Jay W. Harding

Treatment effectiveness, stimulus generalization, and acceptability to parents of functional communication training

We trained parents to conduct functional analyses (n = 25) and functional communication training (n = 23) in home settings over a four‐year period with 25 young children who had developmental and behavioural disorders. For 12 of the children, pre‐treatment (baseline) probes and post‐treatment stimulus condition probes were conducted to assess stimulus generalization of treatment across persons, settings, and tasks. Single‐case analyses were conducted to evaluate each child’s responding during assessment and treatment. The results were averaged across children to provide an overall summary of the project. Social functions (positive and/or negative reinforcement) were identified via functional analyses for 21 of 25 children (84%). Treatment resulted in pre/post decreases in destructive behaviours averaging 85% across children, with only one child showing no decrease in destructive behaviours. Similar results occurred for total problem behaviour. Mean pre/post decreases occurred across all stimulus conditions (8.38% to .69% for persons, 9.02% to 2.11% for settings, and 10% to 3.47% for tasks). Substantial reductions in training time also occurred for five children who received training on a second task. The procedures were rated as very acceptable by most parents. These results replicate previous findings that functional analysis plus functional communication training is an effective and acceptable procedure. The results extend previous findings by showing substantial stimulus generalization with respect to reductions in total problem behaviour.

Conducting Functional Communication Training in Home Settings: A Case Study and Recommendations for Practitioners.

We coached a parent to conduct functional analysis and functional communication training (FCT) procedures in her home to reduce the destructive behavior displayed by her 2-year-old son. Descriptive assessment information and functional analysis results suggested that destructive behavior was maintained by escape from demands. After conducting a series of baseline probes, the parent implemented an FCT program to teach her son to comply with designated task requests and to mand for a break to play. Results showed that destructive behavior decreased and manding and independent task completion increased during FCT. Positive intervention outcomes were maintained for 1 year. Results are discussed with respect to developing an FCT program that is both efficient and acceptable for parents to implement in their homes.

Evaluation of relations between specific antecedent stimuli and self-injury during functional analysis conditions.

We evaluated the influence of child location on the occurrence of self-injurious behavior (SIB) during functional analyses conducted in home settings. An initial functional analysis conducted with 2 children who had developmental disabilities showed undifferentiated patterns of SIB. Analyses of behavior during free play suggested that the childs location was an active variable for self-injury. Both children showed a decrease in self-injury when they were placed next to their parent versus being placed in a wheelchair or on the floor. A second functional analysis was conducted with child and parent on a couch. Results showed low percentages of self-injury during free play, but high percentages during other test conditions. Functional communication training programs for each child resulted in decreases in self-injury.

Analysis of Multiple Manding Topographies during Functional Communication Training.

We evaluated the effects of reinforcing multiple manding topographies during functional communication training (FCT) to decrease problem behavior for three preschool-age children. During Phase 1, a functional analysis identified conditions that maintained problem behavior for each child. During Phase 2, the childrens parents taught them to request positive reinforcers (attention or toys) via vocal manding, manual signing, or touching a picture/word card with or without a microswitch recording device. A non-concurrent multiple-baseline design across children was used to evaluate FCT outcomes. Results showed that problem behavior decreased for all three children. Results also indicated that the children initially used multiple manding topographies but displayed a preference for vocal manding over time.

Combining Descriptive and Experimental Analyses of Young Children with Behavior Problems in Preschool Settings

This investigation shows the merits of preceding experimental analyses with descriptive analyses of functional variables with preschool children who engage in problematic behavior. A twophase descriptive analysis was conducted in daycare settings with three children. In Phase 1, the authors assessed the relation between child behavior and structural events. During Phase 2, the same behavior was replotted by functional variables. The results showed that when the descriptive data were plotted via functional variables, specific hypotheses could be generated regarding the variables controlling appropriate behavior. This procedure permitted the subsequent use of very brief experimental analyses to further identify functional relations. The use of descriptive analyses of functional rather than structural variables may be an important component in the assessment of problem behavior in community settings.

Analysis of Mand Selection across Different Stimulus Conditions

We conducted a three-phase study to evaluate the use of mands and the occurrence of problem behavior for 2 children with developmental disabilities. During Phase 1, a functional analysis identified the variables maintaining problem behavior. During Phase 2, functional communication training was implemented within a concurrent schedules design. The children were reinforced for using either a novel mand (communication card) or other existing mands (vocal speech, manual signs) that were not specifically trained but were observed to be part of the childrens existing repertoire. We then conducted an assessment of mands and problem behavior across different stimulus conditions (card absent, card present) within an ABAB design (Phase 3). Results showed that during Phase 2, problem behavior decreased and participants used the card more frequently than they used other existing mands. Phase 3 showed that problem behavior remained low across both stimulus conditions. When the card was absent, the children used other existing mands; when the card was present, they primarily used the card. These results suggested that the presence of a communication card may function as a discriminative stimulus for a specific topography of manding, but that training with the card did not inhibit the use of other mands when the card was absent.

The Long-Term Effects of Functional Communication Training Conducted in Young Children's Home Settings.

This article describes the results of a series of studies that involved functional communication training (FCT) conducted in children’s homes by their parents. The 103 children who participated were six years old or younger, had developmental delays, and engaged in destructive behaviors such as self-injury. The core procedures used in each study were functional analyses (FA) and FCT conducted by parents with coaching by the investigators. The overall results of the projects showed that the FA plus FCT intervention package produced substantial reductions in destructive behavior (M = 90 %), which were often maintained following treatment. In terms of behavioral momentum theory, these results suggest that analyses of behavioral persistence provide an explicit technology of maintenance.

An Evaluation of Choice Responding during Assessment and Treatment of Problem Behavior

We used choice-making procedures during assessment and treatment with 2 preschool-aged children diagnosed with developmental disabilities who engaged in severe problem behavior in their homes. A functional analysis identified that the children’s problem behavior was maintained by both positive and negative reinforcement. A choice assessment was conducted to evaluate each child’s relative preference for positive reinforcement (attention, tangibles) or negative reinforcement within four choice conditions. Treatment for the children consisted of functional communication training (FCT) with and without an antecedent choice-making component (FCT + choice). Treatment results indicated that both children showed comparable reductions in problem behavior and increased compliance to parent instructions across treatment conditions. A component analysis of positive reinforcers was conducted to identify active treatment variables. Overall, the results of assessment showed that the choice procedures were useful for evaluating the relative influence of positive and negative reinforcement for children whose problem behavior was maintained by multiple sources of social reinforcement.

Repetitive Behavior Disorders in Persons with Developmental Disabilities

Repetitive behavior disorders in persons with developmental disabilities are likely produced and maintained by a complex interaction of biologic and operant variables. We have described some of these variables and suggested that even if behavior is related to biologic variables, operant mechanisms may still be maintaining the behavior. Based on this supposition, we suggest that behavioral treatment be considered. A difficulty with behavioral treatment for behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement is that we are often unable to match treatment to the specific variables that maintain repetitive behavior. A combination of functional analysis and assessments of stimulus preferences or antecedent events may be a good approach for clarifying both the operant mechanisms underlying behavior and the behavioral treatment components that may be effective in reducing the behavior.