ABA Exam CoachLessons · F. Behavior Assessment
F.1 · Reviewing records at the start of a case
A new case lands on your desk, and you want to jump straight into assessment. But the file you haven't opened yet might already hold the most important clue about why the behavior is happening.
Key takeaway
When a case opens, start by finding and reviewing existing records: educational, medical, psychological, earlier behavioral services, and developmental history. Use them to form early hypotheses, spot medical or biological variables, and avoid repeating treatments that already failed. Records are a starting point, not a replacement for direct observation or functional assessment. Get informed consent and a signed release before you request any records, and bring in the medical provider when something medical turns up instead of interpreting it yourself.
When a case opens, start by finding and reviewing existing records: educational, medical, psychological, earlier behavioral services, and developmental history. Use them to form early hypotheses, spot medical or biological variables, and avoid repeating treatments that already failed. Records are a starting point, not a replacement for direct observation or functional assessment. Get informed consent and a signed release before you request any records, and bring in the medical provider when something medical turns up instead of interpreting it yourself.
Members get the full lesson video, notes and a 5-question test
The video walks through the idea, worked examples, the trap people fall into and an exam-style question. The notes and the checkpoint come with it, and your results feed your Where to focus plan.