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    Instruction in Functional Assessment

    (12 reviews)

    Marcie Desrochers, State University of New York

    Moira Fallon, State University of New York

    Copyright Year:

    ISBN 13: 9780989722674

    Publisher: Open SUNY

    Language: English

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    Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
    CC BY-NC-SA

    Reviews

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    Reviewed by John Romig, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington on 4/1/24

    This book provides a thorough explanation of Functional Assessment and its applications in a wide variety of settings addressing diverse behaviors. read more

    Reviewed by Kristen Humphrey, Professor, Pittsburg State University on 1/16/23

    The text starts with foundational information about challenging behavior. It then explains what a functional behavioral assessment is and various methods of collecting information for the assessment. Then, development of a behavioral plan is... read more

    Reviewed by Ben Bryan, Adjunct Faculty, Social Science Department, Rogue Community College on 3/7/22

    This book seems totally comprehensive. It does a good job of bouncing between clinical definitions, assessment tools and explanations which creates academic credibility from page one. For example, it highlights the differences, strengths and... read more

    Reviewed by Jennifer Walker, Associate Professor, University of Mary Washington on 7/13/21

    The table of contents is presented with a helpful, clickable option to find information in the text. In addition, the table of contents has a drop down option where an overview of the contents is provided. The book covers a great deal of... read more

    Reviewed by Jody Siker, Assistant Professor, Northeastern Illinois University on 5/11/21

    This book focuses on defining functional assessment and functional analysis and covers this topic well. There are resources and case studies throughout. I also appreciate the guiding questions at the beginning of chapters and the questions at the... read more

    Reviewed by angela whalen, Clinical Associate Professor, School Psychology, University of Oregon on 6/15/19

    This text provides an overview or introduction to (1) functional assessment and (2) teaching functional assessment to others. It provides a good amount of detail to provide working knowledge for teachers and other school staff who may participate... read more

    Reviewed by Rodger Bufford, Professor, Graduate School of Clinical Psychology, George Fox University on 5/9/19

    Focused on individuals with developmental disabilities and disruptive behaviors, Instruction in Functional Assessment provides an overview of applied functional analysis. It begins with a clear review of behavior theory and a description of common... read more

    Reviewed by Shannon Hall-Mills, Assistant In, Florida State University on 11/5/18

    This text covers the basic tenets of functional behavior assessment with children, including a review of challenging behaviors that children with developmental disabilities may exhibit, methods for assessment and assessment driven treatment,... read more

    Reviewed by Jennifer McKenzie, Assistant Professor of Special Education, Southern Utah University on 6/19/18

    The clickable glossary is very useful, especially the function of the reader being able to return directly from the glossary entry to the place it is used in the text. The literature base is solid and the reference list give good resources for... read more

    Reviewed by Crystal De Kam, Human Service Faculty / Counselor, Century College on 5/21/18

    The text cover more in depth than I had anticipated with regards to Functional Assessment. The breakdown of Functional assessment is easy for individuals to understand and the later chapters are helpful for individuals who will teach the topic in... read more

    Reviewed by Jeannie Golden, Associate Professor, East Carolina University on 2/1/18

    Very comprehensive review of functional assessment. Includes information about developmental and intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviors which is very helpful as well. I love the case examples, exercises, practice activities,... read more

    Reviewed by Ben Bryan, Adjunct Faculty, Rogue Community College on 8/15/17

    This book is terrific. It covers not only the specific details of conducting a functional assessment with a variety of populations and contexts but also an explanation of the various theories that are important to understandint the functional... read more

    Table of Contents

    • Chapter 1: Challenging Behaviors of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
    • Chapter 2: The Methodology of Functional Assessment: Process and Products
    • Chapter 3: Treatment Implications Based on the Functional Assessment
    • Chapter 4: Teaching Functional Assessment Content
    • Chapter 5: Teaching Functional Analysis
    • Chapter 6: Functional Analysis Case Training/FACT
    • Chapter 7: Resources for Team Members of Interdisciplinary Professionals

    Ancillary Material

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    About the Book

    Instruction in Functional Assessment introduces learners to functional assessment (FA), which includes a variety of assessment approaches (indirect, observational, and experimental) for identifying the cause of an individual's challenging behavior for the purpose of designing effective treatments. FA is mandated by federal law and is a recognized empirically based approach to treatment of individuals with challenging behaviors (e.g., disruptive, self-injurious, and aggressive behaviors). Instruction in FA is essential for students who will one day enter professions as educators, psychologists, social workers, counselors, or mental health professionals.

    The purpose of this textbook is to provide instruction in FA skills for pre-professionals in the fields of education and psychology. This supplemental resource provides the context, background, and knowledge to facilitate students' acquisition of the methods, decision-making, and skills involved in conducting FA. Each chapter begins with focus questions designed to promote reflective thinking and ends with discussion questions. To promote application of FA in diverse situations and teach important lessons, case studies of individuals with challenging behaviors, interactive activities, and opportunities for practice are embedded in the chapters. Moreover, the text includes the ingredients to facilitate students' role play and rehearsal of appropriate FA skills while working in cooperative groups and using performance-based training.

    About the Contributors

    Authors

    Marcie Desrochers earned her Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of Manitoba with specialization in developmental disabilities, applied behavior analysis, and computer applications in psychology. She is a board certified behavior analysis at the doctoral level (BCBA-D). Dr. Desrochers is an Associate Professor of Psychology at The College at Brockport, State University of New York. Marcie Desrochers has conducted research on teaching functional assessment and evaluating the effectiveness of a computer simulation program called Simulations in Developmental Disabilities. Marcie has extensive experience teaching undergraduate and graduate students, and supervising students and practitioners in the field.

    Dr. Moira Fallon earned her Ph.D. in Educational Foundations from the University of New Mexico with specialties in cognitive development and special education. She has over thirty years of experience in the field of special education in public schools. She holds certifications from several states in learning disabilities, behavior disabilities, early intervention, and assistive technology. Dr. Fallon has published widely in issues of inclusion and advocacy for individuals with disabilities. Dr. Moira Fallon has been a leader in developing learning communities, promoting school leaders for continuous improvement, and identifying research based, supportive resources for improving professional skills. She is a Professor in the Department of Education and Human Development at The College at Brockport, State University of New York.

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