Comparing Accuracy of Descriptive Assessment Methods Following a Group Training and Feedback

Abstract

As one component of a functional behavioral assessment, descriptive assessments (DA) can help determine the maintaining variable of a student’s problem behavior in school. School districts often employ board-certified behavior analysts as consultants to conduct DAs by observing a student and recording the environmental variables surrounding problem behavior. However, consultants may have to rely on school personnel to conduct DAs due to environmental constraints. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which 18 school staff accurately collected DA data with two types of recording formats, narrative and structured, prior to and after receiving a group training that consisted of verbal review and group feedback. Results based on visual analysis indicate that (a) 4 participants engaged in high levels of accurate, narrative DA recording in baseline; (b) 10 of 14 participants reached mastery criteria after training for both narrative and structured DA recording formats; and (c) 4 participants did not reach mastery criteria after training for either recording format. Despite sub-mastery performance by some participants, supplemental statistical analyses and visual inspection indicate that the group training improved all participants’ accuracy from baseline. These findings have important implications for training school staff members to collect DA data.