This article describes the results of a series of studies that involved functional communication training (FCT) conducted in children’s homes by their parents. The 103 children who participated were six years old or younger, had developmental delays, and engaged in destructive behaviors such as self-injury. The core procedures used in each study were functional analyses (FA) and FCT conducted by parents with coaching by the investigators. The overall results of the projects showed that the FA plus FCT intervention package produced substantial reductions in destructive behavior (M = 90 %), which were often maintained following treatment. In terms of behavioral momentum theory, these results suggest that analyses of behavioral persistence provide an explicit technology of maintenance.

Three children who displayed destructive behavior maintained by negative reinforcement received functional communication training (FCT). During FCT, the children were required to complete a demand and then to mand (touch a card attached to a microswitch, sign, or vocalize) to receive brief play breaks. Prior to and 1 to 3 times following the initiation of FCT, extinction probes were conducted to evaluate the resurgence of destructive behavior when the microswitch without the mand card was present or the microswitch and the mand card were absent to determine if different patterns of resurgence occurred when the microswitch was present or absent and, for 2 of the children, if changes in resurgence occurred at different points in treatment. Results showed that FCT led to relatively rapid reductions in destructive behavior. During all extinction sessions, resurgence of destructive behavior occurred with only minimal differences across the switch/no card and no-switch conditions.

Three children who displayed destructive behavior maintained by negative reinforcement received functional communication training (FCT). During FCT, the children were required to complete a demand and then to mand (touch a card attached to a microswitch, sign, or vocalize) to receive brief play breaks. Prior to and 1 to 3 times following the initiation of FCT, extinction probes were conducted to evaluate the resurgence of destructive behavior when the microswitch without the mand card was present or the microswitch and the mand card were absent to determine if different patterns of resurgence occurred when the microswitch was present or absent and, for 2 of the children, if changes in resurgence occurred at different points in treatment. Results showed that FCT led to relatively rapid reductions in destructive behavior. During all extinction sessions, resurgence of destructive behavior occurred with only minimal differences across the switch/no card and no

We evaluated whether differences in treatment effectiveness or preference between languages emerged across Spanish and English during functional communication training (FCT) for young children with developmental disabilities exposed to Spanish and English in the home environment. Participants were 2 young children with developmental disabilities who displayed destructive behavior maintained by social contingencies and whose families spoke Spanish and English at home. All procedures were conducted in the participants’ homes by their mothers with coaching from the investigator. The effectiveness of FCT was evaluated within a reversal design across baseline, FCT, and extinction conditions. A multielement design across language type (Spanish and English) was embedded within the reversal design during the extinction and FCT conditions to evaluate differences in treatment effectiveness across type of language. Finally, during all FCT sessions, a concurrent schedules design was used to evaluate participant preference for type of language. Results suggested that FCT was effective in reducing destructive behavior, increasing manding, and/or increasing task completion for these 2 participants across Spanish and English treatment conditions. Preference for the type of language did not emerge for either participant during FCT. Results are discussed in terms of the merits of systematically evaluating language variables when working with culturally and linguistically diverse families and children.

