We conducted a brief functional analysis to identify maintaining variable for aggressive behavior and an alternative replacement response during a 90-min outpatient evaluation of 3 individuals with severe handicaps. During the initial analogue assessment, which focused on identifying maintaining contingencies for aggressive behavior, each participant displayed a substantially greater frequency of aggressive behavior during one condition than during any other. The contingency that produced the highest percentage of aggressive behavior was then presented for the occurrence of a specific alternative behavior (a mand). During this contingency reversal phase, each participant displayed a substantial reduction in aggressive behavior and a substantial increase in alternative behavior, thus providing a direct analysis of the equivalency of the contingency for maintaining either behavior.
Previous investigators have analyzed the maintaining conditions for aberrant behaviors using brief functional assessment procedures. These assessment procedures have been used in one of our outpatient clinics, the Self-Injurious and Aggressive Behavior Service. This study presents a descriptive summary of the results from 79 cases during a 3-year period. The outcomes of the brief assessment were evaluated across three variables: (a) referring topography, (b) control over behavior as evaluated through brief multielement designs, and (c) the identified maintaining conditions for aberrant behavior. The limitations and future utility of brief functional assessments for identifying distinct maintaining contingencies are discussed.
We compared three methods of stimulus preference assessment for verbal children and specifically evaluated the utility of a verbal choice procedure for assessing relative reinforcer value. Using a token system, relative preference for five categories of reinforcers, representing 15 different stimuli, was assessed by three methods: a reinforcer survey, a verbal stimulus-choice questionnaire, and a pictorial stimulus-choice procedure. Results showed that the verbal and pictorial stimulus-choice assessments accurately identified high- and low-preference categories for 3 of 4 participants. Survey results alone often rated multiple categories as high preference, were less likely to identify low-preference categories, and were less likely to correspond with the results of a reinforcer assessment.
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