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What is Baseline?

A baseline provides a starting point from which a comparison can bemade. It is conducted prior to the beginning of the intervention and isthe point of comparison for monitoring and evaluation data. The bulkof baseline studies focus on the intended outcomes of a project. Theycan also take into account secondary outcomes and assumptions, thoughthese are not the primary emphasis.

Intervention

action taken to improve a situation, especially a medical disorder.

HOW DO YOU USE BAS EL!E DA"A "O DE#ELO$ A!!"E%#E!"O!&

DE'DE WH'H $%OBLE()S* "O ADD%ESS

Based on t+e data, decide +at pro-lem)s* s+ould most -e addressed -y your roup orcoalition. W+at looks like it most needs to -e dealt it+& s it somet+in you can

reasona-ly e/pect to -e a-le to c+ane&

DE!"0Y $%(A%Y "A%1E"S O0 "HE !"E%#E!"O!

"+is means decidin +o your intervention ill -e aimed at. A iven roup o2 people&

 An institution& Decide +o t+eir -e+avior +elps produce and maintain t+e pro-lem.

0iure out +at your researc+ results suest a-out relations+ips -eteen t+e

pro-lem)s* and t+e -e+aviors o2 t+e tareted roup.

DE#ELO$ A! A'"O! $LA!

• Set a -e+avioral oal 2or t+e intervention

• Study +at knolede and in2ormation you already +ave a-out t+e community

and t+e pro-lem to decide +at procedures to use.

• Decide +o ill -e in c+are o2 makin t+e -e+avior c+ane)s*.

• Determine +o to involve t+ose a22ected -y t+e pro-lem)s* in t+e solution.

• Study ot+er models o2 c+ane. W+at e/istin met+ods 2or dealin it+ t+e

-e+aviors +ave -een success2ul in similar communities&

• Decide +o you ill o a-out e/plainin t+e intervention to t+e pu-lic.

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1et oin3 Wit+ t+e knolede you4ve ained 2rom c+eckin your -aseline measures,

you ill +ave a muc+ -etter c+ance o2 makin real c+anes in your community, and you

can use t+ose measures to monitor your success.

A baseline can help you decide whether this is a good time to start an

intervention or whether a particular intervention is appropriate.

Say you4re orkin to decrease 2atal car accidents in your county. One o2 t+e ays

you4re t+inkin a-out doin t+is is to start a proram to encourae seat -elt use. 1ettin

some idea o2 +o many people in your county are consistently usin t+eir seat -elts ill

+elp you decide +et+er you s+ould spend any time and resources on suc+ a pro5ect.

"+e rate o2 seat -elt use ill -e your -aseline measure. 2 678 o2 local citi9ens are

already usin t+eir seat -elts most o2 t+e time, you may ant to e/plore ot+er possi-le

interventions.

Baseline measures can sometimes tell you if an intervention isn't necessary at all.

For example, community leaders may -e cryin out a-out an increase in an:relatedactivities amon yout+ and demandin prorams to discourae it, -ut a ood, accurate-aseline measure o2 5uvenile delin;uency rates could s+o you t+at t+ere really isn4t apro-lem at all.

Baseline measures can help you tell if you're using methods that aren't working .

2 t+ere is no c+ane in t+e -e+avior compared to t+e -aseline, you can stop astin

your time it+ an ine22ective met+od.

For example, let4s say you4re orkin to increase t+e num-ers o2 prenant omen inyour city ettin prenatal c+eck:ups, and you4ve decided to use a series o2 pu-licservice announcements to do t+is. By comparin t+e num-er o2 omen receivinprenatal c+eck:ups a2ter a iven period )suc+ as a mont+ or si/ eeks* to your -aselinemeasure t+e num-er o2 omen receivin prenatal c+eck:ups 5ust -e2ore t+e pu-licservice announcements started runnin you can decide +et+er t+e num-ers +aveimproved enou+ to arrant continuin it+ t+e pu-lic service announcements. (ay-et+e num-ers are increasin and you4ll decide to continue runnin t+e pu-lic serviceannouncements, or t+ey may -e remainin steady or even decreasin, in +ic+ case

you mi+t ant to consider tryin anot+er met+od.

Keep in mind, however, that your method or intervention may take some time to

 produce the desired effect . Be+avior c+ane may not s+o up immediately. Be sure to

ait a +ile -e2ore concludin t+at a met+od or an intervention isn4t orkin. t could -e

t+at it 5ust needs more time.

