Aggression is a behavior of intention to harm another person when provoked. Hostility exists in different forms depending on the level of intensity. Aggressive actions are associated with injuries, death, and destruction of property. The case involving John’s aggressiveness gives an insight to any person willing to understand the effects of aggressive behavior on an individual. Initially, John participated in different activities such as swimming and playing volleyball without demonstrating any form of developing ager. His parents noticed his change of behavior, thus seeking intervention mechanisms. The process has to begin by measuring the frequency of John’s aggressiveness using baseline data measurement and display the information in a line graph.
Baseline Data Measurement Process
In an attempt to measure the effectiveness of an intervention mechanism for addressing aggressive behavior demonstrated by John, baseline data I will use baseline data collection approach. This strategy will focus on collecting data before, during, and after intervention strategies. It is an essential approach as it creates room for comparing the behavior demonstrated by the victim before and after implementing the treatment process (Busk & Marascuilo, 2015). For instance, John becomes aggressive in situations where neighbors and family members fail to satisfy his wish. In effect, he uses abusive language and physically hurt other people. These traits indicate that John gets easily irritated and there should be an intervention strategy to reduce hostility. Baseline data will be applied in accessing the degree to which John demonstrates this aggressive behavior.
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The application of baseline data is advantageous over other measurements because it creates an opportunity for understanding the frequency at which he demonstrates hostility. In effect, it creates an opportunity for categorizing the severity of each aggressiveness aspect before setting goals that should be achieved at the end of the program (Busk & Marascuilo, 2015). For example, a week before taking John to the hospital, his parents noticed that he had changed his behavior , b ecoming abusive and destroying property whenever people ordered him to be silent. Therefore, baseline data plays an essential role in giving information quantitative approach for showing the frequency at which John shows aggressiveness. The baseline data will be collected before, during, and after , t hus taking an opportunity for considering all the behavioral traits shown by John thus creating a chance for setting goals for the intervention mechanism to address issues associated with John’ s aggressiveness.
Applying Baseline data is beneficial over other measurement approaches because it enables a behavioral analyst to compare different sets of data with an objective of determining the impacts of different strategies applied to address each aggressive behavior. The impacts of different intervention strategies will be applied by monitoring and evaluating changes in behavior against the set objectives (Gast, Lloyd, & Ledford, 2018). The overall goal for helping John is to ensure that he reduces his aggressiveness behavior. As a result, the process should begin by minimizing aggression from six/seven times a week, to three times. A strategy that is found to be ineffective can be improved during the process, thus increasing a chance for positive impact on John. For example, John works along with members in volleyball team and engages in swimming activities. Therefore, baseline data will be applied in the different contexts where people operate, making it easy to understand the causes or events that result in aggressive behavior. For instance, reduced aggressiveness will be shown through a decline in frequency of using abusive language, property destruction, and violent behavior towards neighbors.
Baseline data is easy to apply and decode information as it represents both a visual and numerical approach for collecting data. Therefore, baseline data measurement creates a chance for tracking behavior at the beginning and the end of the program as opposed to other measures such as physical trait analysis. Therefore, this measurement is capable of monitoring the trends of intervention mechanisms to monitor areas of decline and improvement within a specified period (Parsonson & Baer, 2015). As a result, people become aware of the needs that ought to be put in place to replace the less effective intervention mechanism. John shows different traits that cannot be addressed using a single approach. Therefore, the behavioural analysts have to apply baseline data analysis as an approach capable of providing a basis for comparison. The numerical information presented in the vertical and horizontal axes gives adequate information about the likelihood for John to change his aggressive behavior.
Data Display Method
Once the information regarding the rate that John demonstrates aggressive behavior is collected, a line graph will be applied in data presentation to ensure that readers can understand the behavioral change (Canham & Hegarty, 2010). The line graph will be used as a visual summary that will allow the behavioral correction team and John to monitor and record the progressive change in aggressiveness. The information provided in the case study indicates that John will engage in a continuous and repeated steps change process. As a result, applied behavioral analysts will be interested in assessing the changes in different behavioral patterns affecting John’s reactions to various environmental triggering events. Assessing the activities that trigger John’s aggressive reactions indicates that John becomes aggressive whenever he fails to fulfill his desires.
The line graph data will be accessed based on information presented on Excel baseline. Consequently, the results obtained from John’s case will be visually displayed in the line graphical data for easy analysis (Cohen, West, & Aiken, 2014). In this case, the data collected from the effectiveness of intervention mechanisms have to be presented on the X and Y-axis for six to seven weeks. The goal for the intervention mechanism is to ensure that the frequency at which John demonstrates such behavior are put into consideration. In the line graph presented in the Excel baseline, Y-axis will show the frequency of behavioral change while the X-axis will be applied to the different aggressive behaviors shown by John as time progresses. As a result, X-axis will have the days of the week while Y-axis gives a percentage of action demonstrated by John on different days of the week. Line Graphs could be presented be structured in such a way that they provide all the information that is designed to achieve the information that can be applied in analyzing changes in behavior. For instance, abusive language, kicking people, yelling, and destructing property are treated as information that should be used in getting the rate applied in monitoring change of behavior.
