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M4: Field Note

Javier Alejandro Garcia

Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College,

Arizona State University

SPE 527: Behavior Analytic

Assessment

CI Carly Vivio

February 7th, 2021

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During this week our assignments focused on understanding the functions of challenging

behaviors in our clients. In the webinar from this module, we learned that when presented with

a client that exhibits challenging behaviors we are to conduct a functional behavior analysis to

find out the function of the behavior, or rather to find out why the behavior is happening

(Boutot, 2021). What purpose is this behavior serving? Taking on this endeavor for our client

will allow us to address challenges unique to this client, and the results will allow us to devise a

completely customized intervention plan for our client. In this way we are fulfilling Compliance

Code 4.03 of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, which states that we “. . . nust tailor

behavior-change programs to the unique behaviors, environmental variables, assessment

results, and goals of each client” (2014).

In our comprehension check assignment for this week’s module we were to give

examples of each of the four functions of behavior. In Dr. Boutot’s webinar we learned about the

four different functions of behavior, Socially Mediated Positive, Socially Mediated Negative,

Automatic Positive, Automatic Negative. In looking at challenging behavior we know that

something is reinforcing the behavior, they are getting a consequence that maintains or

increases the behavior. They may be getting that reinforcement from others, which would be a

socially mediated function of the behavior. Or they may be getting that reinforcement from

within themselves, without the need for others to reinforce the behavior. This would be an

automatically mediated function of behavior (Boutot, 2021). By being able to describe and

diagnose the different functions of challenging behavior as Board Certified Behavior Analysts we

are fulfilling task F-6, as laid out by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, which has us

“Describe the common functions of problem behavior” (2017).

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References

Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2014). Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for

Behavior Analysts. https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/BACB-

Compliance-Code-english_190318.pdf

Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2017). BCBA/BCaBA task list (5th ed.)

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/170113-BCBA-BCaBA-task-list-

5th-ed-.pdf

Boutot, A. (2021) Webinar 3: functions of behavior as related to motivational operants

[Webinar]. Arizona State University.

https://canvas.asu.edu/courses/76707/assignments/1933594?

module_item_id=4939255