1. A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE VERBAL BEHAVIOR MILESTONES ASSESSMENT AND PLACEMENT PROGRAM (VB-MAPP)
MARK STAFFORD, MA, BCBA, LPA, LBA
STAFFORD BEHAVIORAL CONSULTING, PLLC
A Training Prepared for Aptitude Habilitation Services
Cameron, NC June 3, 2015

2. Prerequisite Skills
In the VB-MAPP Manual on p.2 of the introduction, Sundberg writes, “In order to obtain the maximum benefit from the VB-MAPP, it is essential that the assessor have a basic understanding of the principles of behavior analysis and Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior.”
ATS Training on VB and VB-MAPP
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3. A Brief History of Verbal Behavior
1934 Alfred N. Whitehead challenges B.F. Skinner to explain his behavior as he says, “No black scorpion is falling upon this table” during a dinner at Harvard. The next morning Skinner began an outline of Verbal Behavior.
1957 Verbal Behavior is published (23 years later)
1963 Joseph Spradlin publishes the Parsons Language Sample
Mark Sundberg leads a group of graduate students in VB research at the Kalamazoo Valley Multihandicap Center under the direction of Gerald Shook and advised by Jack Michael.

4. A Brief History of Verbal Behavior
1979 Sundberg, M. L., Ray, D. A., Braam, S. E., Stafford, M. W., Reuber, T. M., & Braam, C. A. Publish: A manual for the use of B. F. Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior for language assessment and programming at Western Michigan University.
1982 Johnson, K.R., Sundberg, M.L. and Partington, J.W. Publish the first issue of the VB News. This becomes the journal The Analysis of Verbal Behavior in 1985.
1998 Sundberg and Partington publish the first Assessment of Basic Learning and Language Skills (ABLLS) and the book Teaching Language to Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities
2008 Sundberg publishes the Verbal Behavior Milestones and Placement Program (VB-MAPP)

5. A Functional Analysis of Verbal Behavior: The Basic Principles of Operant Behavior
A B C
Discriminiative Stimulus (SD) Response Reinforcement
Motivating Operation (MO) Punishment
Extinction
Conditioned Reinforcement
Conditioned Punishment
Intermittent Reinforcement

6. A Behavioral Analysis of Language (Skinner, 1957)
Verbal Behavior is defined as “behavior reinforced through the mediation of other persons” (Skinner, 1957, p 2.) Those persons (the listeners) must be “responding in ways which have been (learned) precisely in order to reinforce such speakers.” (Skinner, 1957, p 225, italics in original.)
“In defining verbal behavior as behavior reinforced through the mediation of other persons we do not, and cannot, specify any one form, mode, or medium.” (Skinner, 1957, p. 14) “Verbal” behavior is not necessarily “vocal” behavior.

7. Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program: The VB-MAPP
Based on Skinner’s (1957) analysis of verbal behavior
Based on typical language development milestones
An assessment should probe a representative sample of a repertoire
Typical verbal milestones provide the frame for the sample
By identifying milestones, as opposed to a whole task analysis, the focus can be sharper, the direction clearer
Milestones can help to avoid focusing on minor steps, and targeting skills for intervention that are developmentally inappropriate
As language develops, speech will improve. Gup for Cup – Child with greater verbal/social skills will be shaped by social contingencies.

8. Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program: The VB-MAPP
Field test data from approximately 75 typically developing children and over 200 children with autism
Based on the body of empirical research that provides the foundation of Behavior Analysis
Based on the empirical research on Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior
Assesses skills equivalent to those of children up to 48 months of age.
Question on research

9. Five Components of the VB-MAPP
The VB-MAPP: Milestones Assessment contains 170 verbal behavior milestones across 3 developmental levels (0-18 months, months, months) and 16 different verbal operants and related skills
The VB MAPP: Barriers Assessment examines 24 common learning and language barriers faced by children with autism
The VB MAPP: Transition Assessment evaluates a child’s ability to learn in a less restrictive educational environment across 18 different skills

