Descriptive Assessment
Also called: descriptive analysis, direct observation assessment
Definition
Direct observation of the behavior and the events around it under naturally occurring conditions, without changing anything. ABC recording, scatter plots and structured observation forms are the common tools. It yields correlations between events and behavior that can generate hypotheses, which a functional analysis can then test.
In plain language
Watching the behavior where it normally happens and recording what goes on around it. It shows patterns but does not test them.
Example
A technician observes a whole morning and notes each outburst along with the activity, the people present and what followed.
Not descriptive assessment
Arranging an attention condition and a demand condition and comparing them. That manipulation makes it a functional analysis.
Commonly confused with
See also
Written from
- bijou-peterson-ault-1968
- hanley-iwata-mccord-2003
Written from Bijou, Peterson and Ault (1968) and Hanley, Iwata and McCord (2003). No textbook glossary consulted.
This entry has not yet been through clinical review. Treat it as a draft.