A Practical Guide to Functional Assessment and Treatment for Severe Problem Behavior discusses how to utilize functional assessment and function-based treatment for patients with severe problem behaviors. The book begins by defining problem behavior, contrasting functional and structural definitions, and clearly reviewing the term “severe”. The second section, Functional Assessment of Problem Behavior, reviews three different assessments in detail, providing sample questionnaires, methods for interviewing and brief bonus videos. The third section, Function-Based Treatments, outlines three main treatment options, including comprehensive and trauma-informed strategies and outline information on collecting, graphing, and analyzing treatment data.
The final section, Promoting Sustainability and Compassionate Care will review strategies to implement these assessments and treatments in a culturally relevant and compassionate way.
- Details various examples of indirect assessments methods, including interviews and questionnaires
- Addresses the integration and testing of hypotheses from indirect and descriptive assessments into functional analyses
- Reviews treatments based on a trauma-informed framework
- Outlines common ethical issues, including strategies to use when function-based treatments do not work and the management of restrictive practices
- Includes bonus brief vignettes to illustrate procedures and assessments
Dr. Joshua Jessel completed his master’s degree at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County where he worked with individuals who exhibited severe problem behavior on the neurobehavioral inpatient unit of the Kennedy Krieger Institute. He went on to earn his doctoral degree at Western New England University with his primary research focusing on the assessment and treatment of problem behavior with autistic children. Dr. Jessel continued to extend this line of research as a postdoctoral fellow at a clinic in Texas where he oversaw nearly 100 children admitted to an outpatient program. Dr. Jessel has currently authored over 50 research articles and chapters and continues his scholarship as an assistant professor at Queens College in New York City.
I have worked with children and adults with developmental disabilities for over 30 years as a volunteer; camp counselor; researcher; clinical psychologist in the British National Health Service; Chief Psychologist in developmental centers in Texas; consultant for many community services; and consultant to the states of Louisiana and Wyoming. I have been involved in professional training in Britain, Louisiana State University and now Queens College. It has always struck me that children and adults with developmental disabilities would have a better life, be happier, more autonomous and valued by other people if their staff and family members got a little help to do few simple things –interact positively and often, use contingent reinforcement accurately, teach a few simple skills and be more sensitive to preferences. I also believe that if these happened consistently, staff and family members would feel more competent.
