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ESTABLISHING OPERATIONS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT, AND PREVENTION OF PROBLEM BEHAVIOR
Author(s) -
McGill Peter
Publication year - 1999
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.1999.32-393
Subject(s) - applied behavior analysis , context (archaeology) , psychology , management science , behavioral analysis , risk analysis (engineering) , operations research , psychotherapist , developmental psychology , autism , medicine , engineering , paleontology , biology
This paper seeks to integrate Michael's (1982, 1993) discussion of the concept of the establishing operation (EO) with existing conceptual and empirical analyses of problem behavior in people with developmental disabilities. The paper begins with a summary of Michael (1993), which seeks to describe his concept of the EO and place it briefly in historical context. The role of EOs in evoking and establishing motivation for problem behavior is considered in some detail. A case is made for the greater consideration of EOs in the functional analysis of problem behavior, and specific suggestions for detecting the operation of conditioned establishing operations are offered. Turning to treatment, the paper considers the role played by EOs in existing procedures and discusses the development of treatment strategies that seek to modify EOs, extinguish EOs, and modify the responses evoked by EOs. Finally, consideration is given to the implications of EOs for the more systemic treatment and prevention of problem behavior.