Eight young children who displayed destructive behavior maintained, at least in part, by negative reinforcement received long-term functional communication training (FCT). During FCT, the children completed a portion of a task and then touched a communication card attached to a microswitch to obtain brief breaks. Prior to and intermittently throughout FCT, extinction probes were conducted within a withdrawal design in which task completion, manding, and destructive behavior were placed on extinction to evaluate the relative persistence of appropriate and destructive behavior over the course of treatment. FCT continued until appropriate behavior persisted and destructive behavior failed to recur at baseline levels during extinction probes. The completion of FCT was followed by four challenges to the persistence of treatment effects conducted within mixed- or multiple-schedule designs: (a) extended extinction sessions (from 5 to 15 min), (b) introduction of a novel task, (c) removal of the microswitch and communication card, and (d) a mixed schedule of reinforcement in which both appropriate and destructive behavior produced reinforcement. The results showed that although FCT often resulted in quick reductions in destructive behavior and increases in appropriate behavior, destructive behavior often recurred during the extinction probes conducted during the initial treatment. When the effects of treatment persisted during the extinction probes, the remaining challenges to treatment effects resulted in only mild to moderate disruptions in behavior. These results are consistent with the quantitative predictions of behavioral momentum theory and may provide an alternative definition of maintenance as constituting behavioral persistence.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of functional communication training (FCT) on the occurrence of non-targeted disruptive behavior. The 10 participants were preschool-aged children with developmental disabilities who engaged in both destructive (property destruction, aggression, self-injury) and disruptive (hand flapping, spinning in circles, shrill laughter, screaming, crying) behaviors. Only destructive behavior was targeted for the functional analyses and FCT, but data were also collected on disruptive behaviors. All procedures were conducted in the participants' homes by their mothers with investigator coaching. Phase 1 consisted of conducting a functional analysis within a multielement design. Phase 2 consisted of conducting FCT with demand fading and repeated extinction baselines within a reversal design. Single-case data are provided for 3 participants, and summary data are provided for all 10 participants. Results of phase 1 showed that all participants' destructive and disruptive behavior was maintained, at least in part, by negative reinforcement. Results of phase 2 showed that both destructive behavior and non-targeted disruptive behavior occurred at lower levels during FCT when compared to the functional analysis demand condition and baseline conditions, suggesting that FCT was effective in decreasing both target destructive behavior and non-targeted disruptive behaviors.

Journal of Applied Behavior AnalysisVolume 43, Issue 2 p. 356-356 GUEST ASSOCIATE EDITORS First published: 27 February 2013 https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2010.43-356Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume43, Issue2Summer 2010Pages 356-356 RelatedInformation

Journal of Applied Behavior AnalysisVolume 43, Issue 3 p. 568-568 GUEST ASSOCIATE EDITORS First published: 27 February 2013 https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2010.43-568Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume43, Issue3Fall 2010Pages 568-568 RelatedInformation

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether destructive behavior and manding were maintained by the same social reinforcers. A summary of 10 participants that met criteria for differentiated functional analysis and mand analysis results were included in this study. All participants were preschool-aged children with developmental disabilities who engaged in destructive behavior. All procedures were conducted in the participants' homes by their parent with investigator coaching. Functional analyses (attention, escape, and tangible test conditions) of destructive behavior and manding were conducted within multielement designs and showed social functions. The functional analysis of destructive behavior and functional analysis of mands identified the same reinforcers for only 2 of the 10 participants. The analysis of mands identified a reinforcer that was not identified by the analysis of destructive behavior for 5 participants (over-identification), did not identify a reinforcer that was identified by the analysis of destructive behavior for 2 participants (under-identification), and identified mixed reinforcers (combination of over-identification and under-identification) for 1 participant. Results suggest that the analysis of destructive behavior and the analysis of mands identified different reinforcers and are not interchangeable.

We conducted a three-phase study to evaluate the use of mands and the occurrence of problem behavior for 2 children with developmental disabilities. During Phase 1, a functional analysis identified the variables maintaining problem behavior. During Phase 2, functional communication training was implemented within a concurrent schedules design. The children were reinforced for using either a novel mand (communication card) or other existing mands (vocal speech, manual signs) that were not specifically trained but were observed to be part of the children's existing repertoire. We then conducted an assessment of mands and problem behavior across different stimulus conditions (card absent, card present) within an ABAB design (Phase 3). Results showed that during Phase 2, problem behavior decreased and participants used the card more frequently than they used other existing mands. Phase 3 showed that problem behavior remained low across both stimulus conditions. When the card was absent, the children used other existing mands; when the card was present, they primarily used the card. These results suggested that the presence of a communication card may function as a discriminative stimulus for a specific topography of manding, but that training with the card did not inhibit the use of other mands when the card was absent.

