Functional Analysis: A Practitioner's Guide to Implementation and Training

by James T. Chok, Jill M. Harper, Mary Jane Weiss, Frank L. Bird, James K. Luiselli

Overview

Functional Analysis: A Practitioner’s Guide to Implementation and Training provides practitioners with the most updated information about applying the wide span of current functional analysis (FA) methodologies geared specifically to applied service settings. The book serves as a self-instructional implementation to a broad-base of trainees and care-providers within schools, clinics, centers and human services organizations.

Adopting a Behavioral Skills Training and competency-based training outcomes approach, the learning materials and activities featured in the book include suggested slideshow presentations, role-play exercises, pre- and post-training quizzes, natural setting evaluation methods, data recording forms, instructional scripts and reproducible handouts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780128172124
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	09/19/2019
Series:	Critical Specialties in Treating Autism and other Behavioral Challenges
Edition description:	Critical
Pages:	158
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jim Chok, Ph.D., BCBA – D is a licensed psychologist, neuropsychologist, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Dr. Chok received his doctoral degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and completed a one year internship and two year postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Chok previously served as the Senior Director of Clinical Services for the Residential Treatment Facility at Melmark Pennsylvania, which specializes in the treatment of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, and severe challenging behavior. He now maintains a private practice in West Chester, PA, specializing in diagnostic assessments and the treatment of OCD, Panic Disorder, and other anxiety disorders. Dr. Chok previously served as the Vice President of the New Hampshire chapter of the International OCD Foundation and is currently President of the Pennsylvania Association of Behavior Analysis.

Jill M. Harper, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and licensed behavior analyst. She is the Director of Professional Development, Clinical Training, and Research at Melmark New England and holds an adjunct faculty position with Endicott College. Her research interests include the assessment and treatment of severe behavior disorders, mechanisms responsible for behavior change, and organizational behavior management. Dr. Harper has published her work in several peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and the Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, and regularly presents at regional and national conferences.

Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA is a licensed clinical psychologist, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and a licensed behavior analyst. She is the Director of Programs in Applied Behavior Analysis at Endicott College, where she oversees the Ph.D. in ABA and the master’s programs in ABA and in Autism and ABA. At Melmark, she is a Senior Director of Research.
Dr. Weiss is a regular presenter at national conferences and publishes frequently on ABA and its application to individuals with ASD. She is on the Board of Association for Science in Autism Treatment, is an advisor to the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies, serves on the Scientific Council of the Organization for Autism Research, is on the Professional Advisory Board of Autism New Jersey, and is a regular contributor to the ABA Ethics Hotline.

Frank Bird serves as Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer for Melmark. He oversees clinical services at our service divisions in New England, Pennsylvania and the Carolinas. Mr. Bird is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA) with over 35years of experience in developing behavioral programming for challenging behaviors for children and adults with the diagnosis of autism, mental retardation and developmental disabilities, acquired brain injury and mental illness. He has developed over 50 programs of treatment in support of individuals with disabilities over the course of his career. His research focusing on the evidence-based practices of Applied Behavior Analysis has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, impacting systems of care not only at Melmark, but at providers around the world. Mr. Bird, with Ms. Rita Gardner and Mr. Peter Troy, was instrumental in the establishment of Melmark New England in 1998.

James K. Luiselli, EdD, ABPP, BCBA-D, is a clinical psychologist, behavior analyst, and Director of Clinical Development and Research at Melmark New England, Andover, MA. His practice and research interests include intervention for challenging behavior, performance and health psychology, professional development, and organizational behavior management.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Functional Analysis

2. Conducting Standard Functional Analysis Sessions

3. Conducting Functional Analysis Sessions with Children and Adults

4. Extending Standard Functional Analysis Conditions

5. Measurement, Experimental Design, Methodology

6. Graphing, Graph Interpretation, Managing Undifferentiated Data

7. Supervision and Mentoring

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

A practitioner’s guide on how to implement functional analysis, along with a curriculum for delivering functional analysis training

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Gary B Kaniuk, PsyD (Cermak Health Services)
Description: This book describes the application of functional analysis (FA) strategies for clinicians working with individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It explores standard procedures and how to apply them with children and adults. It also discusses experimental design and how to interpret data. This volume is part of the Critical Specialties in Treating Autism and Other Behavioral Challenges series.
Purpose: According to the book, "one focus of the book is providing practitioners with the most updated information about applying the wide span of current FA methodologies, which are geared specifically to applied service settings. In this capacity, the book will serve as a self-instructional guide. The second primary focus of the book is giving practitioners a curriculum for teaching FA implementation to a broad base of trainees and care providers within schools, clinics, centers, and human service organizations."
Audience: According to the book, it "serves as a self-instructional implementation guide to a broad base of trainees and care providers within schools, clinics, centers, and human service organizations." The authors are credible authorities in the subject matter. James T. Chok is a psychologist in private practice who assesses and treats various mental disorders. He has served in an official capacity in different professional organizations. Jill M. Harper is a behavior analyst and current director of training and research at Melmark New England. She is interested in the assessment and treatment of behavior disorders and has published in peer-reviewed journals. Mary Jane Weiss is a clinical psychologist and behavior analyst. She is director of programs at Endicott College. Dr. Weiss presents at conferences and is on the board of several professional organizations. Frank L. Bird is vice president at Melmark, Inc. He is a board-certified behavior analyst and works with children and adults diagnosed with ASD. He has developed over 80 programs for disabled individuals. James K. Luiselli is a psychologist and certified behavior analyst at Melmark New England. He has published extensively in the field, with 16 books, 50 book chapters, and more than 260 journal articles. Dr. Luiselli is on the board of different professional journals.
Features: The book begins with an introduction. Functional analysis (FA) is a behavioral technique used with autism spectrum disorder, where environmental variables are identified that contribute to the existence and maintenance of difficult behaviors. The authors trace the history of FA to the 1960s when this methodology was first developed to address social attention. Training is a crucial part of the process so trainees can be fully educated by use of a standard curriculum. The functional analysis sessions help clinicians identify and understand the controlling variables. The goal is to extinguish negative behaviors and reinforce positive ones. Informed consent must be obtained before FA can begin. Clinicians want to identify conditions under which the maladaptive behaviors occur. An appropriate measurement system should be developed for the specific behavior in question. In order to better interpret data, graphical representation will add clarity. Trainees need supervision so all aspects of the FA program are standardized and followed. The book is easy to read and offers reproducible figures and forms.
Assessment: This book is excellent because it gives a practical, step-by-step approach to training clinicians in functional analysis. Written by experts in the field, it explains the various steps of the process and provides examples. It should be in the libraries of clinicians who work with children and adults with challenging behaviors.

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