Wendy K. Berg

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.

Training Adolescents with Severe Handicaps to Set Up Job Tasks Independently Using Picture Prompts.

Abstract Three adolescents functioning within the moderate to severe range of mental retardation were taught to use picture prompts to guide their performance on two vocational sequencing tasks. Evaluation of the effects of picture prompts was conducted within a multiple baseline (across subjects and tasks) with reversal design. Baseline was conducted on two tasks, valve assembly with 18 parts, and packaging with 20 parts. During baseline, students were to sequence a specified number of each part across three work stations. Following baseline, students were taught to use picture prompts to guide their performance on one of the tasks. All students completed the training task with at least 96% accuracy with the picture prompts, and generalized their performance with equal accuracy to the untrained task. When picture prompts were removed (reversal to baseline), the performance of all students decreased substantially, indicating that the pictures were controlling their performance. When the pictures were again available to guide behavior, the performance of all three adolescents returned to posttraining levels of accuracy.

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.

A Descriptive Evaluation of Long-Term Treatment Integrity.

The validity of selecting treatment contingencies on the basis of the results obtained through functional analysis is well documented. However, a number of second-generation questions have emerged: For example, what are the parameters required to achieve desired treatment outcomes? More specifically, what is the degree of treatment integrity needed for the successful reduction of problem behavior? This study had two purposes: to describe the relationship between treatment integrity levels and treatment effectiveness and to highlight the importance of reporting the treatment integrity in outcome-based research. The results indicate that a high level of treatment integrity is required for treatment success. Furthermore, the authors found that very low levels of integrity may be required for behavioral reduction procedures (i.e., extinction) if high levels of reinforcement are provided.

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.

Use of peer instruction to train a complex photocopying task to moderately and severely retarded adolescents

Abstract Three severely retarded adolescents were taught a 26-step photocopying task by a moderately retarded peer within a multiple-baseline design. The peer trainer was taught to demonstrate the target task to the trainees, contingently praise correct responses, and to provide correction for errors. During baseline, the trainees were unable to perform the photocopying task correctly. Following instruction by the peer trainer, all trainees showed immediate improvement and completed at least 80 percent of the steps correctly. Two of the three trainees maintained their performance over a four week period and all trainees generalized their performance to a second photocopying task. In addition, the peer trainer accurately prompted, corrected, and praised performance.

A Demonstration of Generalization of Performance Across Settings, Materials, and Motor Responses for Students with Profound Mental Retardation

A treatment package, consisting of multiple exemplar training and community-based instruction, was evaluated for its effectiveness in teaching four students with profound mental retardation and multiple disabilities to participate in two sets of community-living tasks. All training took place in community settings, and each student demonstrated improved performance on at least one task set. In addition, all students demonstrated improved performance on a series of tasks selected to assess generalization of performance across settings, materials, and/or motoric responses required to complete the target task. Maintenance of performance over a 4-to 5-month period was assessed and achieved for two of the students. The results of this investigation are discussed in terms of the implications for programming for students with profound mental retardation.

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.