A psychologist is conducting an assessment of a child who appears to have high distractibility in a classroom setting. The psychologist is interested in what happens just before the child is distracted from a task, how the child behaves during the distracted period, and what happens immediately after the task disruption. In assessing the relationship between situational influences and behavior, the psychologist is using a(n) _____ analysis.

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The psychologist is interested in understanding how situational influences are related to the child's behavior. This suggests the use of a functional analysis, which focuses on understanding the antecedents and consequences of behavior in order to identify factors that maintain problem behavior. A topical analysis involves looking at the content or subject matter of behavior, a structural analysis looks at the organization or structure of behavior, and an internal analysis would involve looking at psychological processes within the child.

A Psychologist Is Conducting an Assessment of a Child Who