Title: Conjoint Behavioral Consultation
1Conjoint Behavioral Consultation
The Future of School Psychology Task Force on
Family-School Partnerships Susan Sheridan,
Michelle Swanger-Gagne, Kathryn Woods, Kathryn
Black, Jennifer Burt, S. Andrew Garbacz, Ashley
Taylor University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2Conjoint Behavioral Consultation
- A structured, indirect form of service delivery
in which teachers and parents are brought
together to collaboratively identify and address
students needs (Sheridan et al., 1996 Sheridan
Kratochwill, 1992). - Extension of the traditional behavioral
consultation model that serves parents and
teachers at the same time. - Interview stages are the same as in that of
behavioral consultation, except that stages are
conducted in a simultaneous (rather than
parallel) manner. - Parents and teachers collaborate to
- Address the academic, behavioral, and social
concerns of a child - Monitor a childs behavior
- Design an intervention
- Rated by parents and teachers as the most
acceptable consultation approach for academic,
behavioral, and social-emotional problems when
compared with teacher consultation models (Freer
Watson, 1999). -
3(No Transcript)
4Process Goals of CBC
- Improve communication and knowledge about child
and family. - Increase commitments to educational goals.
- Address problems across, rather than within,
settings. - Promote shared ownership for need identification
and solution. - Promote greater conceptualization of a need.
- Increase the diversity of expertise and resources
available.
5Process Goals of CBC (continued)
- Establish and strengthen home-school
partnerships enhance the family-school
relationship. - Refers to a mutual effort toward a shared goal.
- Contains the philosophy, attitude, and belief
that both families and educators are essential
for childrens progress in school. - Working together to promote the academic and
social development of students.
6Outcomes Goals of CBC
- Obtain comprehensive and functional data over
extended temporal and contextual bases. - Identify potential setting events that are
temporally or contextually distal to target. - Improve skills and knowledge of all parties.
- Establish consistent programming across settings.
- Monitor behavioral contrast and side effects
systematically via cross-setting treatment
agents. - Develop skills and competencies for future
conjoint problem solving. - Enhance generalization and maintenance of
treatment effects.
7Stages of CBC
- Preconsultation
- Conjoint Needs Identification
- Conjoint Needs Analysis
- Conjoint Plan Implementation
- Conjoint Needs Evaluation
- See PC Handout 3
8Preconsultation
- Important process of communication, relationship
building, cohesion begins well before formal
consultation stages and continues throughout! - Opportunities for inviting participation and
sharing information should be seized whenever
possible - Use initial contacts to ensure that participants
know what to expect (and what not to expect) in
consultation - See Pre-CBC Handouts 1 - 3
9Conjoint Needs Identification Initiating
Formal Consultation
- Standard consultation forms outline specific
objectives of the CNII - Use agenda for participants to keep them informed
of the process and meeting objectives (see CNII
Handout 1) - See CNII Handouts 2 and 3 for structured CNII
forms
10CNII Childs Strengths/Assets
- Strengths, abilities, or other positive features
of the client - Can also include things that the client likes,
which can be used in reinforcement programs - Examples
- What are some of Jamies strengths?
- What are some things Kevin does well?
11CNII Behavior Specification/Needs
Identification
- Elicit behavioral descriptions of client
functioning - Focus is on specific behaviors of the client in
terms that can be understood by an independent
observer - Ask for as many examples of the problem behavior
as possible - Careful specification is essential to identify
the precise problem, direct the focus of an
intervention, and monitor progress - Assist consultee focus on a specific target
problem by asking for a priority - For example, What is causing you the most
concern? or Which of these behaviors is most
problematic for Joey?
12Guidelines for Target Selection
Always
- Focus on building a clients skill repertoire,
rather than simply extinguishing behaviors - Prioritize urgent or dangerous behaviors if they
pose serious risk or invoke serious consequences - Select a target that leads to the best treatment
outcome (treatment validity, generalization) --
HOW??