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I !"##A$%

Usin your -aseline measures to 2iure out +o prevalent any pro-lems and positive

tendencies are in your community can -e very e22ective in +elpin you to monitor +o

t+e e22ect your e22orts are +avin. By ivin you one ay to measure t+e success o2 your 

prorams, -aseline measures can -e enormously +elp2ul to your e22orts.

Behavioral InterventionsSeveral -e+avioral approac+es, +en com-ined it+ medication, +ave -een s+on toreduce symptoms or t+e impact o2 symptoms o2 serious mental illness )'orrian, <66=*.Be+avioral interventions used to care 2or and treat persons it+ serious mental illness

include sel2:control strateies )'orrian, Sc+ade > Li-erman, <66?* token economies)Ayllon > A9rin, <6@7'orrian, <66*, -e+avioral contractin )Cirsc+en-aum > 0lanery, <67 OBanion >W+aley, <67<*, skills trainin )Wallace, Li-erman, (acCain, et. al., <66?*, conitivere+a-ilitation )Brenner, Hodel, %oder > 'orrian, <66?*, and -e+avior 2amilymanaement )Li-erman, <677*."+ese approac+es ill -e addressed in t+is and ot+er BH%( practice uidelines.

Be+avioral treatment is concerned it+ t+e analysis and c+ane o2 -e+aviors. "+orou+assessment is an interal part o2 any -e+avioral intervention. Be+avioral assessmentseeks to identi2y t+e relations+ip -eteen a -e+avior and t+e environment in +ic+ it

occurs. t is a means to understand t+e -e+avior o2 an individual. "+e oals o2-e+avioral assessment are to identi2y taret -e+aviors, to select intervention strateies,and to evaluate t+eir e22ectiveness.

Be+avior t+erapy is t+e implementation o2 procedures to aid in t+e c+ane o2 -e+avior."+us, t+e success o2 a -e+avioral intervention +ines on t+e ade;uacy o2 t+e -e+avioralassessment, as assessment 2indins uide t+e clinician in selectin appropriateinterventions )!elson > Hayes,<67@*.

"+ere are many misconceptions a-out -e+avior t+erapy )'orrian, <66= Skinner, <6=F*

t+at lead some clinicians to re5ect -e+avioral intervention altoet+er. 'ommonmisconceptions include t+e -elie2s t+at -e+avioral interventions are disempoerin,de+umani9in, mec+anical, rely on aversive control, are not t+erapeutically c+allenin,only address super2icial pro-lems, inore t+e importance o2 t+e t+erapeutic relations+ip,and teac+ people to manipulate eac+ ot+er.

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n contrast to t+is vie, t+ere is muc+ evidence to support t+e e22icacy o2 -e+avioralinterventions )'orrian, <66=* and t+ere is muc+ to recommend t+eir use. Some o2 t+eadvantaes o2 -e+avioral interventions includeG

Behavioral interventions are precise&

Be+avioral interventions +ave measura-le outcomes, suc+ as t+e c+ane in t+e2re;uency o2 a -e+avior. (easura-le outcomes allo 2or accurate assessment o2 aninterventions e22icacy and timely modi2ication o2 ine22ective intervention procedures.

Behavioral interventions facilitate empowerment&Be+avioral interventions, +en done correctly, do not seek to control people. nstead,t+ey ena-le individuals to e/ert more control over t+eir environment and t+eir on-e+avior, includin -e+aviors t+at +elp t+em attain t+eir oals or t+at inter2ere it+ oalattainment. Empoerment is reali9ed t+rou+ providin sa2e environments, clari2yint+e c+oices availa-le to t+e consumer, teac+in independent livin skills, and ac;uirinsel2:manaement tec+ni;ues t+at ive individuals more control in t+eir environment.

Behavioral treatments are collaborative&nterventions are developed 5ointly -y consumer and treatment provider t+rou+ t+eidenti2ication o2 oals, taret -e+aviors and met+ods 2or c+ane. nterventions areclearly descri-ed, makin treatment understanda-le to t+e consumer, +ic+ 2ostersparticipation.

