Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Doggett, R. Anthony

Committee Member

Henington, Carlen

Committee Member

Armstrong, Kevin

Committee Member

Arnault, Lynne

Committee Member

McCleon, Tawny

Date of Degree

12-11-2009

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Major

Educational Psychology

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)

College

College of Education

Department

Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Foundations

Abstract

Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is defined as a range of behavior assessment procedures that are used to identify or clarify functional relationships between behavior and environmental events. A variety of methods and instruments are used within a FBA (e.g., record reviews, interviews, rating scales, direct observations, experimental analysis conditions) and the increased awareness of this methodology has created interest in properly investigating the psychometric properties (e.g., reliability, validity) of the measures. Preliminary convergent validity has been demonstrated across some of the measures used to identify functional relationships; however, further evaluation is needed to establish the psychometric properties as well as the utility of functional assessment measures. The primary purpose of the current research was to evaluate psychometric properties of a newly developed informant record (e.g., Functional Assessment Informant Record for Parents-Checklist; FAIR-P-CL). Specifically, the reliability of the measure (i.e., test-retest and inter-scorer reliability), validity of the measures (i.e., convergence with the Functional Assessment Screening Tool-Revised; FAST-R and convergence across phases of FBA), and socially validity (i.e., use of acceptability rating scales) were assessed. Results of the study suggested appropriate test-retest reliability of the FAIR-P-CL. Convergent validity was obtained across all phases of FBA with the majority of participants. The FAIR-P-CL identified the target behavior noncompliance as a multiple function behavior for 4 out of 5 participants suggesting the use of a treatment package in contrast to a specific function-based intervention. Appropriate social validity was obtained across the FAIR-P-CL, assessment and intervention phases of the study. Overall results of the study provided preliminary support for the psychometric properties of the FAIR-P-CL and extended the utility of functional assessment instruments to typically developing children in a clinic-based setting.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/17073

Download

Share

COinS