ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the minimal phases of a behavior modification program. A successful behavior modification program typically involves five phases during which the target behavior is identified, defined, and recorded: a screening or intake phase; a defining-the-target-behavior phase; a pre-program or baseline-assessment phase; a treatment phase; and a follow-up phase. The chapter provides a brief overview of these phases as they would typically be carried out by an agency or a professional practitioner providing behavior modification services. Behavioral assessment procedures for collecting information to define and monitor target behaviors fall into three categories: indirect, direct, and experimental. A well-designed questionnaire provides information that might be useful in assessing a client’s problem and developing a behavioral program tailored to the client. Direct assessment procedures are assessments in which the behavior modifier or a trained observer directly observes and records the target behaviors in the actual settings in which the behavior occurs.
