Client Assessment: An Overview

 



Recommended Reading:

VB -MAPP assessment tool

ABLLS-R assessment tool

AFLS assessment tool

The Practical Functional Behavior Assessment


There are many commercial assessment tools out there that are purchased and utilized by ABA practitioners, typically at the BCBA level (BCBAs typically are the ones conducting new client intake). 

Often when I work with supervisees (meaning individuals pursuing BCBA certification) or very new practitioners, they have many questions about Assessment. Such as, which tool to select for which client, pros and cons of each tool, what materials to use (particularly if the employer does not provide assessment kits), differences between assessing a younger child vs a young adult or adult, differences in assessing in the home vs community settings, etc. And of course, varying funder requirements will also influence which assessment tool is selected and even how much time is allowed to conduct an assessment.

In summary, the questions focus on "HOW". How do I pick the best assessment, for this client, in this particular setting, to gain the most helpful information?


Because at the end of the day, that IS the point of assessment: to gain valuable and salient information about the client that will guide programming and determine which goals to prioritize for treatment. 


Putting aside the specific options for a moment, the key characteristics of a quality client assessment will include the following: 

  • A variety of methods across both direct and indirect observation, interviews, checklists, tests, and/or direct skill probing to identify and define targets for intervention 
  • The priorities and areas of concern of the client, client caregiver/parents, or other caregivers close to the client
  • Record review of pertinent files or reports
  • Selection & measurement of goals
  • Problem behavior identification, measurement, and assessment

The assessment process is an absolute necessity to beginning treatment with any client. Regardless of age, setting, areas of concern, treatment model, etc., without proper assessment the intervention isn't likely to be effective or achieve true long-lasting change.

More important than the specific tool to select, is the ability to conceptualize treatment and prioritize goals. Assessment tools do have characteristics in common, and a big one is the assessor must already have an understanding and knowledge of capturing client attention, delivering the SD, prompting and prompt fading, data measurement, and conducting a thorough interview to gather important information about client functioning. For this reason, although some organizations will assign non-BCBAs to conduct assessments it is critical that the assessor (regardless of certification level) have the appropriate skillset and training to administer an assessment.

It is also important to recognize that the client's needs should guide assessment tool selection, and not just the tools that are available, the BCBA preference of tool, or other non-critical decision factors. Many organizations may only have 1 or 2 assessment tool options, which would then mean the clients served would need to be narrowed to the ones most appropriate for the assessment tools (e.g. if an organization does not have an appropriate assessment tool for early intervention, then early intervention clients should not be admitted). 

Lastly, let's not forget that completing a thorough assessment is meaningless if it isn't then connected to goal setting. What was the point of identifying barriers to learning, maladaptive behaviors, and skill deficits impeding daily functioning, if these goals never show up in the treatment plan? Or are never addressed in therapy? It is possible to overfocus on the assessment tool to the point that important, necessary daily life skills get neglected. For example: assuming that because a client has "filled" an assessment grid, they are now done with therapy/have no further need of intervention. 

If the assessment (when I use the word "assessment", I mean a combination of record review, interview, observation, and direct skill probing) identifies Gross Motor Skills, Manding, and Vocal Imitation as areas of significant concern, then programming for those areas should be reflected in the treatment plan. The absence of this, is often seen in "cookie-cutter interventions". Cookie-Cutter interventions can be recognized by their disconnect from the individual priorities or high need areas, and by their generic replication across multiple clients. While it is true that many clients with no prior intervention will present similarly (may share struggles with social skills or toileting), this is not the same thing as saying "Here are the 10 goals I select for ALL 5 -year- olds", or "Here is how I teach Toileting for ALL toddlers". If ABA is not customized and individualized, it isn't really ABA





 
*References - 

Cooper, Heron, & Heward (2014). Applied Behavior Analysis




*Awesome Resource - 











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