13Guidelines for Target Selection
Consider
- Identifying a response chain and target first
behavior of the chain - Selecting behaviors that will likely generalize
to other behaviors (e.g., work completion with
generalization to on-task or accuracy) - Organizing behaviors in terms of their
topographical or functional properties - Prioritizing behaviors that have general utility
and that the environment will likely maintain
(e.g., social skills) - Changing the easiest behavior to encourage
further treatment efforts - Changing behaviors that are most irritating to or
preferred by the consultees
14Operationalizing the Target Behavior
- Operational Definition
- A precise description of the behavior of concern
to the consultee - Criteria
- Objective observable characteristics of
behavior must be countable and measurable - Clear unambiguous, specific, reliable should
be explainable to others should not require
interpretation on the part of an observer - Complete describes what is included and
excluded leaves little to judgement of observer - It is often helpful to include information about
situations/conditions where/when the behavior
occurs - SUMMARIZE VALIDATE TARGET BEHAVIOR -- WRITE IT
DOWN!!!
15Case Example Prioritizing Operationalizing
Target Behaviors
- Parent and teacher describe the following
concerns about 8 year old Pedro - talks out/talks back
- fights, argues, complains
- fails to complete assignments/tasks
- uses obscene language
- doesnt get along with other kids/siblings
- doesnt pay attention to lectures or instructions
- tardy for school
- As a consultant, how would you go about helping
consultees prioritize and operationalize a target
behavior in the case of Pedro??
16CNII Behavior Setting
- A precise description of the specific settings
in which the problem behavior occurs at home and
at school - Specific within-school and within-home settings
important to prioritize - Ask for as many examples of problem settings as
possible - In academic areas, this may include subject areas
and not just physical environment - Assist consultees prioritize problem settings by
asking which setting is causing the most difficult
17CNII Antecedent Conditions
- A tentative delineation of events that precede
the clients behavior - Ask for information regarding what happens
before the problem behavior occurs - Setting events Antecedents that are removed in
time or place from the target behavior, but that
bear a functional relationship to its occurrence
18CNII Sequential Conditions
- Situational /ecological variables or events
occurring when the behavior occurs - Environmental (contextual) conditions in
operation when the problem behavior occurs - Pattern or trend of antecedent and/or consequent
conditions across a series of occasions - Examples
- Time of day
- Day of week
- Class period or common situations
- Expectations of child (e.g., task demands)
- Sequence of events
- Curricular or instructional variables
19Ecological Assessment Existing Conditions
- Curricular assessment What is taught
- Instructional assessment How it is taught
- Variables to assess include materials, teaching
format, assignments, daily routine, student
grouping, evaluation and feedback procedures,
homework
20CNII Consequent Conditions
- A tentative delineation of events that follow the
clients behavior - Ask for information regarding what happens after
the problem behavior occurs - Setting events Consequences that are removed in
time or place from the target behavior, but which
are related to its occurrence - Examples Being removed from the class, staying
in from recess - SUMMARIZE VALIDATE CONDITIONS SURROUNDING
BEHAVIOR
21CNII Behavior Strength
- Attain a tentative estimate of the frequency or
duration of a problem behavior - Level of incidence that is to be focused on
- Examples
- Frequency
- Duration
- Latency
- Intensity
- SUMMARIZE VALIDATE BEHAVIOR BEHAVIOR STRENGTH
22CNII Goal Statement
- Assist consultee generate an acceptable or
appropriate level of the behavior - Examples
- How often would Patrick have to turn in his work
in order to get along OK? - How much time could Sally take to respond to
your request? - What would be an acceptable amount of talking
out in class?
23CNII Existing Procedures
- Procedures or rules in force which are external
to the child and behavior - Questions regarding approach to teaching or
parenting - Examples
- How long are Stacy and the others doing
seatwork? - What are the playground rules?
- How do you currently handle Pauls talking
back? - How are instructions/directions given to Anna?