We evaluated choice-making procedures during in-home assessment and functional communication training (FCT) with two young children with developmental disabilities. Functional analysis results showed that one child’s destructive behavior was maintained by negative reinforcement and the 2nd child’s behavior was maintained by both positive and negative reinforcement. A choice assessment was conducted to identify each child’s relative preference for positive reinforcers that were then included in the FCT program. Treatment conditions consisted of FCT for escape-maintained behavior with and without a choice-making component (FCT + choice). We evaluated whether the positive reinforcers identified during the choice assessment would influence the child to choose to participate in FCT even though avoidance or escape from task demands (i.e., negative reinforcement) was provided as an option during FCT + choice treatment procedures. Results showed that both children chose to participate in FCT when given a choice and displayed reductions in destructive behavior across treatment conditions. These results demonstrated how positive reinforcers identified via a choice assessment may be used in the treatment of escape-maintained destructive behavior.

We coached a parent to conduct functional analysis and functional communication training (FCT) procedures in her home to reduce the destructive behavior displayed by her 2-year-old son. Descriptive assessment information and functional analysis results suggested that destructive behavior was maintained by escape from demands. After conducting a series of baseline probes, the parent implemented an FCT program to teach her son to comply with designated task requests and to mand for a break to play. Results showed that destructive behavior decreased and manding and independent task completion increased during FCT. Positive intervention outcomes were maintained for 1 year. Results are discussed with respect to developing an FCT program that is both efficient and acceptable for parents to implement in their homes.

We evaluated the effects of reinforcing multiple manding topographies during functional communication training (FCT) to decrease problem behavior for three preschool-age children. During Phase 1, a functional analysis identified conditions that maintained problem behavior for each child. During Phase 2, the children's parents taught them to request positive reinforcers (attention or toys) via vocal manding, manual signing, or touching a picture/word card with or without a microswitch recording device. A non-concurrent multiple-baseline design across children was used to evaluate FCT outcomes. Results showed that problem behavior decreased for all three children. Results also indicated that the children initially used multiple manding topographies but displayed a preference for vocal manding over time.

The investigators evaluated the relation between mands and positive reinforcement in the form of parent attention following long-term in-home treatment with functional communication training (FCT) for destructive behavior. Participants were 3 five-year-old children (2 boys, 1 girl) with developmental disabilities who manded to obtain different levels of parent attention (Phase 1). To determine whether the children's rate of manding would vary based on the amount of reinforcement received, the investigators adjusted the duration of parent attention (12 s vs. 30 s) provided to each child for manding on an FR1 schedule (Phase 2) using a reversal design. All 3 children changed their rates of manding so that each child maintained consistent levels of reinforcement across Phase 2 conditions.

Functional analyses of problem behavior for 4 young boys with developmental delays showed that problem behaviors were maintained by both negative and positive reinforcement. Functional communication training was conducted with one set of training stimuli in which the child's mother presented a work task in the family living room. Pretreatment probes were conducted with up to 10 sets of generalization stimuli that varied across tasks, settings, and people. Post treatment probes were conducted across the same generalization stimulus sets. Results for four dependent variables (problem behavior, task completion, manding, and social interactions) indicated that (a) problem behavior occurred across some but not all generalization stimulus sets during pretreatment; (b) following training, reductions of 90% or greater were observed within the context of the training stimuli; (c) reductions in problem behavior were observed for 70% of the post treatment generalization stimulus sets, but the reductions were not as large (M = 61%) as those observed with the training stimuli; and (d) the most consistent change observed during post treatment probes of generalization stimulus sets was increased task completion. Parents of all participants completed a behavior rating form and reported reductions in problem behavior across activities. Keywords: stimulus generalization, FCT, response generalization, developmental disabilities, severe problem behavior. ********** Functional communication training (FCT) has been an effective procedure for reducing the occurrence of problem behavior and increasing appropriate communicative responses for people who engage in destructive behaviors that are maintained by social stimuli, such as gaining attention, gaining access to preferred items, or escaping task demands (e.g., Brown et al., 2000; Carr & Durand, 1985; Fisher, Kuhn, & Thompson, 1998; Hanley, Iwata, & Thompson, 2001; Wacker et al., 1998). To date, the majority of research on FCT has focused on the effects of treatment within a specific training context, and the evaluations have been limited to the short-term effects of FCT on the occurrence of problem behavior and appropriate communication. To further evaluate FCT, analyses are needed on both stimulus generalization (e.g., responding across untrained antecedent stimuli such as persons, tasks, and settings) and changes in other positive social responses, such task completion and social interactions, following the completion of FCT. A few studies have evaluated the effects of FCT on behavior beyond the training context (Durand & Carr, 1991, 1992; and Durand, 1999). Durand and Carr (1991) demonstrated that reductions in problem behavior and increases in appropriate communication were maintained across untrained contexts (classroom settings, novel care providers) following FCT for 3 boys whose problem behavior was maintained by escape from academic demands. The reductions in problem behavior were maintained across non-trained stimuli over a 2-year period for 2 of the 3 participants without additional training. Similarly, Durand (1999) taught students with severe disabilities to use augmentative communication devices in their classroom to request stimuli that had been identified as maintaining problem behavior. In each case, FCT resulted in increased use of the communication device and a reduction in problem behavior in the classroom. Furthermore, use of the device increased and problem behavior decreased in community settings following the completion of FCT. Derby et al. (1997) evaluated the effects of FCT across multiple dependent variables including problem behavior, manding, toy play, and positive social behaviors with 4 young children over a 2-year period. Derby et al. demonstrated that the effects of FCT were not limited to problem behavior and manding, which were consequated directly within the FCT package. The results showed that gains in toy play and positive social behaviors occurred and were maintained for the 2-year period. …

