Caregiver‐conducted Experimental Functional Analyses of Inappropriate Mealtime Behavior

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to replicate the use of parents as therapists for experimental functional analyses of inappropriate mealtime behavior with multiple participants while measuring procedural integrity. Clear functions were identified, and high percentages of procedural integrity were obtained.

Assessment and Treatment of Feeding Problems among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…They have been conducted in several studies to examine maintaining variables related to the food selectivity in children with ASD (Levin and Carr 2001;Najdowski et al 2003). Najdowski et al (2008) conducted a functional analysis that consisted of four conditions: attention, play, no interaction, and escape conditions. In the attention condition the mother presented bites and gave no demands; however, when the child engaged in refusal responses, the mother delivered attention (e.g.…”

A comparison of functional analysis methods of inappropriate mealtime behavior

“…Investigators have evaluated two procedural variations for conducting a functional analysis of inappropriate mealtime behavior to treat children with feeding disorders. Some researchers have conducted functional analyses similar to the procedures described by Iwata, Dorsey, et al (1982/1994) in which each test condition is designed to involve a single and different antecedent manipulation (Najdowski, Wallace, Doney, & Ghezzi, ; Najdowski et al, ). That is, the feeder in Najdowski et al () and Najdowski et al () presented bites and/or drinks and verbal instructions to eat and/or drink only in the escape condition.…”

“…Some researchers have conducted functional analyses similar to the procedures described by Iwata, Dorsey, et al (1982/1994) in which each test condition is designed to involve a single and different antecedent manipulation (Najdowski, Wallace, Doney, & Ghezzi, ; Najdowski et al, ). That is, the feeder in Najdowski et al () and Najdowski et al () presented bites and/or drinks and verbal instructions to eat and/or drink only in the escape condition. The feeder placed a plate of nonpreferred foods in front of the child at the start of each control and nondemand test condition but did not present bites or deliver additional verbal instructions to “take a bite.” An alternative method involves arranging the same antecedent event in all conditions (Bachmeyer et al, ; Girolami & Scotti, ; Piazza et al, ).…”

“…Bachmeyer et al () and Najdowski et al () discussed the interpretative concerns inherent in the design of the experimental conditions of both functional analysis methods for inappropriate mealtime behavior. When bite and/or drink presentations and verbal instructions to “take a bite and/or drink” (i.e., the aversive stimuli) are included in all functional analysis conditions, the interpretive concern is that these stimuli may evoke inappropriate mealtime behavior across all conditions (i.e., high and undifferentiated responding), leading to inconclusive results or a tendency for this method to falsely identify a positive reinforcement function (Bachmeyer et al, ; Najdowski et al, ). The interpretive concern with not including bite and/or drink presentations and verbal instructions to “take a bite and/or drink” in all conditions is that the relevant discriminative stimuli or motivating operations for inappropriate mealtime behavior may not be present during all conditions of the functional analysis (Bachmeyer et al, ).…”

The Teaspoon Method; A Simple Training Program for Feeding Disorders in High Functioning Autistic Children

“…In 90% of the cases, escape from eating maintained inappropriate behaviour highlighting the role of negative reinforcement in the maintenance of feeding problems. In a study by Najdowski et al, the results of functional analyses for five children with autism indicated that escape functioned as a negative reinforcement for inappropriate mealtime behaviour [17]. However, in some patients good results cannot be obtained without the use of negative reinforcement.…”