Use when selecting the right assessment tool for a learner — covers decision frameworks for VB-MAPP, ABLLS-R, AFLS, EFL, and PEAK, plus cross-assessment comparison, ecological assessment, and curriculum-based approaches.
This skill provides a decision framework for BCBAs selecting among available skills-based assessment tools. No single instrument is appropriate for every learner. The choice depends on the individual's age, developmental level, verbal repertoire, service setting, treatment priorities, and the severity and nature of their skill deficits.
Decision Framework
Step 1: Determine the Individual's Developmental and Chronological Age
Profile
Primary Assessment
Supplement With
Chronological age 0-8, developmental age 0-4
VB-MAPP
ABLLS-R for detailed programming
Chronological age 2-12, developmental age 1-6
ABLLS-R
VB-MAPP for barriers and transition
関連 Skill
Chronological age 8+, developmental age 4+
AFLS (relevant modules)
VB-MAPP or ABLLS-R for language areas if still deficient
Any age, severe/profound intellectual disability
EFL (Essentials for Living)
AFLS for functional skills that are within reach
Any age, focus on derived relational responding
PEAK (relevant module)
VB-MAPP or ABLLS-R for direct verbal operant assessment
Step 2: Identify the Service Setting and Priorities
Clear developmental sequence, barriers assessment identifies obstacles, transition assessment informs placement, widely used and researched
Limitations
Ceiling at 48-month level, milestones can be too broad for detailed programming, limited self-help and daily living
Best for
Developmental snapshot, placement decisions, barrier identification, early learners
Time to administer
2-4 hours (initial), 1-2 hours (reassessment)
ABLLS-R (Partington, 2006)
Attribute
Detail
Structure
544 skills, 25 areas, task-analyzed
Age range
Developmental age approximately 1-7 years
Theoretical basis
ABA principles, verbal behavior, task analysis
Strengths
Fine-grained task analysis for direct programming, doubles as curriculum, excellent for tracking incremental progress, comprehensive skill areas including self-help
Limitations
No developmental levels, no barriers assessment, no transition component, can be time-consuming to complete fully
Best for
Detailed program writing, tracking small increments of progress, curriculum planning
Time to administer
3-8 hours (initial), 2-4 hours (reassessment)
AFLS (Partington & Mueller, 2012)
Attribute
Detail
Structure
6 modules (~395 total skills), task-analyzed
Age range
Developmental age 4+ through adulthood
Theoretical basis
ABA principles, functional independence, community-based instruction
Strengths
Only comprehensive ABA assessment for functional living skills, modular (use only the modules you need), directly relevant to independence outcomes, lifespan perspective
Limitations
Not designed for early language learners, limited verbal behavior assessment, requires natural environment access for valid administration
Essentials for Living (EFL; McGreevy, Fry, & Cornwall, 2012)
Attribute
Detail
Structure
~2,600 skills across 8 broad domains
Age range
Any age, designed for individuals with moderate to profound intellectual disability
Theoretical basis
ABA, emphasis on essential functional skills and quality of life
Domains
Communication, daily living, tolerating, functional academics, leisure, community participation, work, health and safety
Key Features:
Prioritizes essential skills — those that, if the individual cannot perform them, someone else must do for them
"Tolerating" domain is unique — assesses ability to tolerate common life situations (waiting, changes in routine, medical procedures, being told "no")
Includes a priority assessment that identifies the skills most critical for the individual's quality of life and caregiver burden reduction
Designed for individuals who may not progress through traditional early learner curricula
| Strengths | Only assessment designed for severe/profound populations, emphasizes quality of life, prioritization system reduces the overwhelming number of potential targets |
| Limitations | Very large (2,600+ items), requires significant time, not widely used outside specialized programs, limited research base compared to VB-MAPP |
| Best for | Individuals with severe/profound disabilities, group home settings, reducing caregiver burden, quality-of-life-focused programming |
PEAK Relational Training System (Dixon, 2014-2016)
| Strengths | Addresses advanced cognitive-verbal skills not covered by other assessments, RFT basis provides framework for derived relational responding, fills the gap between basic operant training and complex language |
