Question

ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis Techniques by BCBA O Copy link Video Description: The ABA therapist first shows and describes to a little girl a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) that they will use to categorize her emotions at any given time. The PECS is a 9-point scale from very sad and angry to very happy. It is also categorized by color, with red highlighting points 1-3 (generally upset), and green highlighting points 4-9 (generally ambivalent or happy). If the little girl is in green, she will be able to talk to the therapist and he will talk to her. If she is in red, the therapist will not talk to her. The first instance of the therapist using the PECS is when the child is laughing while jumping on the bed. The therapist put the PECS at very happy. The second instance is when the little girl is playing with some stuffed animals, clearly a little bit sad. She is upset because she wanted a different stuff animal that was not available that day. The therapist lowers the little girls rating on the PECS, but it is still in the green. The last behavior was the little girl crying for her dog. The therapist clearly shows the child that he is moving the PECS down to red, and at this point starts to ignore the child by not making eye contact and not speaking to her. After the child calms down, the therapist moves the PECS to green and asks her what she wants, and she politely asks for her dog. The therapist goes and gets the dog for her. Question 2 (1 pt.) Homework - Unanswered What is the problem behavior the man in the video is attempting to modify? Unanswered Submit Question 3 (3 pts.) Homework - Unanswered What intervention is the man employing on the young girl? Describe your rationale for your answer.

Answer 1

The therapist is trying to modify the girl's behavior when she is upset. As shown in the video, she starts crying instead of communicating what is wrong. This is what he is trying to work on.

The therapist is using negative reinfircement to do this. He does not make eye contact and does not speak with the girl when she is upset. Therefore, she stops crying after some time and looks at him for attention. This is slowly encourage the desired beahvior, that is, using PECS to communicate her feelings.