MOTIVATION ASSESSMENT SCALE
Name ___________________________ Rater _______________________________ Date ______________
Behavior Description _______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Setting Description _________________________________________________________________________
Instructions: The Motivation Assessment Scale is a questionnaire designed to identify those situations in which an individual
is likely to behave in certain ways. From this information, more informed decisions can be made concerning the selection of
appropriate reinforcers and treatments. To complete the Motivation Assessment Scale, select one behavior that is of particular
interest. It is important that you identify the behavior very specifically Aggressive, for example, is not as good a description
as hits his sister. Once you have specified the behavior to be rated, read each question carefully and circle the one number
that best describes your observations of this behavior.
ANSWERS
QUESTIONS Almost Half the Almost
Never Never Seldom Time Usually Always Always
1. Would the behavior occur continuously, over
and over, if this person was left alone for long 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
periods of time? (For example, several hours)
2. Does the behavior occur following a request to
perform a difficult task?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
3. Does the behavior seem to occur in response to
your talking to other persons in the room?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
4. Does the behavior ever occur to get a toy, food,
or activity that this person has been told that he 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
or she cant have?
5. Would the behavior occur repeatedly, in the
same way, for very long periods of time, if no
one was around? (For example, rocking back
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
and forth for over an hour.)
6. Does the behavior occur when any request is
made of this person?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
7. Does the behavior occur whenever you stop
attending to his person?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
8. Does the behavior occur when you take away a
favorite toy, food or activity?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
9. Does it appear to you that this person enjoys
performing the behavior? (It feels, tastes, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
looks, smells and/or sound pleasing.)
10. Does this person seem to do the behavior to
upset or annoy you when you are trying to get 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
him or her to do what you ask?
CONTINUED
MOTIVATION ASSESSMENT SCALE CONTINUED
ANSWERS
QUESTIONS Almost Half the Almost
Never Never Seldom Time Usually Always Always
11. Does this person seem to do the behavior to
upset or annoy you when you are not paying
attention to him or her? (For example, if you 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
are sitting in a separate room, interacting with
another person.)
12. Does the behavior stop occurring shortly after
you give this person the toy, ford or activity he 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
or she has requested.
13. When the behavior is occurring, does this
person seem calm and unaware of anything else 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
going on around him or her?
14. Does the behavior stop occurring shortly after
(one to five minutes) you stop working or 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
making demands of this person?
15. Does this person seem to do the behavior to get
you to spend some time with him or her? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
16. Does the behavior seem to occur when this
person has been told that he or she cant do 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
something be or she had wanted to do?
Sensory Escape Attention Tangible
1.__________ 2.__________ 3.__________ 4.__________
5.__________ 6.__________ 7.__________ 8.__________
9.__________ 10.__________ 11.__________ 12.__________
13.__________ 14.__________ 15.__________ 16.__________
Total
Score = __________ __________ __________ _________
Mean
Score = __________ __________ __________ _________
Relative
Ranking = __________ __________ __________ _________
Adapted from: V. Mark Durand, Ph. D. (1990) Severe behavior problems: A functional communication training
Approach. New York, NY: The Guilford Press
