What would a behavior analyst want to know about a child who displays frequent disruptive behaviors?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A behavior analyst would be interested in identifying the environmental factors (stimuli) that are maintaining the child's disruptive behavior. This information is crucial for developing effective behavior interventions and teaching replacement behaviors that produce more desirable outcomes. Identifying and manipulating the antecedents and consequences of the behavior can help to reduce the frequency of the behavior over time.

Answer: C
 A behavior analyst would also be interested in identifying whether reflexive-eliciting behaviors (e.g. crying, screaming, hitting) have become conditioned to neutral stimuli (e.g. toys, people, rooms) in the child's environment. This can happen when a child learns that engaging in a particular behavior (e.g. hitting) is effective in obtaining a desired outcome (e.g. attention), or when the behavior is automatically elicited by specific stimuli in the environment.

Answer: A and D
 While understanding a child's emotions and family history may provide some context and insight into their behavior, they may not necessarily be the most relevant factors for developing effective behavior interventions. A behavior analyst would want to focus on identifying the specific antecedents and consequences that are shaping the child's behavior, as this information is most likely to lead to effective behavior change.

What Would a Behavior Analyst Want to Know About a Child