ABC Data Collection Assignment
Danielle Joseph
Ball State University
Directions: The following assignment will be completed in three parts. In part A,
please identify the potential function from the filled in data sheet below. Once you
have determined the potential function, provide an explanation (using the data
presented) to justify your answer. In part B, provide an ABC data sheet for a
hypothetical client/behavior that is indicative of one of the functions from the text.
Be sure to indicate which function you chose following your ABC Chart. Your data
sheet should contain at least 20 observations. In Part C, create and complete a
scatterplot data chart for a hypothetical client/behavior.
ABC DATA SHEET
Learner: Derek T.
Observer: Susan T.
Observation Dates: 7/31/13–8/5/13
Date
7/31
Setting
Group
Instruction
Antecedent
Ms. Z providing
instruction to
entire class
Behavior
Yelling and
waving hands
in the air
Independent
work
Ms. Z walking
around class
helping other
students
Ms. Z helping a
student on
other side of
the room
Waving hands
in he air
Yelling “I
NEED help!!!”
Teacher
reprimand, and
then asks Derek
what he needs
help with
Yelling “I’m so Peers laugh,
dang hungry!” and teacher
reprimands
Derek
Screams “I
Reprimand
hate broccoli, I from cafeteria
want pizza!”
staff member
Hallway
Transition to
Lunch
Students lined
up in hallway
Lunch line
Cafeteria staff
asks another
student what
they would like
to eat
Teacher at her Yells “This is
desk
too hard!!!”
Independent
work
Consequence
Teacher
reprimand
(Derek, put
down your
hands!)
Teacher ignores
response
Teacher
delivers
reprimand, and
Group work
8/1/13
Morning
routine
Reading
Group
instruction
Students
talking
amongst
themselves
Ms. Z helping
student with
writing prompt
Students
sitting at
desks, Ms. Z
walking
around the
room
Ms. Z giving
directions to
class
Group
instruction
Ms. Z giving
directions to
class
Hallway
transition to
computer lab
Students lined
up, Ms. Z at the
back of the line
then provides
help
Peers laugh
In appropriate
comment “Ms.
Miller has a
big butt!”
Yelling “I think Students laugh,
this is
Ms. Z
STUPID!”
reprimands
Derek
Inappropriate Students laugh
comment
and start
“Percy Jackson repeating
is a huge
comment
booger eater!”
Inappropriate
comment “I’m
not doing this,
it’s just dumb”
Inappropriate
comment
“This work is
just mean
spirited”
Yelling “Hey,
fat-head in the
front, pick up
the pace! I’m
NOT going to
miss MY
computer
time. “
Teacher
reprimand
Teacher
reprimand
Teacher
reprimand, and
students laugh.
PART A
The functions of behavior I see in the ABC Data sheet shown above is access to
attention behaviors. There are three instances where the teacher is talking to the
entire class that the behavior follows, four instances where the teacher or another
individual is talking directly to themselves that the behavior follows. Two instances,
of transitional period that the behavior follows, and three instances of the teacher
and peers’ keeping to themselves that the behavior follows. There are four instances
where the consequence of the behavior is a reprimand, two instances where the
consequence is attention from peers, three instances where the consequence is both
a reprimand, two instances where the consequence is a reprimand and direct
attention from peers, two instances where the consequence is a reprimand and
direct attention from the teacher, and one instance of the behavior being ignored.
After the behavior is ignored, the child seems to resort to yelling out more as
opposed to just waving his hands. Upon reading the provided data sheet, it seems
that the function of Derek’s behavior is attention. His behaviors all result in gaining
the attention of either the teacher or his classmates. Some of the behaviors seem like
they could also be related to gaining access, but the consequences do not reflect that.
PART B
Learner: Lawrence P
Observer: Brittany P
Observation Dates: 10/10/18-10/14/18
Date
10/10/18
9:00am
Location
Middle school
therapy room
Antecedent
When Lawrence
arrived, Danny
began to sing the
“Duplicate” song
Behavior
Lawrence threw
his backpack on
the floor and
yelled at Danny
to shut up.
10/10/18
10:44am
Middle school
therapy room
During centers,
Lawrence was
presented with a
novel passage for
reading fluency.
