Endicott College.
Kansas State University.
J Exp Anal Behav. 2021 Sep;116(2):166-181. doi: 10.1002/jeab.711. Epub 2021 Aug 31.
Functional analysis can be considered a diagnostic assessment that behavior analysts use to determine behavioral function. Such a diagnosis ultimately requires a yes or no decision (i.e., a variable maintains a behavior, or it does not) that is determined by both subjective (clinical judgement) and objective (data) variables. Accurate and reliable identification of function is essential for successful treatment, yet behavior analysts' interpretation of data relies on their ability to detect visual differences in graphed data. Some research indicates that behavior analysts have questionable reliability in their visual analysis. To further examine the reliability, accuracy, and bias in visual analysis of functional analysis graphs, we simulated functional analysis results and surveyed 121 BCBA-Ds experienced in visual analysis. We then examined reliability of responses and used a signal detection theory approach to analyze accuracy and bias. Findings suggest that reliability and accuracy of judgements are questionable, and exploration of decision aids is warranted.
功能分析可以被认为是一种诊断评估，行为分析师用它来确定行为的功能。这种诊断最终需要一个是或否的决定（即，变量维持一种行为，或者它不维持），这是由主观（临床判断）和客观（数据）变量共同决定的。准确可靠地识别功能对于成功的治疗至关重要，然而，行为分析师对数据的解释依赖于他们检测图形数据中视觉差异的能力。一些研究表明，行为分析师在他们的视觉分析中存在可疑的可靠性。为了进一步检查视觉分析功能分析图的可靠性、准确性和偏差，我们模拟了功能分析结果，并调查了 121 名有视觉分析经验的 BCBA-Ds。然后，我们检查了反应的可靠性，并使用信号检测理论方法来分析准确性和偏差。研究结果表明，判断的可靠性和准确性值得怀疑，有必要探索决策辅助工具。
