Citation

Brown KA, Wacker DP, Derby KM, Peck SM, Richman DM, Sasso GM, Knutson CL, Harding JW. J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 2000; 33(1): 53-71.

Affiliation

The University of Iowa, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Wiley-Blackwell)

DOI

10.1901/jaba.2000.33-53

PMID

10738952

PMCID

PMC1284222

Abstract

We conducted functional analyses of aberrant behavior with 4 children with developmental disabilities. We then implemented functional communication training (FCT) by using different mands across two contexts, one in which the establishing operation (EO) that was relevant to the function of aberrant behavior was present and one in which the EO that was relevant to the function of aberrant behavior was absent. The mand used in the EO-present context served the same function as aberrant behavior, and the mand used in the EO-absent context served a different function than the one identified via the functional analysis. In addition, a free-play (control) condition was conducted for all children. Increases in relevant manding were observed in the EO-present context for 3 of the 4 participants. Decreases in aberrant behavior were achieved by the end of the treatment analysis for all 4 participants. Irrelevant mands were rarely observed in the EO-absent context for 3 of the 4 participants. Evaluating the effectiveness of FCT across different contexts allowed a further analysis of manding when the establishing operations were present or absent. The contributions of this study to the understanding of functional equivalence are also discussed.

Language: en