRS) Walker-McConnell scale of social competence and school adjustment (WMS) Conners comprehensive behavior rating scales Behavior assessment for children, second addition (BASC-2) Psychometric assessment

Advantages & Drawbacks What are some advantages and drawbacks associated with using these measures?

Final Steps Step 3 Perform a functional assessment Step 4 Develop behavior management intervention Step 5 Conduct ongoing evaluation

Summary Teachers & educational professionals will find opportunities to maximize teaching and learning when they develop effective behavior support plans based on assessment data. A variety of informal and formal assessment measures can be utilized for this purpose.