Preference assessment
We use the preference assessment to identify behavioral reinforcement mechanisms and pinpoint environments where these mechanisms are most powerful. To start, we closely observe your child to identify high preference items, then we prioritize those items by presenting them to your child for selection. We use these items as a means to reinforce positive behavior. As your child’s preferences change, we update the preference assessment. Preference assessments are valuable because they help us form hypotheses about the relationship between behavior and the environment. They also provide information about the function of behavior, help identify reinforcement mechanisms and foster proactive, positive interventions.
Verbal behavior milestones assessment and placement program (VB-MAPP)
This assessment is based on Dr. B.F. Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior and the typical verbal development of children without Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). It measures your child’s performance on several communication, language and social skills benchmarks and gives an approximate developmental age for each skill. This information is useful in determining individualized goals and objectives. The Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) also includes a Barriers Assessment that identifies behavioral challenges, and a Transition Assessment that helps the team determine the least restrictive environment for learning to take place. Administered annually or biannually, the VB-MAPP serves as a benchmark to gauge the progress your child is making in targeted skill areas.
Functional behavior assessment (FBA)
This assessment helps us uncover the function or purpose that a challenging behavior serves for your child, including attention, escape/avoidance, etc. In other words, we help determine why your child is displaying challenging behaviors. Once these behaviors are identified, we can identify replacement behaviors that serve the same function.
The process of learning about how children develop problem behaviors is called functional behavioral assessment (FBA). If we learn about the behaviors and know when and where they are likely to happen, we can plan positive strategies to teach new behaviors. These strategies are called positive behavioral interventions. Teachers and parents will use the information from an FBA to help a child learn new skills. The goal is to teach children how to manage their own behaviors.
AFLS: Assessment Of Functional Living Skills, Basic, Home and Community
The Assessment of Functional Living Skills (AFLS) is an assessment, skills tracking system and curriculum guide for the development of essential skills for achieving independence. It can be used to demonstrate a learner's current functional skill repertoire and provide tracking information for the progressive development of these skills throughout the lifespan. The AFLS contains task analyses of many of the skills essential for participation in a wide range of family, community and work environments and can be used simultaneously with the ABLLS®-R. There are currently three Protocols, and they address these different areas: Basic Living Skills, Home Skills and Community Participation Skills.
