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AN ANALYSIS OF MAINTENANCE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION TRAINING
Author(s) -
Durand V. Mark,
Carr Edward G.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of applied behavior analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1938-3703
pISSN - 0021-8855
DOI - 10.1901/jaba.1992.25-777
Subject(s) - functional equivalence , psychology , functional analysis , reinforcement , developmental psychology , psychological intervention , intervention (counseling) , equivalence (formal languages) , stimulus control , clinical psychology , audiology , psychiatry , social psychology , medicine , philosophy , biochemistry , linguistics , chemistry , gene , nicotine
The multiple and long‐term effects of functional communication training relative to a common reductive procedure (time‐out from positive reinforcement) were evaluated. Twelve children participated in a functional analysis of their challenging behaviors (Study 1), which implicated adult attention as a maintaining variable. The children were then matched for chronological age, mental age, and language age and assigned to two groups. One group received functional communication training as an intervention for their challenging behavior, and the second group received time‐out as a contrast. Both interventions were initially successful (Study 2), but durable results were achieved only with the group that received functional communication training across different stimulus conditions (Study 3). Students whose challenging behaviors were previously reduced with time‐out resumed these behaviors in the presence of naive teachers unaware of the children's intervention history. The value of teaching communicative responses to promote maintenance is discussed as it relates to the concept of functional equivalence.