The Behavior Chain Interruption Strategy: A Review of Research and Discussion of Future Directions

Abstract

This review examines research studies that utilize the behavior chain interruption strategy (BCIS) to teach communication skills to individuals with severe disabilities. The BCIS is a naturalistic teaching procedure that uses an interruption to a behavior chain (i.e., a routine) as the point of instruction. The BCIS has been successfully applied to the teaching of communication skills to individuals across a wide range of ages and of levels of disability, including learners with multiple disabilities. It has been employed to teach a range of communication forms, including pictorial communication systems, natural gestures, signing, and a switch activated communication device. However, a number of questions remain regarding the BCIS. In particular, it is questioned whether the type of interruptions employed in the procedure are likely to occur outside a training context and whether communication taught with the procedure generalizes to out-of-routine contexts. Implications for practice are considered and suggestions are offered for future research.

Teaching Mands to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Behavior Chain Interruption Strategies: a Systematic Review

“…The results of this review thus suggest that a BCIS is an empirically supported approach for teaching manding skills to individuals with ASD. This conclusion is consistent with an earlier review into the use and validation of the BCIS for teaching manding skills to individuals with developmental disabilities (Carter and Grunsell 2001). Further, many well-established researched-based interventions packages for individuals with autism include BCIS strategies.…”

“…Interruption types were (a) using missing item format in which a needed item was not provided, (b) delayed presentation of a needed item, (c) placing a needed item out of reach, (d) blocking or withholding access to a needed item, (e) incomplete presentation of needed materials, and/or (f) limiting access to the needed materials. This classification system was based on the categories outlined by Carter and Grunsell (2001). Study results were classified as positive, mixed, or negative based on visual analysis of graphed results (Gast and Ledford 2009) and using the definitions developed by Lang et al (2012) and Davis et al (2013).…”

“…In practice, implementing one or more BCIS typically involves identifying a familiar behavior chain and interrupting this chain at a predetermined step (generally the middle of an ongoing chain). The interruption is intended to create the need and motivation for a specific mand form, which is then reinforced naturally by enabling continuation of the behavior chain, which ultimately leads to a terminal reinforcer (Carter and Grunsell 2001;Goetz et al 1985;Hunt and Goetz 1988). For example, a behavior chain, such as getting ready to go play outside, could be used as a context for teaching a child to request help in finding his or her jacket.…”

“…This class of strategies generally involves creating MOs in various ways so as to create the need for a mand and thus create opportunities for teaching manding skills (Carter and Grunsell 2001;Hall and Sundberg 1987;Hunt and Goetz 1988). In practice, implementing one or more BCIS typically involves identifying a familiar behavior chain and interrupting this chain at a predetermined step (generally the middle of an ongoing chain).…”

“…One such class of tactics includes behavior chain interruption strategies (BCIS; Carter and Grunsell 2001;Shafer 1994). BCIS were originally developed as a method of teaching functional communication skills (i.e., requesting) to individuals with developmental disabilities within natural environmental routines (Hall and Sundberg 1987;Hunt and Goetz 1988).…”