Applied Behavioral Analysis
Unit 6 – Case Study
Applied Behavioral Analysis II – PS365-01
Kaplan University
August 13, 2012
Behavior modification is field within psychology that specializes in identifying relationships between a specific behavior and environmental events as well as creating and instituting procedures that help individuals to change a particular behavior. When behavior analysts conduct research they use research designs that help them to identify whether a change in the targeted behavior or dependent variable was result of implementation of a specific treatment plan or independent variable (Miltenberger, 2008). This paper addresses the use of research design methods in a case study involving Martin, an ABA psychologist, who has implemented a treatment plan for his patient, a 14 year old girl named Sara that exhibits self-injurious behaviors.
Case Study – Martin
1. What type of research design did Martin employ when working with Sara? Martin used a multiple baseline across behaviors design when working with Sara. The multiple baseline design is one of the most frequently used research designs when evaluating treatment in behavior modification. This design allows analysts to examine the effects of treatment across multiple settings, multiple behaviors, or multiple individuals without having to stop the treatment, revert back to baseline, and re-establish treatment in order to verify that the change in behavior was a result of treatment (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007). In a multiple baseline across behaviors design two or more behaviors are measured for a single patient. When a steady rate of responding is established for the behaviors, treatment is initiated to one behavior while leaving the other behaviors at baseline. When a steady rate of behavior change is shown for the first behavior, treatment is then initiated on the second behavior. This continues until treatment is applied to all behaviors (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007).
2. According
Applied Behavioral Analysis II – PS365-01
Kaplan University
August 13, 2012
Behavior modification is field within psychology that specializes in identifying relationships between a specific behavior and environmental events as well as creating and instituting procedures that help individuals to change a particular behavior. When behavior analysts conduct research they use research designs that help them to identify whether a change in the targeted behavior or dependent variable was result of implementation of a specific treatment plan or independent variable (Miltenberger, 2008). This paper addresses the use of research design methods in a case study involving Martin, an ABA psychologist, who has implemented a treatment plan for his patient, a 14 year old girl named Sara that exhibits self-injurious behaviors.
Case Study – Martin
1. What type of research design did Martin employ when working with Sara? Martin used a multiple baseline across behaviors design when working with Sara. The multiple baseline design is one of the most frequently used research designs when evaluating treatment in behavior modification. This design allows analysts to examine the effects of treatment across multiple settings, multiple behaviors, or multiple individuals without having to stop the treatment, revert back to baseline, and re-establish treatment in order to verify that the change in behavior was a result of treatment (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007). In a multiple baseline across behaviors design two or more behaviors are measured for a single patient. When a steady rate of responding is established for the behaviors, treatment is initiated to one behavior while leaving the other behaviors at baseline. When a steady rate of behavior change is shown for the first behavior, treatment is then initiated on the second behavior. This continues until treatment is applied to all behaviors (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007).
2. According
References: Cooper, J., Heron, T., & Heward, W. (2007). Applied Behavior Analysis (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Miltenberger, R. (2008). Behavior Modification: Principles ad Procedures (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.