John F. Lee

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.

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.

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.