Lawrence
refused to read
the assigned
passage by
throwing it on
the ground.
10/10/18
11:02am
Middle school
therapy room
During centers,
Lawrence was
presented with
money related
fluency trials that
he does not like.
Lawrence swiped
the currency
examples off of
the table and all
over the floor.
10/10/18
11:20am
Middle
school
therapy
room
Upon
completion of
centers, the
group game was
announced. It
was not one of
Lawrence’s
preferred
games.
Lawrence
whined and
repeated, “No
thank you”
multiple
times. When
therapist
directed
Lawrence to
go to his seat
for the game,
Consequence
Therapist
redirected
Lawrence to
ignore Danny and
to pick up
backpack and
hang it up
appropriately.
Therapist
redirected
Lawrence and
held demand for
assigned passage.
Upon compliance,
reinforcement
was provided.
Therapist
redirected and
held demand.
Other therapists
in the room
reinforced peers
for appropriate
behavior.
Other
therapists in
the room
reinforced
peers for
appropriate
behavior and
began the
group game.
Lawrence
therapist had
10/10/18
1:11pm
Middle
school
therapy
room
Lawrence did
not want to
participate in
the art project.
10/11/18
9:42am
STEM lab
Lawrence
bought time in
the STEM lab
with the 3D
printer. The
printer was
jammed and
wasn’t working.
10/11/18
10:40am
Middle
school
therapy
room
During centers,
Lawrence was
presented with
the same
passage as
he stomped
his feet and
screamed,
NO!” in
therapist’s
face and began
pounding on
the nearest
table
repeatedly.
Lawrence also
swiped a
reinforcer box
off of the
table,
scattering
reinforcers all
over the floor.
Lawrence
repeatedly
screamed, “No
thank you” at
the therapists.
He pounded
the table and
attempted to
flip his desk
over. He also
threw his
pencil at a
peer.
Lawrence
cursed at the
printer and
slammed his
hand down on
the counter.
Lawrence
refused to
read the
assigned
passage by
him correct the
environment
and clean up
the spilled
reinforcers.
When finished,
therapist held
demand on
Lawrence to
attend to group
game. He
ended up
winning the
game.
Therapist
redirected and
held demand.
Other
therapists in
the room
reinforced
peers for
appropriate
behavior.
Therapist
reminded
Lawrence that
we have to be
safe with the
STEM lab, had
him breathe
and count to
10.
Therapist
redirected
Lawrence and
held demand
for assigned
yesterday for
reading fluency.
10/11/18
11:04am
Middle
school
therapy
room
10/11/18
11:14am
Middle
school
therapy
room
10/11/18
1:12pm
Art room
10/12/18
11:41am
Backyard
throwing it on
the ground.
passage. Upon
compliance,
reinforcement
was provided.
Lawrence
Lawrence
Therapist had
vocalized that
began
to place
he thought that screaming,
Lawrence in a
Danny was
pounding
safety hold to
making fun of
tables, flipping maintain safety
him. Danny was chairs,
for the entire
not even in the
attempting to group. Other
room.
him therapists therapists in
and throwing the room
things at
reinforced
peers.
peers for
appropriate
behavior and
for ignoring the
outburst.
Once Lawrence Lawrence
Therapist
calmed down,
began to cry
redirected
he returned to
when
Lawrence and
the DTT centers. presented
held demand
He voiced that
with the math for assigned
he was ready to fluency.
passage. Upon
work and was
compliance,
presented with
reinforcement
simple math
was provided.
fluency.
Art project was Lawrence
Therapist
underway and
screamed at
redirected
Lawrence
the peer,
Lawrence and
wanted to assist calling him
other
a peer with
stupid.
therapists in
their project,
the room
but the peer did
reinforced
not want him to
peers for
help.
appropriate
behavior and
for ignoring the
outburst.
Group game was Lawrence
Therapist
a gross motor
pushed the
redirected
obstacle course. peer that had
Lawrence and
reinforced
Lawrence came
in second place.
a better score
than he did.
Lawrence
declared he
thought the
food choice
was “nasty”
and “stupid”.
He attempted
to knock the
serving dish
over.
Lawrence
cried.
