Noncompliance is a common caregiver concern that can have adverse effects on the learner. Although functional analysis is often employed for other forms of problem behavior (e.g., aggression, property destruction), it is infrequently conducted for noncompliance. Noncompliance is often hypothesized to be maintained by escape from demands. However,…

The current study outlines the successful behavioral assessment and treatment of compulsive behaviors in a high-functioning adolescent with autism. After a functional assessment suggested that compulsive behavior was maintained by both social--negative and social--positive reinforcement, we demonstrated effects of functional communication…

A functional behavior assessment is an evidence-based process that identifies the function of challenging behaviors in order for educators to develop behavior intervention plans for students with disabilities. All behaviors are under stimulus control and research indicates that behaviors typically serve four functions: tangible, escape, attention,…

Behavioral assessment allows a clinician to identify environmental events that are contributing to challenging behavior to inform effective treatment. Recent developments in behavioral assessment and treatment have been devoted to creating practical procedures that can be conducted by clinicians in socially relevant settings. However, the extent…

When problem behavior is controlled by a synthesized reinforcement contingency, a simple omnibus mand that yields access to all reinforcers simultaneously has been shown to effectively replace problem behavior. The question arises as to whether teaching an omnibus mand will preclude the acquisition of specifying mands for each of the combined…

Functional assessments, while considered the "gold standard" for behavioral assessments, are not often implemented in school settings due the extensive amount of time, resources, and expertise required. The interview-informed synthesized contingency analysis (IISCA), is a timely, comprehensive, and accurate method for conducting such…

Behavioral skills training (BST) is a well-established procedure used to train individuals how to perform a variety of complex skills. Previous research has used BST to train parents, teachers, and clinicians how to conduct a variety of clinical procedures, including functional analysis of problem behavior. Although this procedure has been…

In recent years, there has been an increasing emphasis on the use of functional assessment (FA) in the selection of treatments for problem behaviors. Scholars now generally accept that an understanding of the antecedents and consequences of problem behavior, achieved through a FA, is necessary to select the most effective treatment procedure. Yet,…

Individualization and iterative design are essential components of the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior. Currently, there are few validated frameworks for engaging in iterative processes. Due to the nature of single-case design, empirically rigorous evaluations of decision-tree processes are particularly prohibitive.…

Persistent challenging behaviors in early childhood can interfere and disrupt children's engagement in social and academic activities within their homes, schools, and communities (Brauner & Stephens, 2006; Division for Early Childhood [DEC], 2017). To address this concern, DEC recommends that early childhood practitioners use functional…

During functional analysis (FA), therapists arrange contingencies between potential reinforcers and problem behavior. It is unclear whether this fact, in and of itself, facilitates problem behavior's acquisition of new (false-positive) functions. If problem behavior can come under the control of contingencies contrived between it and known…

Functional communication training (FCT) is an evidence-based intervention that has been widely used and implemented to reduce problem behavior and teach replacement behavior in a variety of settings. Specific procedures have been researched and documented to ensure correct implementation. Functional communication training can be broken into three…

Conducting a functional analysis is the "gold standard" of behavior assessment with best practices recommending identification of idiosyncratic variables as essential to valid results. One potential variable that might impact assessment results is language of assessment. For individuals who operate in environments with multiple languages…

The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of function-based decisions made in consideration of scores from the Intervention Selection Profile--Function (ISP-Function), a tool founded upon direct behavior rating (DBR) methodology. The ISP-Function is designed to be a brief measure, given the need for efficient and low-resource…

Training teachers to select and implement appropriate function-based interventions may reduce their reliance on behavior specialists and other support staff to help manage their students' problem behavior in the classroom. Most prior studies on this type of training evaluated outcomes by measuring teachers' verbal report rather than their…