| Limitations | Newer with a smaller but growing research base, can be conceptually complex for staff to implement, DT module overlaps significantly with VB-MAPP and ABLLS-R |
| Best for | Learners who have mastered basic verbal operants but show deficits in generalization, reading comprehension, abstract reasoning, or perspective-taking |
Combining Assessments
Common Combinations
Learner Profile
Assessment Combination
Rationale
Young child, new to ABA
VB-MAPP + ABLLS-R
VB-MAPP for developmental snapshot and barriers; ABLLS-R for detailed programming
School-age, moderate deficits
VB-MAPP Level 3 + AFLS School Skills + ABLLS-R academics
Capture verbal, academic, and functional skill levels
Adolescent in transition
AFLS (all modules) + VB-MAPP barriers
AFLS for independence goals; barriers assessment to identify persistent learning obstacles
Adult, severe disability
EFL + AFLS Basic Living
EFL for priority essential skills; AFLS for functional programming
Advanced learner, language plateau
PEAK (E + T) + VB-MAPP Level 3
PEAK addresses derived relational responding not captured by VB-MAPP
Avoid Redundancy
When combining assessments, skip domains that overlap directly. For example, if using both VB-MAPP and ABLLS-R, you do not need to administer both mand sections — use VB-MAPP for milestones and ABLLS-R for detailed task analysis of the mand repertoire.
Task analyzing the curriculum being used with the learner (e.g., a specific reading program, a social skills curriculum, a vocational training sequence)
Probing each step in the curriculum to identify where the learner is performing independently
Identifying the instructional level — the point at which the learner can perform with minimal prompting
Setting goals based on the next steps in the curriculum sequence
CBA is useful when:
The learner is already in a structured curriculum and you need to find their current level
Standardized assessments do not cover the specific domain being taught
You need rapid, ongoing assessment tied directly to daily instruction
Ecological Assessment
Ecological assessment evaluates the individual in the context of their actual environments and the demands of those environments.
Procedure:
Identify target environments (home, school, workplace, community settings)
Inventory the skills required in each environment (what does a same-age, typically developing individual do in this setting?)
Observe the individual in each environment
Discrepancy analysis: Compare required skills to the individual's current repertoire
Prioritize discrepancies based on safety, independence, social inclusion, and caregiver priorities
Develop intervention that teaches skills in the context where they are needed
Ecological assessment is essential for:
Transition planning (what skills does the individual need for the next environment?)
Community-based instruction (what does this grocery store, bus route, or workplace require?)
Ensuring social validity of treatment goals (are we teaching skills the individual and family actually need?)
Assessment Selection Checklist
Considered chronological and developmental age
Identified the primary service setting and treatment priorities
Evaluated the individual's current verbal repertoire
Selected the assessment tool(s) that best match the learner profile
Checked for overlap if using multiple tools — eliminated redundancy
Planned for ecological assessment of target environments
Identified who will administer each assessment component (BCBA, RBT with supervision, caregiver)
Scheduled sufficient time for valid administration (not rushed)
Planned reassessment timeline
Confirmed assessment results will directly inform treatment/IEP goals
Key References
Sundberg, M. L. (2008). VB-MAPP: Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program. AVB Press.
Partington, J. W. (2006). The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills — Revised (ABLLS-R). Behavior Analysts, Inc.
Partington, J. W., & Mueller, M. M. (2012). The Assessment of Functional Living Skills (AFLS). Behavior Analysts, Inc.
McGreevy, P., Fry, T., & Cornwall, C. (2012). Essentials for Living. Patrick McGreevy.
Dixon, M. R. (2014). PEAK Relational Training System: Direct Training Module. Shawnee Scientific Press.
Dixon, M. R. (2015). PEAK Relational Training System: Generalization Module. Shawnee Scientific Press.
Dixon, M. R. (2016). PEAK Relational Training System: Equivalence Module. Shawnee Scientific Press.
Hayes, S. C., Barnes-Holmes, D., & Roche, B. (2001). Relational Frame Theory: A Post-Skinnerian Account of Human Language and Cognition. Springer.
Browder, D. M. (2001). Curriculum and Assessment for Students with Moderate and Severe Disabilities. Guilford Press.