Applied Behaviour Analysis (Intellectual and Developmental Disability) - PCert, PDip, MSc

The aim of this module is to develop an advanced understanding of elements of the philosophy, concepts and principles underpinning applied behaviour analysis.

Indicative topics include:

Philosophical assumptions including selectionism, determinism, empiricism, parsimony and pragmatism

Rule-governed and contingency-shaped behaviour

Radical behaviourism

Verbal behaviour and private events

Derived stimulus relations

Behaviour analysis of intellectual and developmental disability.

Find out more about TZ900

The curriculum will include, at an advanced level:

• Behavioural intervention for challenging behaviour

• Assessment and analysis of systemic factors in relation to behaviour described as challenging and the use of setting-wide positive behaviour support

• Specific intervention areas in autism and IDD (e.g. language, sleep issues, feeding problems, toilet training, social skills, and vocational skills)

• Models of consulting to family and service settings

• Staff training methodologies

• Organisational behaviour analysis and management in a human service context

Find out more about TZ901

The aim of this module is to develop advanced understanding of the design and implementation of positive strategies to improve the behavioural and psychological functioning of vulnerable populations, and their support by carers and others.

Topics will include:

Approaches to increasing the frequency of behaviour

Approaches to developing new behaviour

Using assessment information to inform intervention planning

Design of behaviour support plans, instructional strategies and appropriately prosthetic environmental arrangements

Precision teaching, direct instruction and group contingencies

Barriers to implementation

Procedural reliability

Generalisation and maintenance

Find out more about TZ902

The aim of this module is to develop competencies in the assessment of both adaptive and challenging behaviour in the repertoires of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Teaching on assessment starts from an appreciation of the importance of social validity and referral dynamics. Specific assessment strategies relating to challenging behaviour (including structured descriptive assessment and experimental functional analysis) are considered. The application of similar strategies are also considered with respect to adaptive behaviour and associated instructional technologies. Further, the curriculum includes methods of preference assessment to determine appropriate reinforcers. In all topics there is attention both to the development of practical understanding and skill and to the development of a critical appreciation of the underpinning evidence base. Following consideration of these assessment strategies, attention is given to the development of formulations of the behaviour of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities that can inform the development of behaviour support plans, instructional strategies and appropriately prosthetic environmental arrangements

Find out more about TZ903

The curriculum will include, at an advanced level:

• Ethical and legal issues

• Philosophical underpinnings of ethical practice

• The role of ideology in the development of intellectual disability services

• The development of approaches to individual planning and needs assessment, particularly the role of "person-centred planning"

• Ethical codes and guidelines – does Behaviour Analysis raise special ethical issues?

• Codes of professional practice

• Discrimination and abuse

• Adopting person-centred, values-based approaches to children and adults with complex needs.

• Evidence based practice and practice based evidence

Find out more about TZ904

The aim of this module is to develop an advanced understanding of elements and characteristics of the concepts and principles underpinning applied behaviour analysis (ABA). The module will start from an appreciation of the roots of ABA in the experimental analysis of behaviour. Operant and respondent conditioning will be considered, starting from fundamentals but proceeding to an advanced understanding of the necessary concepts and their underpinning in research. Particular attention will be given to elucidating both the conceptual basis and the applied implications of reinforcement, extinction and punishment, avoidance and escape, stimulus control and generalization, establishing operations and setting events. The interpretation of complex behaviour will be considered both with respect to the integrated application of fundamental concepts and the conceptual extensions and developments required.

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The aim of this module is to develop competencies in the definition, observation, recording and analysis of behaviour and its controlling variables. While the module provides an introduction to research methodology more generally, the focus is primarily on those data collection methods and experimental designs used in applied behaviour analysis. Topics will include:

Observational methods of data collection

Reliability and validity of observational data

Practical approaches to checking and calculating reliability

Visual representation of data

Internal and external validity

Practical and theoretical aspects of using reversal, multiple-baseline, alternating treatments and changing criterion designs

Visual and statistical interpretation of single case data

Comparative, component and parametric analyses.

Find out more about TZ907

Learning and teaching will focus on consolidating the knowledge and skills developed through taught modules, and supporting application of learning to applied behaviour analytic practice in the workplace or comparable environment. Students will receive supervision to undertake assessment and intervention with individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities. In the course of group and/or individual supervision sessions they will be expected to apply knowledge from taught modules to the specific individuals or circumstances with which they are working. They will be directed to academic and professional literature of specific relevance to their individual work and they will be encouraged to behave professionally and ethically both in their practice and in their interactions with other developing professionals in supervision sessions.

Find out more about TZ8000

During the first term of the course students will develop ideas for their dissertation and will be given the opportunity to choose an empirical or non-empirical research project proposed and supervised by members of the course team or other Tizard staff. Subject to staff agreement, students may choose to design their own project and will be allocated a project supervisor. Students may complete either an empirical or a non-empirical (e.g. policy or research review) project. Students are expected to complete a dissertation on a topic relevant to their degree title.

Students develop a proposal for their dissertation with advice from their supervisor and, where applicable, apply for ethical approval either to the Tizard Ethics Committee (Ethical Review Checklist available on web-based resources) or to another ethics committee such as those in the NHS.

Find out more about TZ889