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3.3: Select a Socially Relevant Behavior

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    85495

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    ABA is applied, meaning that the targeted behavior is of social importance to the individual, rather than its importance to theory (Baer et al., 1968). The proposed behavior change is meaningful to the client and all those who may be affected by the intervention (i.e., parents, siblings, staff). For each targeted problematic behavior, a desired behavior is also identified, optimally a behavior that is incompatible with the problematic behavior. A common problem is that teachers have too many behaviors identified for change. Cooper et al. (2007) provide guidance on the selection process through guiding questions that help teachers set priorities or criteria for choosing one behavior over another. These include:

    1. Does the behavior pose a danger to the student or others?
    2. Does changing the behavior improve the person’s life and is this behavior change age-appropriate?
    3. What is the likelihood of success to change this behavior? For example, are there sufficient opportunities to show the behavior in the natural environment (i.e., classroom) and will teachers and staff reinforce this behavior when demonstrated?
    4. Will changing the behavior have long-standing effects or lead to further skill development?
    5. Do the benefits of teaching this behavior outweigh the costs (i.e., time, resources) needed?

    These guiding questions assess the behavior of interest based on safety concerns, probability of intervention fidelity by the staff who may be involved, and risk-benefit analysis of the proposed behavior. Social relevance or applicability is therefore worked into proposed short- and long-term goals, teaching procedures, and potential results to increase maintenance and generalization of the skill use (Wolf, 1978). Examples can include social skills to increase peer interactions, fluency of academic skills, decrease of maladaptive behaviors that interfere with successful interactions with peers and staff, self-help skills to build independence, or leisure and recreational skills to improve quality of life.

    This page titled 3.3: Select a Socially Relevant Behavior is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Samuel Sennott, Sheldon Loman, Kristy Lee Park, Luis F. Pérez, Michael J. Kennedy, John Romig, & Wendy J. Rodgers (Portland State University Library) .