The decline in aggressive behavior will be measured based on different classification of frequency levels. In effect, the frequency demonstrated in Y-axis has to be divided into three different portions. The data presented in X-axis will run from 0 to 10. If the measurement of aggressiveness ranges between 0 and 3, it is treated as a low level of aggressive behavior. If frequency is between 3 and 5, it is considered to be a moderate level of aggressive behavior. However, the change in an aggressive reaction will take place as time progresses for John to complete a behavioral change program. The information presented in the X-axis should also be categorized into different portions depending on the ability of intervention strategy to achieve the objectives set at each section. Before the intervention mechanism, aggressiveness is expected to be high at the level of 6/7 week times per week. In the first time for intervention, frequency should be above 6. As time progresses, the time is expected to be reduced up to the anticipated three times per month. Effectiveness of the intervention strategy achieves low aggressive behavior.
Data Based Decisions
Displaying information in the line graph forms the basis for providing independent judgment and interpretation of information without manipulation of data. Line graph creates an essential structure for presenting information based on time and quantity. In effect, baseline data and line graph create an opportunity for representing quantitative data rather than giving qualitative information (Parsonson & Baer, 2015). The quantitative information makes it easy for a reader to interpret the behavioral reactions of an individual. In the case of John, line graph presents information in the form of days and weeks while the Y-axis gives data about the frequency that John demonstrates aggressiveness. The primary objective for engaging in intervention strategy for data analysis is to understand the changes in rate concerning time. As the time of exposure to intervention strategy increases, it is evident that time will decline. Therefore, it becomes easy to interpret the effectiveness of the intervention mechanism. For instance, the line graph represents time-series information on the horizontal axis with the units of time presented in days, thus making it easy for an individual to compare and interpret the data.
Line graph provides a judgment aid regarding the impact of intervention strategies designed to assist John by reducing his aggressiveness. The quality features of a line graph create an opportunity for conveying representation and continuity of the information presented in the chart. This structure enables graph readers to decode the visual information displayed on visible traits exhibited in the parameters of the graph (Canham, & Hegarty, 2010). For example, the information presented on a vertical and horizontal axis is analyzed based on the ratio presented in the two axis. The ratio form of interpreting behavior makes it easy to come up with interpretative data, thus increasing a chance for enabling monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the information. In the case for John behavioral analysis, line graphs show that it is easy for an individual to understand the severity of the aggressive issue affecting John as well observing the different strategies that need to be put in place to address the issue. If an implemented strategy fails to show change, especially reduction for aggressiveness, there is an opportunity for observing the ineffectiveness by following the trend between frequency and time. Therefore, an essential aspect for data creation is the fact that the line graph creates easy access for decoding information.
Conclusion
Baseline data, line graph representation of the information and display approaches will be used in analyzing John’s case. Before John was taken to the hospital, his parents recognized a change in behavior characterized by high rate of aggressiveness. John demonstrated the behavioral change by kicking, destroying property, and abusive language. The successful intervention of this mechanism requires analyzing John’s behavior before, during and after intervention strategies thus making baseline data an appropriate measurement strategy. The general objective of the case intervention mechanism is to reduce the level of aggressiveness to three times a month. Currently, John demonstrates aggressive behavior in six to seven weeks indicating that timeline graph will provide a basis for analyzing and interpreting the data. This data display strategy is effective in addressing John’s case. The graph presents information on the time in the X-axis while frequency is on the Y-axis making it easy to compare effectiveness of the intervention mechanism.
References
Busk, P. L., & Marascuilo, L. A. (2015). Statistical analysis in single-case research: Issues, procedures, and recommendations, with applications to multiple behaviors. In Single-Case Research Design and Analysis (Psychology Revivals) (pp. 171-198). Routledge.
Gast, D. L., Lloyd, B. P., & Ledford, J. R. (2018). Multiple baseline and multiple probe designs. In Single case research methodology (pp. 239-281). Routledge.
Canham, M., & Hegarty, M. (2010). Effects of knowledge and display design on comprehension of complex graphics. Learning and instruction, 20(2), 155-166.
Parsonson, B. S., & Baer, D. M. (2015). The visual analysis of data, and current research into the stimuli controlling it. In Single-Case Research Design and Analysis ( Psychology Revivals) (pp. 27-52). Routledge.
