title: An evaluation of functional assessment of the behaviour of students with adhd in a mainstream classroom

authors: Brierly, Emerald Stevie

subjects: functional assessment

abstract: The overall aim of this study was to replicate and extend Hoff, Ervin, and Friman (2005) and to investigate whether a functional assessment, including the intervention, could be implemented within a mainstream New Zealand classroom, with students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and with the teachers implementing the interventions. Experiment 1 included 2 participants, Joel diagnosed as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Brad who met study inclusion criteria. Descriptive assessments (based on interviews and observations) of the functions of the target behaviours were conducted to produce hypotheses.  Two interventions for each student, based on these hypotheses, were selected in collaboration with the class teachers. The interventions were implemented, first singularly and then in combination, using a multiple-baseline design with alternating treatments after the baseline period. They all decreased target behaviours to some degree. One intervention, the token economy, was the most effective with both students. Social acceptability questionnaires showed all procedures were acceptable but of the interventions the token economy was the least favoured by teachers and most favoured by students. Both participants in Experiment 2 were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Experiment 2 replicated Experiment 1 and also compared hypotheses about the function of behaviour resulting from the Motivation Assessment Scale to those from the descriptive assessment as used in Experiment 1. The Motivation Assessment Scale provided a different hypothesis for one student and it is suggested that this scale is not useful with these students. The two interventions were selected for each student based on the hypotheses. These were designed to be easier to implement and to have more student involvement in their implementation than in Experiment 1. A multiple-baseline design with alternating treatments after the baseline was used and each treatment was evaluated alone. Three of the four interventions decreased target behaviour, the exception was self-management. The social acceptability scores for these interventions were high for both the teachers and students. The overall findings replicated Hoff et al.'s (2005) findings and showed that functional assessment of behaviour could be successfully used with students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a mainstream classroom. They also showed that the teachers could successfully implement the interventions derived from the hypotheses to decrease target behaviours and that decreasing the difficulty of implementation of the interventions increased the acceptability of the interventions by the teachers.

text: An evaluation of functional assessment of the behaviour of students with adhd in a mainstream classroom The overall aim of this study was to replicate and extend Hoff, Ervin, and Friman (2005) and to investigate whether a functional assessment, including the intervention, could be implemented within a mainstream New Zealand classroom, with students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and with the teachers implementing the interventions. Experiment 1 included 2 participants, Joel diagnosed as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Brad who met study inclusion criteria. Descriptive assessments (based on interviews and observations) of the functions of the target behaviours were conducted to produce hypotheses.  Two interventions for each student, based on these hypotheses, were selected in collaboration with the class teachers. The interventions were implemented, first singularly and then in combination, using a multiple-baseline design with alternating treatments after the baseline period. They all decreased target behaviours to some degree. One intervention, the token economy, was the most effective with both students. Social acceptability questionnaires showed all procedures were acceptable but of the interventions the token economy was the least favoured by teachers and most favoured by students. Both participants in Experiment 2 were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Experiment 2 replicated Experiment 1 and also compared hypotheses about the function of behaviour resulting from the Motivation Assessment Scale to those from the descriptive assessment as used in Experiment 1. The Motivation Assessment Scale provided a different hypothesis for one student and it is suggested that this scale is not useful with these students. The two interventions were selected for each student based on the hypotheses. These were designed to be easier to implement and to have more student involvement in their implementation than in Experiment 1. A multiple-baseline design with alternating treatments after the baseline was used and each treatment was evaluated alone. Three of the four interventions decreased target behaviour, the exception was self-management. The social acceptability scores for these interventions were high for both the teachers and students. The overall findings replicated Hoff et al.'s (2005) findings and showed that functional assessment of behaviour could be successfully used with students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a mainstream classroom. They also showed that the teachers could successfully implement the interventions derived from the hypotheses to decrease target behaviours and that decreasing the difficulty of implementation of the interventions increased the acceptability of the interventions by the teachers.

year: 2007

title: Vegetation restoration plan, New Plymouth Fitzroy to Bell Block coastal walkway extension

authors: Coleman, Emma J.

