Direct Measures of Medication Effects: Exploring the Scientific Utility of Behavior-Analytic Assessments

Blair P. Lloyd

Jessica N. Torelli

Emily S. Weaver

Marney S. Pollack

Sunya A. Fareed

Angela C. Maxwell-Horn

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to explore the scientific utility of two behavior analytic assessments (i.e., progressive ratio and demand assessments) for psychotropic medication evaluation. For a sample of 23 children with disabilities who were prescribed medication, we conducted a series of generalizability and optimization studies to identify sources of score variance and conditions in which stable estimates of behavior can be obtained. To inform construct validity, we calculated correlations between scores from each assessment and those from a standardized behavior rating scale (ABC-2). Results offer initial support for the scientific utility of progressive ratio scores. More research is needed to evaluate sensitivity to change and construct validity of scores from these and other behavior analytic assessments.

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Reference

Lloyd, B. P., Torelli, J. N., Weaver, E. S., Pollack, M. S., Fareed, S. A., & Maxwell-Horn, A. C. (in press). Direct measures of medication effects: Exploring the scientific utility of behavior-analytic assessments. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 126(5), 377–395. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-126.5.377

Supplemental Materials

Formulas for Variance Component Estimates from Mean Squares and g Coefficients