10. Five Components of the VB-MAPP
The VB-MAPP: Skills Task Analysis and Tracking provides a further breakdown of the different skill areas in the form of a checklist for skills tracking
The VB-MAPP: Placement and IEP Goals provides recommendations for program development for children based on their VB-MAPP profiles, and their specific scores for each of the 170 milestones and the 24 Barriers. In addition, over 200 IEP objectives directly linked to the skills and barriers assessments, and a verbal behavior intervention program are provided

11. VB-MAPP Milestones Assessment
The 16 skill areas on the VB-MAPP include:
The elementary verbal operants (e.g., echoic, mand, tact, intraverbal)
Listener skills
Imitation skills
Vocal output
Independent play
Social skills and social play
Visual perceptual and matching-to-sample skills
Grammatical and syntactical skills (Linguistics)
Group and classroom skills
Beginning academic skills (Reading, Writing, Math)

12. VB-MAPP Milestones Assessment
The milestones are broken into three developmental levels (see Skills Form)
Level 1: 0-18 months
Level 2: months
Level 3: months
The scores for each skill are approximately balanced across levels
The Master Scoring Form is designed for 4 administrations

14. Scoring the Milestones Assessment
In each level, there are 5 items and 5 possible points for each skill area (e.g., Level 1, Mand)
Each of the 170 items is scored 0, 1, or 1/2 based on the criteria in the VB-MAPP instruction manual
Looking for the operant level or where the child skills are now. If the skill is clearly below the child’s operant level score quickly and move on, if it is close to the criterion level, test the skill.
Generally, stop the assessment in an area if a child misses 3 milestones in a row (ceiling). But give credit if “splinter skills” are apparent.

15. Scoring the Milestones Assessment
Items can be assessed through Direct Testing (T), Observation (O), Either testing or observation (E), or Timed Observation (TO). (At the top of each page)
Approximations can be scored as correct. (Manual p. 18) But continue to shape a better word or sign. Don’t hold language back because words are not pronounced or signed perfectly.
Total the scores for the milestones in an area and enter that score in the “Assessment” box at the upper right of each area and shade the appropriate milestones on the Master Scoring Form. *
Run through Mand with early sign learner. Score the above (separate paper) and transfer to Master form handout.

17. Early Echoic Skills Assessment (EESA)
Five Groups of Sounds/Words to echo.
Assessor models the sound and asks the child to repeat it
Scoring is similar “X” = 1, “/” = ½, Blank = 0 (100 total points)
Total all the points scored in each group and record in the “Assessment” boxes on the right side of the form
Use the Manual (pp ) to convert the score onto the Milestones Master Scoring Form

18. VB-MAPP Barriers Assessment
Barriers Assessment is a tool to identify and assess learning and language barriers that may impede a child’s progress.
Once a specific barrier has been identified, a more detailed descriptive and/or functional analysis of that problem is required.
Intervention with a child with autism or other developmental disability should include both skills that need to be increased (mands, tacts, intraverbals, play and social skills) as well as behaviors that need to be decreased (tantrums, aggression, rote responding, or self-injury).
Careful analysis should be given to those behaviors which need to be decreased and the assistance of a professional (such as a BCBA) with experience in problem behavior should be consulted in many cases.

20. Scoring The Barriers
The only assessment in the VB-MAPP where a high score is bad.
Rate each barrier using a 0-4 scale according to the criterion in the Manual (pp ). Generally a score of 0 indicates no problem, 1 a mild problem that minimally interferes, 2 a moderate problem and further analysis is warranted, 3 indicates a persistent problem needing further assessment and formal intervention, and 4 indicates a severe problem that also warrants analysis and intervention.
Add the scores for each barrier and enter the total in the box on the upper right of the form.
Scores for individual barriers are more important than the total.
Scores for a barrier of 2-4 indicate that further assessment and possible treatment is warranted.