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24CNII Data Collection
- Rationale provided to set the stage for data
collection (why) - Examples It would be very helpful to observe
Sam in the lunchroom and see exactly how often he
throws his food. This will help us understand...
make comparisons later... - Specific data collection procedures discussed
- Common observation procedures include event,
duration, interval, momentary time sample,
latency - Permanent product measures easy, useful
- Procedures must be appropriate for the target
behavior, and continued throughout consultation - Provide a form on which consultees can collect
data, if possible - See CNII Handout 4 for example
25Behavioral Assessment
- Data collected must have high treatment utility
and be relevant to treatment - Direct assessments will lead to meaningful
treatments if they promote greater understanding
of a behavior - On-going and repeated measurement, rather than
pre/post assessment only, is required - Multi-source, multi-method multi-setting
assessment strategies are used along the direct
gtgtgt indirect continuum - Multi-source Collect information from teacher,
parent(s), peers, self, others - Multi-method Collect information using different
methods, such as rating scales, interviews,
observations - Multi-setting Collect information across
settings of home and school, and other relevant
settings as appropriate (e.g., classroom,
playground, lunchroom, library, etc.)
26Tips for Data Collection
- Keep it simple!
- Clearly define what is to be recorded
- Match the data collection procedure to the target
behavior - Consider retrospective baseline data when
applicable - Graph the data to monitor progress
- Record data that have a range (i.e., not simply
yes/no
27Practical, Direct Data Collection Procedures
- Permanent Products
- Direct Observation
- Performance-Based Assessment
- Curriculum-Based Measurement
- Self-Monitoring
28Permanent Product
- Concrete evidence of a students behavior taken
from an existing source - Examples
- Percent of homework assignments completed
- Number of worksheets completed in a subject area
- Number of pages read
- Number of problems attempted/completed/accurate
- Organization of work on a page
29Direct Observation
- Measurement of discrete behaviors while they are
occurring - Examples
- On task/off task
- Disruptive behavior
- Out of seat
- Talking out
- Initiating conversations
- Compliance with commands
30Direct Observations
- How to
- Low frequency behaviors
- Frequency counts using golf counter, pennies,
tallies on wristband - How to
- High frequency behaviors
- Identify intervals that are easy to monitor
- Consider momentary time sampling procedure
31Performance-Based Assessment
- Use of rating scales to record behaviors over
time periods, based on a Likert scale - Examples
- Aggression
- Oppositional behavior
- Active participation in activities
32Curriculum-Based Measurement
- The use of standardized short-duration fluency
measures of basic, any testing strategy that uses
a students curriculum to monitor progress and as
the basis for decision-making - Examples
- Reading fluency and accuracy
- Math digits correct
- Spelling correct words
33Self-Monitoring
- An observation technique wherein students are
responsible for recording their own behaviors - Examples
- On-task behaviors
- Following instructions
- Beginning work on time
- Completing chores/tasks
- Cognitive events such as using self-control,
problem solving, experiencing depressive
symptomotology
34Goal Attainment Scaling
- A rating on a 5-point scale (from -2 to 2) based
on the degree to which a students performance is
approximating a predetermined goal - Somewhere between a direct and subjective
measurement system - Examples
- Work completion
- Accuracy on academic tasks
- Compliance
- Using self control
- Social skill development
35CNII Data Collection
- Specify the target response to record, the kind
of measure, and procedures for recording (what,
when, where, how) - SUMMARIZE VALIDATE RECORDING PROCEDURES
- Establish date to begin data collection
36CNII Closing
- Establish date of next appointment
- Date, time, place
- Closing Salutation
- Bye! Good luck!
- Ill check back in a few days to see how things
are going. - Call me if you have questions or problems!
37Conjoint Needs Analysis Interview Opening the
Interview
- Use agenda for participants to keep them informed
of the process and meeting objectives (See CNAI
Handout 1) - General Statement re Data and Problem
- Make a general statement to orient consultee
toward data - Questions or Statement about Behavior Strength
- Questions and statements about specific data,
behaviors, and patterns - Statement determining representativeness of the
data
See CNAI Handouts 2 and 3 for structured CNAI
forms
38CNAI Conditions/Functional Analysis
- Underlying assumptions of behavior
- Behavior is contextually defined
- Behaviors arise in relation to environmental
events i.e., both the consequences that maintain
them and the setting events/antecedents that
precede them - The context, and not the form of the behavior,
determines how a behavior is perceived (i.e., its
appropriateness) - Why is this important to understand in
consultation?