abstract: In 1999, the New Plymouth District Council began construction of its award winning coastal walkway. Along with providing an area for recreation, this new walk and cycle path serves as an alternate route for commuting along the city away from arterial roads. The New Plymouth District Council is in the process of extending this walkway a further three kilometres from Fitzroy Motor Camp to Ellesmere Avenue, Bell Block. This will encompass Peringa Park, Hickford Park and the Mangati Walkway, with completion expected by mid 2010. As part of this $4.2 million project, the District Council aims to restore the surrounding native duneland vegetation. The Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research (University of Waikato) was contracted by the New Plymouth District Council to provide a vegetation restoration plan for the Fitzroy to Bell Block section of the coastal walkway. This report considers the current vegetation of this three km section of the walkway, based on a rapid qualitative assessment undertaken in June, 2010. The target ecosytems Spinifex sandfield, flax-taupata shrubland and coastal forest vegetation types once dominant in the area are described in detail. Restoration recommendations are included to assist in the recreation of these ecosystems, including planting zones, weed control strategies and ongoing monitoring objectives.

text: Vegetation restoration plan, New Plymouth Fitzroy to Bell Block coastal walkway extension In 1999, the New Plymouth District Council began construction of its award winning coastal walkway. Along with providing an area for recreation, this new walk and cycle path serves as an alternate route for commuting along the city away from arterial roads. The New Plymouth District Council is in the process of extending this walkway a further three kilometres from Fitzroy Motor Camp to Ellesmere Avenue, Bell Block. This will encompass Peringa Park, Hickford Park and the Mangati Walkway, with completion expected by mid 2010. As part of this $4.2 million project, the District Council aims to restore the surrounding native duneland vegetation. The Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research (University of Waikato) was contracted by the New Plymouth District Council to provide a vegetation restoration plan for the Fitzroy to Bell Block section of the coastal walkway. This report considers the current vegetation of this three km section of the walkway, based on a rapid qualitative assessment undertaken in June, 2010. The target ecosytems Spinifex sandfield, flax-taupata shrubland and coastal forest vegetation types once dominant in the area are described in detail. Restoration recommendations are included to assist in the recreation of these ecosystems, including planting zones, weed control strategies and ongoing monitoring objectives.

year: 2011

title: Haumanu Hauora: Strengthening health institution responsiveness to climate change

authors: Masters-Awatere, Bridgette

abstract: The “Haumanu Hauora: Strengthening health institution responsiveness to climate change” project (Haumanu Hauora) is funded by the Deep South National Science Challenge. Our research team has 
been working to determine how health institutions (for example DHBs) develop Māori responsive policy as a preparatory step in anticipation of climate change impacts on Māori health. The project 
has involved several components, one of which involved speaking with tāngata whenua and DHB staff from the Bay of Plenty, Lakes and Waikato DHB regions about their experiences of climate 
change and involvement with health services. Another component was an environmental scan of available website information on the 17 other DHBs to ascertain the extent of policy that speaks to 
both the Treaty of Waitangi and climate change. This report presents an overview of the findings. 

This report begins with some context setting. We provide a summary of our literature reviews before a brief outline of the establishment of DHBs, which are the “health institution” of focus for 
this research. As the primary health provider and funders around the country, DHBs have been engaged as the site through which to understand the Māori health and climate change policy needs. 
Although DHBs were disestablished at the conclusion of our project, there are still lessons to learn from the ‘old’ health system. We present themes from tāngata whenua and rangatahi interviews as 
a way to foreground policy development information provided by DHB staff.

text: Haumanu Hauora: Strengthening health institution responsiveness to climate change The “Haumanu Hauora: Strengthening health institution responsiveness to climate change” project (Haumanu Hauora) is funded by the Deep South National Science Challenge. Our research team has 
been working to determine how health institutions (for example DHBs) develop Māori responsive policy as a preparatory step in anticipation of climate change impacts on Māori health. The project 
has involved several components, one of which involved speaking with tāngata whenua and DHB staff from the Bay of Plenty, Lakes and Waikato DHB regions about their experiences of climate 
change and involvement with health services. Another component was an environmental scan of available website information on the 17 other DHBs to ascertain the extent of policy that speaks to 
both the Treaty of Waitangi and climate change. This report presents an overview of the findings. 

This report begins with some context setting. We provide a summary of our literature reviews before a brief outline of the establishment of DHBs, which are the “health institution” of focus for 
this research. As the primary health provider and funders around the country, DHBs have been engaged as the site through which to understand the Māori health and climate change policy needs. 
Although DHBs were disestablished at the conclusion of our project, there are still lessons to learn from the ‘old’ health system. We present themes from tāngata whenua and rangatahi interviews as 
a way to foreground policy development information provided by DHB staff.

year: 2022-07-12