10/12/18
12:01pm
Cafeteria
Group lunch
was a menu
item chosen by
another peer
10/12/18
1:44pm
Middle
school
therapy
room
During DTT,
Lawrence
wanted to
choose the
music. It was
Pete turn so he
couldn’t.
10/13/18
11:54am
Backyard
During outdoor
group game,
Lawrence
missed his
basketball
shots.
Lawrence
retrieved the
basketball and
slam bounced
it at a peer.
10/13/18
12:24pm
Cafeteria
Lawrence was
preparing his
lunch and
decided he
didn’t like what
he had already
cooked.
Therapist told
him that he had
to eat what he
already made,
that he couldn’t
Lawrence
screamed at
therapist,
attempted to
hit her in the
face, and
attempted to
elope from the
kitchen.
peers for their
appropriate
behavior.
Therapist had
Lawrence clean
up the mess he
made. He also
had to try the
food. He ended
up enjoying the
meal.
Therapist
redirected
Lawrence and
held demand
for DTT. Upon
compliance,
reinforcement
was provided
Therapist had
Lawrence
retrieve the
ball and
present it to
peer
appropriately
and reinforced
peers for their
appropriate
behavior.
Therapist had
to place
Lawrence in a
safety hold.
When calm, he
returned to the
meal and the
demand did
not change. He
ate what was
presented and
accessed
open another
meal.
Upon
completion of
meal, Lawrence
was instructed
to put his dishes
in the trash and
clean up.
10/13/18
12:30pm
Cafeteria
Lawrence
dropped his
head on the
table and
sobbed.
10/13/18
1:14pm
Art room
Another group
was walking
past the art
room and
laughing loudly.
Lawrence
threw a book
at the Art
room door.
10/14/18
9:54am
Middle
school
therapy
room
Lawrence
wanted to use
the iPad but a
peer had
already cashed
in for it.
Lawrence
pounded on
the peer’s
desk and
screamed in
their face to
give him the
iPad.
10/14/18
10:34am
Middle
school
Lawrence
believed that a
Lawrence
called peer a
thief and
reinforcement
after the meal.
Therapist
reinforced
peers for their
appropriate
behavior,
reissued
demand to
Lawrence, and
upon
completion,
provided
reinforcement
to Lawrence.
Therapist
reminded
Lawrence to
breathe and
count to 10
when
frustrated. She
then redirected
him to the task
and reinforced
when he was
compliant.
Therapist
physically
prompted
Lawrence to
return to his
own desk. She
then went over
appropriate
manding
options and
presented
Lawrence with
his break
options that
were not iPads.
Therapist
reinforced peer
for ignoring
10/14/18
11:46am
therapy
room
peer took some
of his tickets.
shoved his
chair.
Backyard
Lawrence was
the last client
outside and a
peer had
already claimed
the basketball.
Lawrence
stomped off
the court and
sat at a table
and whined.
outburst.
Redirected
Lawrence’s
Therapists
ignored
Lawrence’s
outburst and
reinforced
peers for their
appropriate
behavior.
Throughout the ABC Data Collection sheet the functions that stands out the most are
access and escape.
Part C
Activity
Arrival
Temp. Instructions
Gross motor
Gross motor
Computer
instruction
Break
Centers/DTT
Centers/DTT
Centers/DTT
Centers/DTT
Centers/DTT
Centers/DTT
Centers/DTT
Centers/DTT
Centers/DTT
Centers/DTT
Group game
Group game
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
ADLs
ACT
Art
Art
Art
Centers/DTT
Centers/DTT
Centers/DTT
Centers/DTT
Time
10-Oct
11-Oct
12-Oct
9:00 AM
9:10 AM
9:20 AM
9:30 AM
9:40 AM
9:50 AM
10:00 AM
10:10 AM
10:20 AM
10:30 AM
10:40 AM
10:50 AM
11:00 AM
11:10 AM
11:20 AM
11:30 AM
11:40 AM
11:50 AM
12:00 PM
12:10 PM
12:20 PM
12:30 PM
12:40 PM
12:50 PM
1:00 PM
1:10 PM
1:20 PM
1:30 PM
1:40 PM
1:50PM
2:00 PM
Legend
one instance of challenging behavior during interval
13-Oct
14Oct
two instances of challenging behavior during interval
more than 2 instances of challenging behavior during
interval