21. The VB-MAPP: Transition Assessment
A common goal for many educators and parents of children with special needs is to integrate the child into a mainstream setting
There are many different levels of integration and the Transition Assessment was designed to identify the skills that increase the probability that a child will be successful in a less restrictive setting
No single skill will be a good determiner of success, but a collective body of skills can help educators and parents make decisions
The VB-MAPP Transition Assessment provides a tool to help determine if a child has the necessary prerequisite skills to learn in a less restrictive classroom environment
There are 18 skill areas on the Transition Assessment

22. VB-MAPP Task Analysis and Skills Tracking
Task Analysis and Skills Tracking is the last 35 pages of the Protocol and contains approximately 900 skills (Similar to the ABLLS (Sundberg and Partington, 1998)
No task analysis for Vocal or Echoic areas
Tasks are not necessarily prerequisites for the Milestones nor are they all the possible skills one might need to include in a program
It is not necessary to assess all skills in the Task Analysis
Useful when you need a more “fine-grained” assessment of a child’s skills. When a child is not progressing look at some of the smaller steps that may have been missed.
A good source of goals when the next Milestone is too big of a step.

23. Curriculum Placement and Writing IEP Goals
The Milestones Assessment, Barriers Assessment and Transition Assessment provide a comprehensive overview of the child.
What is the child’s general level?
Look for strengths that may benefit the child in other areas. A child with little or no vocal, mand or tact skills, but has strong imitation skills (overall Level 1) may benefit from sign language as an initial alternative.
Look for balance across the skill areas. This is a major advantage of the VB-MAPP over other assessments (ABLLS-R). Helps maintain a proper sequence in instruction.
What do we do with our assessment results?

24. Alternative Communication Considerations
Portability: Regardless of the type of devise, how does the child maintain access?
Similarity to Spoken Language: Sign language and speech have a separate topography for each word much different from picture/pointing systems.
Tact is really match-to-sample with picture systems
Intraverbal is more like LRFFC
Community does not sign: This is a frequent objection to sign language. However:
A child/adult who needs an alternative communication system will either have supervision in the community or will have a more universal communication skill such as writing
Speech is always the long-term goal and sign has more research as facilitating speech
While the community may not sign, they certainly will not serve as a model for pointing to pictures. Not even the adults around a child will serve as models for pointing systems
Give strong consideration to Sign Language as a first alternative to speech.

25. Level 1 Profile Child’s skills are that of a typical 0-18 month old
Difference between child’s chronological age and VB-MAPP profile is an important factor.
Basic mand, tact, imitation, etc. skills should be taught. Just because the child is 5 years old does not mean he should write his name.
If delays are significant will likely be best served with a significant amount of intensive 1:1 therapy
If the child does not displaying vocal or echoic behavior an alternative communication method may be appropriate.

26. Level 2 Profile
Skills fall in the range of a typically developing 18 to 30 month old child.
Expanding the size and scope of mand, tact, lisener repertoires.
Begin work on intraverbal and LRFFC skills
More development of social skills and interactions with peers
Children begin to benefit from small group (1:2-1:4) instruction, especially as they get to the upper end of Level 2
Watch for problems with generalization and inappropriate mand or tact frames. (“I want ____ please” “It’s a ____.”)

27. Level 3 Profile
Skills fall in the range of a typically developing 30 to 48 month old child.
Child has a solid foundation of language and social skills. Typical children have hundreds of mands, tacts, intraverbals, listnener discriminations, etc.
The child now has the ability to acquire new words with one trial and can use a word learned in one operant in other operants.
In designing a profile the professional needs to look at the entire assessment, including the Barriers and Transition Assessments.
1:1 and 1:2 instruction is minimal and the child should benefit from being in groups of peers for instruction, but more complex/difficult tasks may require small groups and individual instruction.

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