39CNAI Conditions/Functional Analysis
- Adequate functional analysis may highlight
important functions of a behavior (i.e., lead to
functional hypotheses) or pinpoint environmental
events (i.e., lead to contextual hypotheses) that
impact or maintain the target behavior - Functions refer to the function that a behavior
serves for an individual, and are often related
to environmental conditions that reinforce its
occurrence (i.e., motivate a person to engage in
the behavior) - Examples include attention, escape, avoidance,
others - It is critically important to conduct a careful
conditions/functional analysis to accurately
generate hypotheses and develop meaningful
interventions
40Primary Outcomes of the Functional Assessment
Process
- A clear description of the problem behaviors,
including classes or sequences of behaviors that
frequently occur together - Identification of events, times, and situations
that predict when the problem behaviors will and
will not occur - Identification of the consequences that maintain
the problem behaviors (i.e., what functions the
behaviors appear to serve for the person)
41Primary Outcomes of the Functional Assessment
Process
- Development of one or more summary statements or
hypotheses that describe specific behaviors, a
specific type of situation in which they occur,
and the outcomes or reinforcers maintaining them
in that situation - Collection of direct observation data that
support the summary statements that have been
developed
42CNAI Conditions/Contextual Analysis
- Antecedents, Consequences, Sequential/Ecological
conditions are explored in relation to the
specific data collected by consultees - What happened before, after, and during the
occurrence of the target behavior? - What things may have triggered or maintained a
behavior? - What patterns were present that may be related to
the occurrence of a target behavior? - Trends across settings (e.g., home and school)
are investigated cross-setting conditions and
setting events are highlighted when appropriate - Are there common things that happen across
settings that trigger or maintain a behavior? - Do events occurring in one setting precipitate,
trigger, or predict a behavior in another setting?
43Conditions Analysis Summary
- Environmental variables can function as
discriminative stimuli for behaviors, as
consequences that maintain behavior, and as
stimuli that elicit behavior - Environment covariation can reflect a causal
relationship, so it is important to identify
environmental sources of behavioral variance - Ask to what extent do target behaviors
demonstrate covariation with environmental
events, and can these controlling environmental
stimuli be targeted for modification?
44CNAI Skills Analysis
- Often what appears to be behavior problems are
in reality related to skill (vs. performance)
deficits - Cant do vs. wont do (i.e., skill vs. will)
- Skills analyses are important when the target
behavior concerns skills to be mastered - Steps of skills analyses
- Identify target skill that should be present
- Break the skill down into component parts
- Assess the clients ability to perform each
component - Determine the uppermost level at which the client
can perform - Develop an intervention starting at this point
45CNAI Hypothesis Generation
- Can be based on the function, context, or
skills/deficits surrounding the behavior - Hypotheses addressing function are based on an
examination of the consequences that are presumed
to maintain the behavior - Contextual hypotheses are based on an analysis of
the settings or events wherein a behavior is
likely to occur - Skills hypotheses are based on the identification
of deficits in the childs behavioral repertoire
46CNAI Interpretation/Hypothesis Statement
- Consultant elicits consultees perception
regarding the purpose, function, or causes of
the behavior - Careful (strategic) questioning and summaries
prior to this point in the process should assist
consultees in forming appropriate hypotheses - More appropriate interpretations should be
provided by the consultant when necessary - Interpretation should be based on the
conditions/skills/functional analyses
(behaviorally- or environmentally-based, rather
than following a medical model) - Provides an important link between assessment and
intervention!
47Case Example
- During independent work time, Servio daydreams
and fails to complete any math worksheet
problems. When his teacher tells him to get to
work, he argues that he is working, and sometimes
writes down random answers. The teacher requires
students to bring uncompleted or incorrect work
home. At home, Servios mother works the night
shift and leaves the house at 700. She tries to
get him to do his homework before leaving, but he
spends his time watching TV, fighting with his
younger brother, and arguing with his mother.