Behavioral interventions focus on accessible, measurable phenomena&nterventions 2ocus on o-serva-le )-y sta22 andor consumer* -e+aviors. "aret-e+aviors are descri-ed ;uantitatively, +ic+ allos 2or o-5ective +ypot+esis testin andevaluation o2 consumer proress.

Behavioral interventions are effective with a wide range of disorders and abilitylevels&Be+avior t+erapy is e22ective 2or consumers it+ di22erent levels o2 conitive a-ility andit+ a variety o2 pro-lem -e+aviors and psyc+iatric dianoses.

Behavioral treatments are conducive to effective treatment planning&Be+avior t+erapys 2ocus on taret -e+aviors allos 2or t+e clear identi2ication o2 oalsin treatment plannin. Ade;uately detailed descriptions o2 -e+avioral interventions arelikely to meet t+e documentation re;uirements o2 accreditin aencies.

Behavioral treatments are conducive to program evaluation and development&"+e o-5ective, ;uanti2ia-le nature o2 -e+avioral interventions allos 2or easy datacollection and 2acilitates proram evaluation and proram development.

rinciples of Behavior Success2ul -e+avioral interventions re;uire some understandin o2 -asic principles o2-e+avior.

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One can descri-e a -e+avior in terms o2 its 2orm or toporap+y t+at is, +at it lookslike. A -e+avior can also -e descri-ed in terms o2 its 2unction t+at is its e22ect on t+eenvironment. 0or e/ample, i2 e o-serve a consumer s+out until a sta22 mem-erapproac+es +im and asks +at is ron, e mi+t descri-e t+e 2orm o2 t+e -e+avior asyellin loudly and its 2unction as ettin +elp or receivin sta22 attention. Be+avior can

-e understood 2unctionally +en one considers t+e varia-les t+at control an individuals-e+avior. "+at is, +at 2actors in t+e environment, includin t+ose t+at precede and2ollo t+e -e+avior o2 interest, +elp e/plain its occurrence and suest appropriateinterventions. n -e+avioral terms, a 2unctional understandin o2 -e+avior re;uires t+atone descri-e t+e response, and its antecedents and conse;uences. n some casesoranismic varia-les are also considered. Eac+ o2 t+ese ill -e descri-ed in detail-elo.

"+e relations+ip amon t+ese varia-les is illustrated -y t+e 2olloin c+art and e/ample)0iure <*G

0iure <G "+e relations+ip amon -e+avioral varia-lesE/ampleG Antecedent 3 Behavior 3 (onse)uence0eel too arm "urn don t+ermostat 0eel cooler 

(ontingencies A continency is a relations+ip -eteen a -e+avior and a conse;uence, in +ic+ t+econse;uence is presented i2 and only i2 t+e response occurs. 0or e/ample, ettin apayc+eck is continent on oin to ork. 'ontinencies can -e descri-ed in t+e 2orm o2i2G t+en statements.0or e/ample, if you o to ork, then you ill et your payc+eck. 0ive types o2continencies a22ect learnin a -e+avior. )see 0iure ?* A continency mi+t eit+er -e a

desira-le stimulus)e.., praise, money* or an aversive stimulus )e.., -ein yelled at or -ein 2ined*. "+esestimuli mi+t eit+er -e applied to a person a2ter a -e+avior, or taken aay. Aconse;uence t+at leads to an increase in -e+avior is a rein2orcer. A conse;uence t+atleads to a decrease in -e+avior is a punis+er. %ein2orcement is enerally more e22ectivet+an punis+ment 2or c+anin -e+avior.

"+e reasons 2or t+is ill -e ela-orated -elo."+e procedure in +ic+ desired stimuli are presented to a person a2ter a -e+avior iscalled positive rein2orcement. $ositive rein2orcement increases -e+avior. "+at is, peopleare more likely to repeat a -e+avior t+at +as -een positively rein2orced. E/amples mi+tinclude praisin a consumer 2or s+oin up on time 2or an appointment, or aardinpoints t+at can -e e/c+aned 2or oods to reard participation in a t+erapy roup, orettin paid to come to ork.$ositive rein2orcement is positive in t+e sense t+at somet+in is added to t+eenvironment."+e procedure in +ic+ aversive, or unpleasant stimuli are removed or it++eld 2rom aperson a2ter a -e+avior is called neative rein2orcement. !eative rein2orcement also

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increases -e+avior. "+at is, people are more likely to repeat a -e+avior t+at isneatively rein2orced.