We describe the use of telemedicine by the Biobehavioral Service at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to conduct brief functional analyses for children with developmental and behavioral disorders who live in rural areas of Iowa. Instead of being served at our outpatient facility, participants received initial behavioral assessments in their local schools or social service agencies via videoconference. Case descriptions for 2 participants whose evaluations were conducted via telemedicine, and a brief summary of all outpatient assessments conducted over a 4-year period by the Biobehavioral Service, are provided. This report extends previous applications of functional analysis procedures by examining brief behavioral assessments conducted via telemedicine.

We trained parents to conduct functional analyses (n = 25) and functional communication training (n = 23) in home settings over a four‐year period with 25 young children who had developmental and behavioural disorders. For 12 of the children, pre‐treatment (baseline) probes and post‐treatment stimulus condition probes were conducted to assess stimulus generalization of treatment across persons, settings, and tasks. Single‐case analyses were conducted to evaluate each child's responding during assessment and treatment. The results were averaged across children to provide an overall summary of the project. Social functions (positive and/or negative reinforcement) were identified via functional analyses for 21 of 25 children (84%). Treatment resulted in pre/post decreases in destructive behaviours averaging 85% across children, with only one child showing no decrease in destructive behaviours. Similar results occurred for total problem behaviour. Mean pre/post decreases occurred across all stimulus conditions (8.38% to .69% for persons, 9.02% to 2.11% for settings, and 10% to 3.47% for tasks). Substantial reductions in training time also occurred for five children who received training on a second task. The procedures were rated as very acceptable by most parents. These results replicate previous findings that functional analysis plus functional communication training is an effective and acceptable procedure. The results extend previous findings by showing substantial stimulus generalization with respect to reductions in total problem behaviour.

We used choice-making procedures during assessment and treatment with 2 preschool-aged children diagnosed with developmental disabilities who engaged in severe problem behavior in their homes. A functional analysis identified that the children’s problem behavior was maintained by both positive and negative reinforcement. A choice assessment was conducted to evaluate each child’s relative preference for positive reinforcement (attention, tangibles) or negative reinforcement within four choice conditions. Treatment for the children consisted of functional communication training (FCT) with and without an antecedent choice-making component (FCT + choice). Treatment results indicated that both children showed comparable reductions in problem behavior and increased compliance to parent instructions across treatment conditions. A component analysis of positive reinforcers was conducted to identify active treatment variables. Overall, the results of assessment showed that the choice procedures were useful for evaluating the relative influence of positive and negative reinforcement for children whose problem behavior was maintained by multiple sources of social reinforcement.