Servio leaves to catch the bus before his mother
gets home from work. Upon returning to school, he
doesnt turn in his worksheet and gets a 0 in
the gradebook. - What are some possible target behaviors in this
case? - What are some possible antecedents, consequences,
and sequential conditions in this case?
(Contextual analysis) - What are some possible functions of his
behaviors? (Functional analysis) - What are some important areas to explore during
the conditions analysis?
48CNAI Plan Strategies
- Focus on identifying
- Ways to change the context
- Ways to prevent the problem behavior
- Ways to increase expected behavior or teach a
replacement behavior - What should happen when the problem behavior
occurs - What should happen when the desired behavior or
replacement behavior occurs
49CNAI Plan Strategies
- Consultant and consultee establish general
strategies and specific tactics that might be
used in treatment implementation - Strategies should be related to the
hypothesis/interpretation statement - May use brainstorming techniques
- SUMMARIZE VALIDATE PLAN
- Use form and write it down!
- See CNAI Handouts 4 - 7
50Other Considerations When Designing Intervention
Programs
- Diagnosis
- Target Behavior Characteristics
- Intervention Variables
- Consultee Variables
- Intervention History
51Interventions That Influence Antecedents of
Problem Behavior
- Alter schedule of activities
- Adapt curriculum or task-specific aspects of
instruction - Vary size of instructional groupings
- Provide special directions regarding instruction
- Introduce pre-corrective strategies before
problems occur - Teach students rules.
52Factors That Influence Success of Consequence
Components of a Behavioral Intervention Plan
- Length of reinforcement interval
- Program reinforcers
- Reinforcement variables.
53Factors Influencing Acceptability of Intervention
- Consistent with teacher and parent beliefs and
values - Does not require too much effort or time
- Does not exceed the skill level of the teacher or
parent (with support) - Is unobtrusive
- Holds promise of effectiveness!
54Escape-Motivated Behavior
- Description Student need to escape from an
aversive situation. - Examples difficult, irrelevant lengthy or
ambiguous assignment undesirable group
placement negative peer or adult interaction. - Intervention Options
- Instruction in signal responses
55Attention-Seeking Behavior
- Description Unmet student need for attention,
coupled with perception that attention is
unlikely to occur. - Examples call outs, swearing, yelling at
classmate or teacher tantrum or noncompliance
with adult request. - Intervention Options
- Non-contingent attention
56Strategies to Support Positive Behavior Changes
- Social/environmental re-engineering
- Cognitive mediation and self-management
- Periodic booster training
- Advocacy training
- Accept just noticeable difference.
57CNAI Closing
- Continue data collection procedures
- Important that data collection continue in the
same manner (time, setting, procedure) as
collected during baseline! - Establish next appointment
- Closing salutation
58Conjoint Plan Evaluation Interview
- Use agenda for participants to keep them informed
of the process and meeting objectives (See CPEI
Handout 1) - Review data collected by consultees chart or
graph the data prior to the meeting if at all
possible
See CPEI Handouts 2 and 3 for structured CPEI
forms
59Treatment Evaluation
- The data gathering activity that allows the
consultant to determine - What progress the client is making
- The overall success of an intervention
- The overall success of services
60Treatment Evaluation as Feedback
- Feedback is provided to consultant and consultees
throughout the course of consultation - Evaluation allows for immediate modification of
the treatment plan, if necessary - Evaluation/feedback can suggest information about
the adequacy of treatment implementation
(integrity and strength)
61Requirements of Best Practices in Treatment
Evaluation
- Take systematic, relevant, and repeated measures
of the target behavior - Specify treatments in such a way that they can be
replicated - Determine whether treatments are actually
benefiting the client - Use appropriate design elements (time-series
methodology) to demonstrate and replicate
meaningful outcomes/effects
62Evaluating the Intervention
- Remember
- Techniques making up the intervention must be
completely identified and described - Written summaries/manuals are helpful
- Specification enhances treatment integrity and
allows for empirical investigation of the
treatment program - Careful specification is critical for replication
purposes
63Establishing the Degree of Variability
- Sources of Variability
- Measurement procedures/measurement error
- Extraneous variables/outside influences
- Treatment program (the good kind of variability!)
