When conducting a behavioral assessment, it's crucial to evaluate the student’s repertoire of skills. This process identifies potential replacement behaviors for inappropriate actions while recognizing existing skills that can be further developed. By doing so, educators and parents can guide students toward more age-appropriate and context-appropriate behaviors.
How to Evaluate the Repertoire of Skills
To evaluate a student's skill repertoire, consider these steps:
Identify Possible Replacement Behaviors:
Look for appropriate behaviors that could replace problem behaviors.
Example: If a student yells in class, teaching them to raise their hand to speak can serve as a replacement behavior.
Determine Skills That Could Reduce Problem Behaviors:
Identify skills the student lacks that, if developed, could lower the chances of problem behaviors.
Example: If a student struggles to follow directions, it might be beneficial to teach direction-following as a new skill.
Assess Whether the Problem Behavior Stems from a Skill Deficit or Medical Condition:
Rule out medical conditions or deficits that might contribute to the behavior.
Example: A student who has trouble concentrating could be evaluated for a learning disorder or other underlying issue.
Resources to Assess Skill Repertoires
Behavior analysts and educators can use the following tools:
Assessment of Functional Living Skills (AFLS): Assesses self-care, social, academic, and employment skills.
Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP): Evaluates language and communication abilities.
Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills, Revised (ABLLS-R): Focuses on language and foundational learning skills.
PEAK Relational Training System: Uses behavior analysis for skill assessment and intervention.
Adaptive Behavior Assessment System™, Third Edition (ABAS™-3): Measures adaptive skills needed for everyday independence.
Skill Strengths and Gaps
Skill Strengths: These are activities the student has already mastered and performs with confidence. Use these as a foundation for setting goals to develop additional skills.
Skill Gaps: These are activities the student wants to improve or perform with greater confidence. Identifying these deficits helps create targeted intervention plans.