- Remember
- The influences of measurement error and
extraneous variables must be sufficiently limited
or clear to enable a reasonable statement about
the effects of the treatment
64What to Do if Data are Excessively Variable
- Wait and see if patterns become clearer
variability may be temporary - Analyze the sources of variability
- Explore possible effects due to measurement error
- Identify possible extraneous variables
- Attempt to control all possible extraneous
variables - Examine the temporal unit of analysis (e.g.,
daily vs. weekly data sets). Some detail may be
lost, but Part of good clinical skill seems to
involve knowing when to ignore individual trees
in order to see the forest (Hayes Nelson,
1986, p. 439).
65Improving Consultation Cases
- Use objective (e.g., frequency counts), rather
than subjective data - Collect data continuously throughout all phases
of case study (baseline, treatment, follow up) - Collect historical data effects of treatment are
more convincing if problems are chronic and
intractable
66Improving Consultation Cases
- Consider repeating procedures over a number of
cases to replicate the effects - Include diverse subjects in replication attempts
to assess breadth of intervention - Standardize assessment and treatment procedures,
including consultation procedures - For example, by using structured interview forms
and standard intervention programs, the details
of what was done (and how) becomes clear
67Improving Consultation Cases
- Assess treatment integrity to ensure that the
intervention was implemented correctly - This allows for immediate revisions or attention
- Only when interventions are implemented
appropriately can effects of the intervention be
determined - Assess clinical meaningfulness of outcomes
through social validation procedures - Treatment acceptability
- Perceptions of effectiveness of interventions
- Subjective measures of outcomes
- Degree to which consultation goals were met
- Assess generalization and follow up
68Improving Consultation Cases
- Formalize procedures for analyzing case data
- Level changes from baseline to treatment
- Immediacy effects
- Overlap in data points across phases
- Within phase variability
- Trend in baseline and treatment (see Tawney
Gast) - Use formal design structure when possible
- ABAB (reversal design)
- A/B/BC/A (multi-element design with reversal)
- Multiple baseline designs
69Assessing Client Outcomes
- Direct Observations
- Consultees can collect data daily, but keep
procedures simple! (see consultation record) - Use permanent product data if appropriate
- Include independent observations when possible
(e.g., weekly) - Include procedures for improving case studies
(Galloway Sheridan, 1994 Kratochwill, 1985)
70Assessing Client Outcomes
- Goal Attainment Scaling
- Provides a method for quantifying parents and
teachers reports of treatment progress with
regard to a target behavior and consultation goal - Ratings are made on a 5-point scale from 2 to
-2 (2behavioral goal fully met 1behavioral
goal partially met 0no progress toward goal
-1behavior somewhat worse -2behavior
significantly worse) - Assess periodically (e.g., weekly) throughout
treatment
71Assessing Client Outcomes
- Rating Scales Questionnaires
- Include pre- and post- standardized checklists as
they relate to your case (e.g., SSRS, Conners
Questionnaires, etc.) - Include Problem Behavior Questionnaire during
problem identification/analysis to obtain
information about the function of the target
behavior
72Problem Behavior Questionnaire
- 15-item scale completed by teachers
- Responses based on the degree to which an event
is likely to be observed relative to a problem
behavior - Five functional areas assessed access to peer
attention, access to teacher attention,
escape/avoidance of peer attention,
escape/avoidance of teacher attention, setting
events
73Problem Behavior Questionnaire
- Scores plotted on the PBQ Profile
- Items marked 3 or above are considered potential
hypotheses for the problem behavior if 2 or more
items within one area are rated 3 or above, a
primary hypothesis is suggested - Authors suggest that interventions should focus
on teaching the student an alternative behavior
that serves the same function as the problem
behavior
74Assessing Client Outcomes
- Social Validity
- Include social comparison and subjective
evaluation data (Kazdin, 1977) - Treatment Acceptability
- Include Child Intervention Rating Profile (Witt
Elliott)